Former State Legislator Daniel Hernandez has announced his second run for a seat in the House of Representatives.
The oldest of three children who have all dedicated their lives to public service, Mr. Hernandez wants to continue his work for many of the people he previously represented in the State House.
If successful in his run for the Arizona Congressional District (CD) Seven House seat, Mr. Hernandez will work to:
- Protect Democracy.
- Advance an affordability agenda.
- Preserve and strengthen Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
- Safeguard the Southern Border.
Former State Representative Hernandez graciously took the time to interview and discuss his Congressional Candidacy.
The questions and his responses are below.
- Please tell the readers two reasons you would like to run for the Arizona Congressional District Seven Seat.
“I’m excited to be running for this seat where I grew up, and it’s where I represented. I spent six years in the state house, and I spent eight years in the Sunnyside Unified School District governing board representing this community. It’s where I was born and raised, and it’s also where both of my sisters have represented in the Arizona State House. So, for me, this is very important because this is where I grew up. It’s where my family has been. It’s where my family continues to be, and I think looking at what’s going on in Washington, DC right now, we’re in a moment of crisis with MAGA Republicans constantly going after our rights, trying to make cuts to Medicare and Social Security which are so important to so many people in this District and the entirety of Arizona. So, for me, I’m running because I think right now, what we need is a strong voice who knows how to fight against Republicans and deliver results. That’s what I did at the Arizona State House for six years. And also, somebody who I think understands that right now, the top things are fighting against the Republicans, protecting our Democracy like I did when I was in the State House and then also making sure we’re protecting Medicare and Social Security because those are things that are so important to so many people in the district.”
- Why are you running again, and how will this primary contest be different from the last one in CD Six against Kirsten Engel? In other words, please explain at least two ways how you will persuade voters that supported Raul Grijalva for years not to support his daughter.
“The biggest thing is reminding people about my track record at Sunnyside and also my work at the legislature. So, when I got elected to the Sunnyside School District Governing Board, there were a lot of problems with nepotism and corruption. And [what] I took on at the age of 21[was] a system that was very entrenched. It had a lot of problems, but at 24, we were able to recall two of my fellow board members and try and get Sunnyside on track to try and make sure that we were focusing on delivering results for the teachers and for the staff at Sunnyside so they could give kids the best opportunities for an education that was possible. Then in the legislature, I spent six years there. I was able to found the LGBTQ caucus, was able to pass meaningful legislation to reduce costs for families including passing, billing and housing tax credits. I actually just got a chance to tour Pascua Yaqui and some of the housing units that they built because of the tax credit that we passed a few years ago. So, for me, I think the difference between this race in 2022 is this is where I grew up. This is where I represented. Most of my legislative district got put into CD 7. Over 75 percent of my old district is in Congressional District Seven and 90 percent of my sister Alma’s district is in this Congressional, so we have a long track record of getting stuff done for the communities here in Southern Arizona.”
The seat that you’re running for. Do you think it’s considered Raul Grijalva’s seat or the CD Seven one?
“Well, I think Congressman Grijalva obviously held it for a long time, but at the end of the day, we need to make sure that everybody works hard to earn the votes of the folks in this District, and that’s why I’m running to make sure that I’m making my case for why I should be the next member of Congress from this District.”
- In your opinion, what are these three issues that you will run on to earn the nomination and in the general election in September?
“One, protecting and defending our Democracy is absolutely critical, given what’s going on right now with Donald Trump trying to undermine every single Democratic institution from the courts to the Department of Education. So, I think having someone fight against this that knows how to win. When I was in the Arizona State Legislature, I helped defeat attempts to try and overturn the 2020 election results and tried to make sure that we were standing up for election integrity. [The 2020 election results were] not this crazy idea that a lot of folks had in the MAGA world that the elections was stolen. We need to make sure that we’re empowering our elected officials who run elections and the civil servants who helped manage those elections that they have the tools and that they have the protection to just do their jobs. So protecting our Democracy and standing up to MAGA Republicans is number one.”
