In the new Arizona Legislative District (LD) 14, located in Gilbert Arizona, forensic scientist and peace officer Brandy Reese sees political dysfunction as Republican leaders stoke culture war fears, promote the Big Lie about the 2020 Presidential Election, and gleefully take away voter’s and women’s rights.
Feeling a sense of duty, Ms. Reese, a wife and mother of two daughters, wants to bring her scientific approach to the Arizona State House and work to find common ground and solutions to the state’s real problems.
If elected, she would focus on working on solutions to:
- Fully fund public education.
- Improve the economy.
- Promote a clean environment and protect the water supply.
- Expand healthcare options for people like children in poverty.
Ms. Reese graciously took the time to answer questions about her candidacy.
The questions and her responses are below.
- What are at least two reasons you want to run for a term in the Arizona State Legislature?
“In 2020, like a lot of people, I was talking with some like-minded friends and we were talking about putting signs in our yard and I said I was hesitant to do that because, of fear that would make me a target and there were people in this group in particular, a person of color who commented that’s how they felt every day, that they didn’t have a choice about whether or not they were a target.
In that moment I felt shame. I was ashamed that I had been afraid to do something as simple as putting a sign in my yard when other people had much more grave consequences that they faced every day.
So, I plucked up my courage and decided as a college educated white person with so many privileges that I felt it was my duty to step up and do something and to lead.
Secondly, when I look around, I see all of this dysfunction that we have in all of these areas like attacks on our medical freedom, bodily autonomy, healthcare jobs, schools, climate, and now uncontrolled gun violence.
I just felt compelled to stand up and do something. I am running for Arizona State House of Representatives because we need leaders willing to take action and get to the business of finding solutions.”
- What are at least two reasons voters should have let you over any opponent in the legislative race?
“There are some very big problems that we face and these problems require that we really look at it very honestly and unbiased. We really need to be able to bring everyone to the table and to collaborate. We need to be able to listen and reflect and really consider all the stakeholders and look at rational and realistic solutions.
As a scientist, that’s my problem-solving strategy: very data driven and evidence based.
I think we have a real void in leadership and we have, in my opinion, leaders, especially here in Gilbert that want to try to divert and distract us from the issues that are really important. I think that we need to be laser focused and get to the issues that really matter. We need to remember we have shared values and common goals.”
- What if elected what or least four issues you’ll focus on if elected to the legislature?
“The primary reason I got involved was education. I have two children that were in the public school system and I saw some deficits there. I am committed to fighting for an excellent education for all Arizona kids that prepares them for success in life. Arizona schools are at or near the bottom of nearly every metric when it comes to funding, teacher pay, and appropriate class sizes. Our kids deserve safe, well-funded schools, talented teachers, and small classes so they can actually learn.”
The second reason is on everyone’s mind: the economy. In my opinion, investing in our children and their education and preparing them, making them well-educated and skilled to be a talented workforce helps our economy.
The third reason is the environment and water. This touches every area and we can’t ignore it. We’ve got historic water lows, drought, and really need to come together and figure out solutions.
Then of course, there is healthcare. Healthcare is a basic human, right or it should be, and that includes mental health addiction treatments, legal and reproductive issues.
Ultimately, our community safety is grounded in addressing the root causes of violence by investing in our neighborhood schools, job training, sustainability, and healthcare and it is my belief that it is our moral responsibility to do so.”
Do you support Universal Pre-K?
“Yes.”
Do you support the expansion of Kids’ Care?
“Yes.”
What is your stance on funding the police?
“I think our police are essential.”
Your views on comprehensive immigration reform.
“I think we could use some immigration reform. I think that this is obviously something we have an issue with. I am friends with AJ Kurdoglu who’s a candidate for the State House in LD 12. His pathway to citizenship was long and difficult. Okay. Knowing that there are problems there, people that want to come here should have a pathway that doesn’t take them a decade in my opinion. So, there is room for improvement.”
What’s your view on border security?
“My opinion is that we have some people that are inflating that as an issue, a bigger issue than it is to distract from the other important issues that we have that we should be dealing with. However, I support smart border security such as addressing the asylum backlog, updating systems, more secure ports of entry, and investing in technology and personnel.”
- Is there anything that covered in the first three questions that you’d like to read us to know about you and your candidacy? Please explain.
“I was born into poverty. I can appreciate what that means and the situation that I was in before, and I can appreciate therefore the difference in the situation that I’m in now. I know what it’s like to work hard and to struggle. I can remember what that’s like.
As I got older, I have had different opportunities, education and had to work hard through college. Because of that, I’ve had advantages being able to live in different states and lived in Canada for a while, visited different countries, been around different populations of people that come from different backgrounds, whether that’s education, religious background, or socioeconomic conditions.
I think that that gives me a unique and different perspective that maybe not all the candidates have.
As I mentioned earlier, I was a forensic scientist. I did that for 14 years. I was a sworn peace officer as part of that which is, is somewhat different and unique on a state- by- state basis. Now I’m a wife and a mother and I’m involved in my community.
I’m an education advocate, as I mentioned, because it made such a difference in my life. And I am a citizen that wants to make this community and this state better.
This is where I live, where my family lives.”
Please click on the below social media sites to find out more about Brandy Reese and her candidacy for the Arizona State House in LD 14.
IG: @ReeseForAZ
Twitter: @ReeseForAZ
Website: ReeseForAZ.com
Email: brandy@reeseforaz.com
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