Suzanne Hug is running to serve the People and Work for Them

Arizona Legislative District (LD) 25, an area that includes most of North Eastern and North Central Mesa is currently represented by State House Speaker Russell Bowers and Michelle Udall in the House and Tyler Pace in the State Senate.

Republicans have exclusively held this district in recent memory.

Suzanne Hug would like to change that in the State House.

Endorsed by Andrew Yang, Ms. Hug is running to serve the people and be a visible and inclusive advocate for all the residents in LD 25.

Pledging to fight for better-funded schools, water protection, investments in human capital, the defense of voter rights, clean political campaigns, and sustainable economic development, Ms. Hug wants to offer a contrasting forward vision compared to the one offered by both Ms. Udall and Mr. Bowers.

A small business owner with a background in Economics, Ms. Hug, a proud wife and mother of two sons, graciously took the time to discuss her qualifications and candidacy for one of the LD 25 state house seats.

The questions and her responses are below.

  • Please tell the reader about yourself (education and experiences).
  • “ I am originally from Salt Lake City.”
  • “I had a progressive education with children of many different faiths and backgrounds. I was a Girl State Ambassador. “
  • “I became interested in politics at that age.”
  • “My father and his family in Washington State and California were interned during World War Two in the 1940s.” My father fought for redress for Americans interned in those camps. In 1988 Reagan issued a formal apology and $10,000 per living survivor. It showed me the importance of political action. He was heavily involved in the Japanese American Citizens League and Italian Civic League. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a Teamster. I am a fourth-generation American from immigrants From opposite coasts. That is one of the beauties of America where you can mix cultures and create something new.”
  • “ I majored in Economics at Arizona State University and saw how money paired with the human condition influences happiness. I graduated in three years.”
  • “ I met husband at ASU (he was a history major).”
  • “I interned with Orin Hatch.”
  • “After college I went to work for a local insurance company. I learned how to problem solve and be a team builder as an insurance staff and support and marketing manager. I am able to deal with big data, think logically, and translate that into written forms. I learned to pull people together and work towards a common goal. I have been in charge of contract negotiations with vendors and coaching/professional development for future leaders. In 2017, we opened our own business (we employ three people including two veterans).”
  • “With the era of Trump, we could not rest on our laurels such as the progress made on public health care. In 2018, I became an elected PC and started to canvass for candidates. As a business owner, I saw the effects of public policy; I felt I had to get involved.”
  • “Despite my Republican roots, I supported Obama for his good ideas and balanced leadership.”

 

  • Please tell the reader what are at least three qualifications you have for the Legislative seat you are seeking.

 

  • “ My Degree in Economics.”
  • “ I am a small business owner who can see issues from all sides (owner, labor, and customer.)”
  • “I believe in excellent constituent-customer service and have the background for it. “

 

  • What are at least two reasons you would be a better public servant than your likely Republican opponent?

“I believe in a sense of civic duty where everyone matters and everybody has an opportunity. Udall and Bowers have not been visible in the community or representative of it. They are detached from the people they serve. I believe in servant leadership and we have seen that they do not.”

  • If elected, please describe the top two education issues you would like to focus on as a legislator.
  • “Getting more funding in schools. I support Invest in Ed.”

* “We need oversight on charter schools.”

* “I do not support voucher expansion.”

*” Helping kids get supplies and safer buildings.”

* “Two years free community college. “

* “University tuition should be as close to free as possible as stated in the state constitution.”

* “ I support Universal Pre Kindergarten and full-day Kindergarten.”

* “We need to support our teachers work with all children on the resources they need.”

  • If elected, please describe the top two healthcare issues you would like to focus on as a legislator.

 

  • ”Expanding mental health care and destigmatizing that.”

* “Making sure kids get universal expansion like Kidscare and reduce costs.”

* “Telehealth is a good tool to have in the tool belt.”

 

  • If elected, please describe the top two sustainability issues you would like to focus on as a legislator.

* “Expanding rural broadband for schools and medical.”

* “Expanding solar. Arizona should be the leader in solar.”

* “Managing our water well and measures the groundwater supply and look 10 to 15 years down the road. We are not islands in the state. We need to work together for the whole state.”

  • If elected, please describe the top two helping children issues you would like to focus on as a legislator.
  • Education.”

* “Health Care.”

* “I support kinship families getting the same aid as foster families.”

  • If elected, please describe the top two helping the most vulnerable issues you would like to focus on as a legislator.

* “Education helps everyone, especially ensuring special needs get sufficient resources. It uplifts us all.”

* “Mental health services, especially for veterans.”

* “If you were getting universal income, then affordable housing would be less of an issue.”

  • If elected, please describe the top two law enforcement issues you would like to focus on as a legislator.

“Dad was a deputy sheriff and a CSI. I see law enforcement as part of my family, but I also know about the concerns it raises in the community. We need to balance transparency and accountability with safety in the community. That will build a stronger connection of trust between law enforcement and the community.”

  • If elected, please describe the top two immigration issues you would like to focus on as a legislator.
  • “All of our kids get educated and give good language acquisition support for children and good equity.”

* “We need to find ways to include DACA individuals in the community and not exclude them. They should not live in fear.”

* “We need to have a secure border.”

  • If elected, please describe the top issues facing women, minorities, and the LGBTQ communities that you would like to focus on as a legislator.
  • Big supporter of the ERA.”

* “Equity in our school system from the ground up (we can learn from kids in that regard.)”

  • If elected, please describe the top two government reform issues you would like to focus on as a legislator.

“Campaign Funding, in general, is an ongoing issue since Citizens United because it takes power out of the hands of the voters. We need transparency like the Outlaw Dirty Money initiative calls for in legislation and get it passed with a change in the legislature. “

  • Is there anything you would like to let the reader know about yourself that has not been addressed by the previous questions?

“I am very practical. I am a mom and a business owner and I want to get things done for us, instead of out of state interests that fund the GOP. I am running because this is where I live, where I work, and where I want my kids to grow up. Serving my community is the right call.”

Michelle Udall and Russell Bowers have not exactly offered a people’s first, we are all in this together agenda for the residents of LD 25.

Did they vote to fully fund education above 2008 levels? No

Did they just recently vote to make it harder for people to sue businesses for negligence during the Coronavirus? Yes

Did they vote to allow transgender girls to participate in school sports? No

Did they vote to allow for the potential unsafe construction of a border wall without building permits? Yes

Did they vote to reduce the minimum wage for teenagers and students? Yes

Did they vote to make it harder to file citizen’s initiatives like Invest in Ed or Outlaw Dirty Money? Yes

Suzanne Hug would offer the people of LD 25 a new vision for going forward and would be more accessible to the people and receptive to their concerns than the two current incumbents.

The people should consider where she stands on the issues when voting on November 3, 2020.

 For more information on Suzanne Hug and her campaign, please click on her website here and her Facebook page here.

 

 

 

Please remember:

  • Primary Election Day is on August 4, 2020, and General Election Day is on November 3. 2020.
  • Register/sign up for the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL) in Arizona or any state that allows early or absentee balloting and mail. Arizona residents can sign up at servicearizona.com
  • Arizona residents, mail your General Election ballot by October 28, 2020, for the November 3, 2020 election.
  • Check-in with the Secretary of State’s office where you live to verify your mail-in ballot was received, processed, verified, and counted.
  • Know the voter ID requirements in your state.
  • If you can, support Clean Election Candidates with a small contribution.
  • Also, please remember to stay informed on all the candidates and vote for all the offices on the ballot.
  • Also, remember to research all the ballot initiatives, sign to get them on the ballot if you support the measure, and vote on them as well.