In Battleground Arizona LD 13, Kristie O’Brien Pledges to Be a Problem Solver and Leader for All

2026 is shaping up to be another year where just a few seats will determine which political party will control the Arizona State Legislature in 2027. 

Arizona Legislative District 13 in Chandler in the East Valley of Maricopa County is one of them. 

In this campaign, human and voting rights legal advocate Kristie O’Brien is running to win the LD 13 State Senate seat for the Democrats. 

Feeling that changing demographics and the Democratic message on affordability are keys to victory in November, Ms. O’Brien, if elected, will focus on:

• Stopping rising costs for individuals, families, and businesses. 
• Protecting and expanding affordable health care.
• Investing in public K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. 
• Water Security.
• Bipartisanship and leading for all. 

Ms. O’Brien graciously took the time to interview with Blog for Arizona and discuss her candidacy for the State Senate. 

The questions and her responses are below. 

Please tell the Readers at least two reasons you would like to run for the Arizona Senate seat in LD 13. 

“This is my hometown District. I grew up in Chandler. These are the parks I played in. These are the schools I attended, and I’ve watched the district grow exponentially over my lifetime.” I came home to Arizona to put down my roots and raise my own family here. Arizona is not as affordable as it used to be and I want to tackle some of those affordability issues.

“The second reason is my background. I am a lawyer with professional experience fighting back against those who infringe on others’ rights. Now, as a mediator, I work with people during the toughest times of their lives to find solutions. As a mother, I want to help our community be the best it can be for our children and for the generations to come. We need someone who will stand up and fight for our entire district at the state capitol and draft policies with commonsense solutions to our most pressing problems. I am that person.

Please tell the readers why they should choose you over any general election opponent in the 2026 cycle? 

“This is a very competitive district, and I believe that both my educational and professional background enable me to go in and craft the policy to advocate for Arizonans from day one. I understand what it will take to move legislation forward. We have to take the Majority in the legislature to enable bills on price fixing/gauging, protecting healthcare, lowering childcare costs, tackling high rental prices, and expanding affordable housing to actually make it to committee and to make it to the floor for votes.”

Second, I want to protect the standard of living in Arizona. While the federal government is not working for us via government shutdowns or [agency] closures, we need to make sure that the Arizona state government continues working for all Arizonans, including our children, students, families, small business owners, Seniors, and Veterans.

Please tell the readers how you will succeed where previously very good Democratic candidates for the District Senate seat have not. 

Democratic candidates, with a few exceptions, lost last cycle across the board because we did not make a strong case to address the economic concerns of the voters. U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego won our district discussing those kitchen table issues. Voters turned out for President Trump and Democratic turnout fell short. Now, Americans are unhappy with the policies coming out of a Republican controlled Washington, DC. We saw a blue wave in the 2025 elections that brought overwhelming victories and Democrats have momentum going into this election year. However, we cannot sit back. It will take all of us working together to win this battleground! As a former candidate, I ran back in 2014 when this district was heavily red, I know what it takes to move the needle. Over the years, the electorate of our district has changed and the Democratic Performance Index is the most competitive it has ever been. This year, we also have the best chance in over a decade to pick up this “open seat.” The Senate incumbent is termed-out and not running for re-election. We will succeed this November because I am the steady leadership we need to fight for the policies this district needs in these uncertain times. I am doing the work and I am listening and speaking with the voters.

What are these two issues that you will be running on in this cycle?

“I alluded to it earlier about protecting the standard of living in Arizona. We are seeing a lot of these federal cuts that are now hitting the state level, starting this month.”

We’re seeing the rising costs of health care. What drove me to get involved this cycle in particular was that I’m the mother of twin boys who were premature and spent time in the NICU. My father was also living with dementia at the time and eventually needed Memory Care. I know how expensive self-pay Memory Care is. The majority of us are all one medical emergency away from financial ruin. Medical debt is leading to more and more bankruptcies. “I am concerned about what’s coming our way with all of these cuts. The majority of Arizonans who are in memory care facilities are reliant on federal funds.”

“We’re seeing that our small businesses are really struggling with the uncertainty of these tariffs. We have high rental and housing costs that are keeping people out of the market. We have the increasing cost of living. So, affordability and making things easier for Arizonans is definitely one of my priorities.”

“And then, of course, we have some environmental concerns. Arizona’s Colorado River water supply beyond 2026 was not agreed upon and now the federal government may get involved. We have to have a long-term, sustainable plan for Arizona’s water. It’s not just an environmental issue. It is an actual sustainability issue. We have to be able to support life. We have to be able to support businesses and future development. We cannot just narrowly focus on the immediate, we have to have long-term planning.” My background working on the bipartisan reauthorization of the federal Clean Air and Clean Water Acts leads me to explore innovative ways Arizona can address some of the climate issues we uniquely face living in the desert such as our haboobs, air quality, wildfires and renewable energy.

