Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for Arizona State Senate District 27 —Brittani Barraza (D) and Anthony Kern (R) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.
Eighty-eight of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers will hold regularly scheduled elections in 2022. The Republican Party controls both chambers of Arizona’s state legislature. Arizona is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta.
Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Barraza:
“I have lived in Phoenix my whole life and I’ve seen how much it’s changed. I know so many people don’t have access to an affordable place to live and how lack of funding for public schools has left our children and teachers at a disadvantage. I know personally how families are effected by the prison system with its lack of reform and rehabilitation programs. My top priorities for my district are: – Increasing funding for affordable housing programs and ensuring our displaced neighbors have somewhere safe to live – Protecting the right to comprehensive healthcare- including reproductive care, abortion access, and increased Medicaid and SNAP programs – Advocating for public school students and teachers I’m not a career politician, I’m a working mom and if elected, I promise to advocate for my community.”
Kern:
“Anthony Kern and wife Jenny have 4 grown children and serve in a local church in Peoria. Anthony served as a Reserve Deputy Marshal in Tombstone, Arizona. As a State Representative, Anthony Kern fought for secure elections and secure borders. Anthony will keep fighting to fix the process until it’s easy to vote and impossible to cheat. I support law enforcement and our constitutional rights. These include free speech, freedom of religion, and our right to keep and bear arms. He won the Hero of the Taxpayer award. These were for my record of lowering taxes, cutting spending, and returning more money back to you, the taxpayer. Also, I won the Friend of the Family award every year in office. This was for my work on increasing teacher pay, school choice, and school funding.”
Click on candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.
We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.
Additional reading:
Learn More