Briana Ortega, candidate for LD 21 House at DGT

by Carolyn Classen, blogger

“Briana Ortega is running for Arizona State House from District 21 in a three-way primary for two nominations for the two House seats for that district.

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Briana is an attorney, small business owner, and lifelong Southern Arizonan. Throughout her life, she has developed two core values: hard work and the importance of supporting your community. She’s demonstrated her commitment to those values at every stage of her life.

Briana is an alumna of Sahuarita High School and the University of Arizona, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law. In college, she served as a peer advisor to low-income and first-generation students, co-founded and led the Rotaract Club, and received numerous awards, including Club President of the Year and Wildcat of the Year.

Motivated by her desire to advocate for others, Briana attended law school at Gonzaga University. She graduated at the top of her class, while juggling multiple jobs, serving on the editorial board of Gonzaga Journal of International Law, and successfully competing in moot court competitions. Briana also created an outreach program for undergraduate students of color who aspire to become attorneys, a program that continues today.

In law school, Briana clerked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she worked on cases involving illegal guns, drug trafficking, and corporate fraud. Upon passing the bar exam, she worked for a local law firm and was the youngest person ever appointed by the state’s Supreme Court to be a Commissioner on the Minority and Justice Commission.

In 2023, Briana launched her own law firm after seeing a need for affordable, accessible legal services for small business owners and residents of Southern Arizona. Briana successfully represented the family of Governor Raul Castro in their lawsuit against the University of Arizona, after the university attempted to sell the family’s historic home in Nogales. Now, she hopes to represent Southern Arizonans in the state legislature.

Briana’s run for office follows a family legacy of public service. Her parents are Mexican immigrants who overcame significant adversity to attend and graduate from college, all while raising their two small children. Her father became a public school teacher. Her mother became a respected prosecutor, who now serves as a judge in Santa Cruz County. Her brother is a decorated veteran who served in Afghanistan.

With her strong values and true love for her community, Briana is poised to be a voice for the people, bringing fresh perspectives and a commitment to public service.”

Carolyn’s note: Briana is running in a 3 way Dem primary for 2 seats in LD 21 House. The current incumbents are Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, elected in Nov. 2022, but also served in House & Senate in LD 10. The other incumbent is Consuelo Hernandez in her first term, and sister of LD 20 Rep. Alma Hernandez and former then-LD 2 Rep. Daniel Hernandez Jr.

Vote wisely on or before July 30, 2024.