One thing was clear after interviewing Marlene Galán Woods.
She is ready to fight for all Arizonans and Americans and the Democratic Republic that is under attack by MAGA, Trumpists, and enabling Extremist Republicans.
A child of immigrants who fled the Communist dictatorship in Cuba, Galán-Woods has declared her candidacy to run again for the Arizona House Congressional District (CD) One seat, currently held by MAGA supporting and corruption stalwart David Schweikert.
If elected, she would fight the Musk/Trump drive toward authoritarian dictatorship and work to right the direction of the House of Representatives ship and the direction of the country.
She would also work to help people thrive with affordable housing and a strong economy that is fair for all.
Arizona CD One is one of two Congressional battleground districts that could determine which political party controls Congress in 2027.
Ms. Galán Woods graciously took the time to discuss her candidacy for the Arizona CD One House seat.
The questions and her responses are below.
Please tell the readers two reasons you would like to run again for the Arizona Congressional District One Seat.
“My parents came to this country from a Communist Nation. From a dictatorship. My mother was just 18 years old when she came to this country. They came to this country for freedom and for opportunity. Their sacrifice is why I’m sitting here. I was blessed with a great career, great opportunities, and my children have these opportunities because of the sacrifice that my parents made. The idea that this would all be squandered and torn apart without us fighting is just unacceptable to me. So that’s why I’m doing this.
“I can certainly see a dictatorship in the making, and this is a dictator wannabe with an unelected, out of touch billionaire tearing apart the country. Then we have somebody like David Schweikert who’s willing to do everything they tell him to do just so that he can take up oxygen in Congress for the next however many years because he doesn’t get anything done. So that’s why we need to win back the House of Representatives so that we can right this ship and get to work for Arizona families.”
Anything you would like to add before we go to the second part of number one?
“People should know what this administration is doing. They’re trying to destroy the institutions and safety nets that we have in this country. They’re talking about cutting back on Medicaid. There are close to 8,000 people in my district who receive Medicaid benefits. In fact, I just spoke with a young mom the other day at a town hall. They are foster parents, and they adopted these kids, and they are frightened because one of the children has a severe disability. They receive Medicaid. They’re terrified that their Medicaid Benefits are going to be taken away. That’s just one example of what this scorched Earth tactic is and how it’s going to kill people. Families will hurt. Now, they’re also trying to go after Social Security. They have lied to Arizonans. They said prices would go down, but they’ve gone up. The stock market is taking some hits and we’re on the brink of a trade war.”
“Here’s one thing I’ve learned raising kids. It is a lot easier to break things than it is to put them back together again, right? And that’s the work that we’ll need to do, and we need to do it quickly because look at this for what 50-60 days into this administration, and already all of this has happened. So, winning back the House of Representatives is crucial to righting this ship. We need to replace these extremist enablers like David Schweikert so we can restore some real checks and balances and get our priorities back on track. Arizonans deserve real leadership.”
Why are you running again, and how will this primary contest be different from the last one?
“I’m running because we need a representative who will stand up for our community, unlike David Schweikert, who votes for his party’s extreme agenda. I believe that I am our best chance at beating David Schweikert. I really hoped that Democrats would flip this seat last year, but that didn’t happen. So, I believe that I am our best bet. And do you know who else believes this? Republicans! I’m the only candidate in that six-way primary who Republicans spent money against, to try to damage and to try to bounce me off the ballot. They know I can beat David Schweikert, and that’s what I will do next fall.”
In your opinion, what are these three issues that you will run on to earn the nomination and in the general election in 2026?
“I think the issues that Democrats worry about are the same issues that Independents worry about and Republicans worry about. First, people are worried about the economy and making sure that we build an economy that gives everyone a fair shot.That we don’t enable policies which increase prices, like what is currently being done.”
“Affordable housing is another important issue I hear about every day. We have to make sure that people are able to have a place to live that’s affordable and close to their work. People just want to provide for their families – put food on the table and a roof over their families’ heads. This goes for Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. They want to provide for their families. So, one thing that I plan on doing, as a journalist who is into facts, is we’ll tell people the truth. Here’s the truth. Those are the issues. It’s the economy. It’s saving Medicare and Medicaid. It’s saving Democracy.”