Would you like to comment on education and ESA reform? 

“Absolutely! ESA reform is the biggest policy need facing Arizona right now! ESA vouchers and their continued expansion are bankrupting Arizona. 

We do not have the financial resources to be able to address other policy needs, such as those I mentioned before, until the AZ Legislature implements ESA guardrails to rein in the fraud and abuse against Arizona taxpayers. Arizona will be unable to help people that really need the help, if we keep expanding vouchers.

The Republican led AZ Legislature continues to fail to properly invest in the public education of K-12 students. Our school districts, teachers, students, staff, and communities are paying the price! A Democratic led AZ Legislature will prioritize sustainable funding of AZ public education and work towards a future where we are NOT behind every other state!

How about Universal Childcare, Pre-School, and Kindergarten?

Scientific studies point to the benefits of universal childcare, pre-K, and kindergarten on a child’s early development; academic success; and future dividends paid out to the community as a whole. Any parent today knows the high costs of childcare and the demands it places on the family’s budget. Providing Arizona parents and children the benefit of access to each of these programs, are long-term investments Arizona can make to enable our children build a strong foundation for the future. Unfortunately, Arizona fails to invest in these early childhood education programs. I am open to exploring ways Arizona can implement successful models of these programs and how they can be funded.

Please describe what you would propose for housing and rental assistance. 

I would research ways we could help minimize or limit the amount of rental hikes a landlord can make per year.

How are you and your team conducting voter and social media outreach to Democrats, independents, and like-minded Republicans? 

“So I’m hitting the doors, of course, and then there’s also being at events. I’m already going to rallies, protests, talking to people, and finding out why they’re there, what brought them out, and what their concerns are. Kristie for Arizona does have a social media presence. We want to build the community, so if anybody wants to follow me on all of our socials, we’re on X, Facebook, and Instagram, and we’re looking to engage those conversations throughout the campaign.”

Tweets by KristieOBrienAZ

https://www.facebook.com/KristieOBrienforAZ

https://www.instagram.com/kristieobrienaz

Are you on TikTok too? 

“I do not have a TikTok presence, but I will get there.”

And are you running as a team with Dr. Raquel “Rockee” Armstrong, or are you ladies running separate campaigns? 

“We’re coordinating. We’ve been out on the doors where we launch our canvases together. While we do have separate campaign teams, we’re working together to bring Democratic leadership back to the district.”

Is there anything not covered in the first four questions that you’d like the readers to know about your candidacy for the LD13 state senate seat?

“Like I said, this is the most competitive district, so we do need to have a lot of people helping us. We’re always looking for volunteers. You don’t have to live in LD 13 to help us win it. We’re looking for people who want to get involved in an array of areas. It’s not just on doors or phone banking. They can come and help us in a lot of different ways.”

“And then, of course, my background. I have worked on Capitol Hill. I interned at the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. I worked for the majority. I worked on the reauthorization of the Clean Water and Clean Air Act. And I did see what happens during the government shutdowns, so while our federal government keeps having these shutdowns, we need to make sure that the Arizona state government stays in power and stays working for Arizonans.”

“I also know that human rights are extremely important, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have international experience as well. I did work at the Hague for a little bit. I monitored war crimes tribunals, and so I understand what can happen when our leaders overstep their powers. I think that’s important as well in these uncertain times.”

What would you say to your Republican opponent who might hear an answer like that and say that you’re weak on public safety? 

I’m the granddaughter of a New York City police officer. We lost first responder family members in the 9/11 WTC attacks. I also have a number of veterans in the family who fought to protect our rights. I am the granddaughter of a veteran who fought against fascism in World War II. I care about our Constitution and our rights, and I think without the rule of law, we are not who we say we are. I think that is paramount to who we are. The beautiful thing about the United States of America is that due process and equal protection under our Constitution applies to everybody, whether they are citizens or whether they are here temporarily. Someone could set foot for a minute into our country and our Constitution applies. As a lawyer, I swore an oath to uphold that, and I want to follow that in my governance.”

Throughout my legal career, I have had the opportunity to coordinate criminal investigations with local law enforcement in 7 states; at the federal level (Federal Bureau of Investigations and Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms), and even in international law enforcement (Interpol and the International Criminal Court) directly on cases and investigations. So, I don’t think my opponent can say I am “weak” on crime. Voters should know I am committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe and upholding our laws while safeguarding our Constitutional rights.

https://www.kristieforaz.com