“Secondly, and most importantly, trying to lower the cost of living in Arizona. I think it’s so crucial right now. We’re still seeing sky high inflation, and we’re seeing record high costs of living because of tariffs and the tariffs are brought to you by MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump, and that’s going to really hurt this district in particular, because when you look at what’s happening in Southern Arizona in Santa Cruz County, in particular. A large part of the folks that live in this District work in the produce industry in Santa Cruz County, and for all of us who don’t work in the produce industry, it’s going to be a very concerning time because the tariffs are going to drive up to cost for everyday working families here in in Arizona.”
“Finally, I think protecting Medicare and Social Security is really important to me because this isn’t like the crazy policy idea. This is something that deeply impacts my family. My mom is dealing with cancer right now. She only has coverage to treat our cancer because of Medicare. My dad, who died in December, lived as long as he did because he had Medicare, and they both were Social Security recipients, where that’s their only income. So, for me, protecting these things is not like a oh, it’s a good idea. It’s, this would literally be a killer for folks like my parents and for my mom, who is now dealing with cancer and only has coverage because of Medicare and Medicaid.”
Please tell the readers about your position on immigration reform and border security.
“So, I spent six years representing the border, and I think one of the things that happens a lot is people love to show up every two or four years at the border and take photos and say there’s a crisis on the border because Republicans would rather run on a crisis than actually solve problems, so I’ve been dedicated to trying to reform the comprehensive immigration systems since I was 21. I’ve been on the record for years, saying we need to have Border Security, but that doesn’t mean that we treat people inhumanely. That means that we do what we can to make sure that our local law enforcement in Santa Cruz, Cochise and Yuma Counties have the tools that they need to deal with fentanyl, but it also means that we create a pathway to citizenship for these kids that have been in limbo for 20 plus years now. The Dreamers and also for the people that are in the shadows, bringing them out of the shadows and creating a pathway for them to actually be successful. The fact that 2013 was the last time an immigration bill has passed that was bipartisan, and it died in the House, because John Boehner refused to put it up for a vote is a travesty. These people have been waiting for decades and we need to have people who understand the border and that understand that you can have both border security and also finally get comprehensive immigration reform that’s going to help fundamentally change the lives of so many people who’ve been in limbo for decades.”
- Tell us at least two things the people are saying when you and your surrogates meet them at their houses in CD Seven. What is your response to what they are telling you and your campaign?
‘I think the biggest thing that I’m hearing from talking to voters is concerns about cost of living. I’m knocking on a lot of doors of folks who are seniors who are on fixed incomes and we just had that sales tax increase proposed in Tucson. That would have been so harmful to so many people, so I think the first is people concerned that they can’t afford their everyday goods, and that cost of living is higher now than it’s been in a long time. And second, they want somebody who understands the struggles that they’re going through and actually represents them because I think for me, I was in the legislature. My mom is on Social Security. I’m not coming from a place where I make you know a million dollars a year. I was making $24,000 a year for six years as a legislator. And then, also, working part-time in other jobs to try and make ends meet. People want someone that they can resonate with and who understands their issues. And for me, this isn’t something that’s far away. This is the reality that I’ve lived in. I grew up in a low-income household. We had food stamps when I was younger. There were times where my dad, who was a construction worker, was out of work and we needed assistance. So, having the safety net is crucial, and I think that’s the thing that a lot of people are nervous that a lot of these safety nets that they’ve relied on for a long time are going away or being chipped away by the MAGA Republicans. So, those are the biggest things that I’m hearing, and also they want people that want to stand up and actually fight against the Republicans, because I did that for a long time at the legislature, whether it was on LGBTQ rights or on gun bills or on protecting our Democracy. I’ve been able to get meaningful results on a variety of issues that are Democratic core values but also fighting against these Republicans that I think are really hurting our country.”
- Is there anything not covered in the first four questions that you would like the readers to know about your candidacy for CD Seven? Please explain.
“I think the biggest thing for folks to know about me is that I’m someone who is really passionate about creating positive changes in our community. That I’m dedicated to working hard to represent every part of this district from Bisbee and Douglas, all the way to Avondale and Tucson and Nogales in between. I’m somebody who’s going to put in the work to make sure that every part of the district is felt like they’re being heard and that they feel like they have a representative that cares about their issues.”
Please click here to find out more information about Daniel Hernandez and his candidacy for the Arizona Congressional District Seven House Seat.
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