“Finally, we need to protect our democracy. This administration is working hard to dismantle our democracy and the rule of law, and people like David Schweikert are complicit in it. I think people are seeing that we need fighters. We need fighters, and that’s who I am. It’s no more Mr. Nice Guy. We’ve got to step up, speak up and fight, and throw an elbow, and maybe a punch whenever it’s necessary.”
Please tell the readers your position on border security and immigration reform.
“I’m a product of immigrants, and I got to experience the American dream thanks to my parents’ hard work and sacrifice. We need comprehensive immigration reform. We need to secure the border, and make sure we are providing resources to secure the border, but we must do it humanely. We need to invest in judges and courts so that we have a system that works smoothly. We are the United States of America, and something that keeps folks safe on both sides. We need a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. I’ve always believed in that.
This idea that we’re going to just try to get everybody out of here, inhumanely with no regard, is absurd. Immigration reform enriches our communities, provides an employment base for our small businesses. We need to have an immigration system that works safely on both sides of the border and our economy.”
To what extent do you support free Pre-K, full-day Kindergarten, free community college, and increased apprenticeship opportunities so children and young adults can get the best educational opportunities to achieve the American Dream? Please explain.
“Every child in Arizona deserves a quality education. Our kids succeed when educators have the tools and funding they need to teach and when our public schools are properly funded. We need to pay our teachers better — and stop asking them to also be social workers, school counselors, and police officers. Republicans like David Schweikert have a history of keeping teachers out of Arizona classrooms and gutting our public education system, including what you’re seeing right now.”
“I support trade schools and apprenticeship programs so that there are opportunities for those who may not want to get a four-year college degree. We need more investments in our public schools so that our children are set up for success.”
Please explain at least two ways, your campaign will win over Independent and Moderate Republican voters in CD One.
“I’ve lived here in this area for almost 40 years. These are people who know me. They knew my husband who was the Attorney General of Arizona for eight years as a Republican. This is not the Republican Party I knew.
“The issues that Democrats worry about are the same as Republicans and Independents also worry about. That’s the economy. That’s putting food on the table. That’s putting gas in your car. That’s what it’s about. I’m a journalist. I can’t think of a better way to spend my day than to listen to people to hear what they have to say. I want to have conversations with somebody who might be more conservative or liberal than me and have that conversation and help me understand their point of view and what issues are most important to them. We may not agree on everything but I think that most of us agree on more than we disagree on.”
“One thing I can tell you is that I will show up. I will show up. You know who doesn’t show up is David Schweikert. He hasn’t had a town hall in years. In fact, his staff can’t even find it on a calendar because I asked them to look for it on a calendar. He will not show up. He is trying to fly under the radar and just hope that people forget how lame he is. And trust me, when I tell you that I will remind everyone how harmful he is and that all he is doing is being complicit with this Administration.”
Please explain at least two ways your campaign will reach out to voters who normally do not pay attention to politics. How will you appeal to those voters who normally don’t follow politics?
“One of the things that we can encourage people to do, and I do it with my own family and my own friends who may or may not be in the weeds. We talk about some of the issues and then I say, who can you talk to about this? Is it your neighbor? We have got to empower others. That resonates – meeting somebody where they are and say, how can you tell your neighbor about this? Tell them what’s going on.”
“Also, I would be the first Latina to go to Congress from Arizona. We need to do better at reaching and working with the Hispanic Community. I speak Spanish. And every video that I shoot in English, I will shoot in Spanish, and I will do my best to communicate with Latinos voters.”
‘I’ll go anywhere I am invited. This is about meeting people where they’re at. That’s how you do it. One of the reasons I got in early is to have this conversation. It’s to have the conversation now, and they’re giving us plenty of material to bring to voters who might not know what’s going on. And then eventually, you know what’s going to happen. Everyone is going to be affected one way or another by the consequences of this election. We keep communication going, and there are ways to reach people on social media, door-to-door, and elsewhere.”
Is there anything not covered in the first four questions that you would like the readers to know about your candidacy for CD One? Please explain.
“At this moment in our history, we all have to do something. We need people to stand up and fight. We need people who are going to say what needs to be said and not be afraid to hurt somebody’s feelings. We have got to have fighters. We have got to have people who are willing to get dirty and that’s what that’s what I’ll do. This is too important to me. I will not let my parents sacrifice be in vain.”
Please click here to learn more about Marlene Galán Woods and her candidacy for the Arizona House Seat in CD One.
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