Venden "Vince" Leach
State Senator - District 17
Republican
https://vinceleachforsenate.com
Vince Leach was elected to the State Senate to represent the people of Legislative District 11 in 2018. He had previously been elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2014 where he served 2 terms. Vince and his wife Charlene are natives of Wisconsin, and moved to SaddleBrooke, Arizona in 2007 in the heart of Legislative District 17. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin at St. Point with degrees in Political Science and History. After his service in the military during the Vietnam era, he began a career of over 35 years in sales and executive business management.
My goals: 1. Secure Border: - Ensuring a secure border is crucial for protecting a country's sovereignty, national security, and the safety of its citizens. - Implementing effective border control measures, such as border patrols, surveillance technology, and immigration policies, can help prevent illegal crossings and activities. - Balancing security with humanitarian concerns is essential, as countries must also consider the rights and well-being of migrants and refugees seeking asylum. 2. Strong Economy: - A strong economy is vital for providing opportunities, jobs, and a high quality of life for citizens. - Key factors for a strong economy include robust infrastructure, a skilled workforce, innovation, entrepreneurship, and a stable regulatory environment. - Governments can support economic growth through policies that promote investment, trade, education, and research and development. 3. Balanced Budget: - A balanced budget occurs when a government's revenues equal its expenditures, resulting in no deficit or surplus. - Maintaining a balanced budget is important for fiscal responsibility, avoiding excessive debt accumulation, and ensuring long-term financial stability. - Achieving a balanced budget often requires careful budget planning, effective allocation of resources, and sometimes making tough decisions about spending priorities and revenue sources.
John McLean
State Senator - District 17
Democratic
https://www.mcleanforarizona.com/
John is a third-generation Arizonan and attended the University of Arizona before continuing to graduate school in California. When John and his wife started a family, they returned to Tucson to raise their children because of the good schools and outstanding quality of life. Shortly after returning to Tucson, John opened an office with Arete Associates to develop cutting-edge technologies for national security. John is a proven business leader who has brought nearly $1B of economic activity to southern Arizona over Arete's thirty-year history. He believes in true public service, where legislators put their communities' interests above their own.
I am a third-generation Arizona native, education advocate, and businessman. I know what Arizonans need and how we can better the lives of all Arizonans. My parents taught me the value of personal integrity, hard work, and community service. My mother was an educator, and I chose the Tucson region for my family for its remarkable public schools. The education I received in Southern Arizona set me up to succeed in my professional endeavors, and I know that good schools with outstanding teachers are the foundational building blocks to ensure future generations' success. I know the value of public service, and learned about true bipartisanship from my uncle Bob Wilcox, who served in the state Senate with Sandra Day O'Connor. I give back to the community through volunteer service, advocacy, and philanthropy in education, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, and quality of life in our community. I has served as an officer on the Board of four Arizona-based non-profits, and I am committed to making a positive impact.
Justine Wadsack
State Senator - District 17
Republican
https://secure.anedot.com/wadsack4arizona/donate
Justine has called Pima County home for over 40 years, with time spent living in Tucson and its downtown, Catalina Foothills, Rita Ranch, University of Arizona, Gates Pass, and Marana. She's had a lifetime of experience in Southern Arizona, being enriched by its close-knit, kind, and generous sense of community. And as a fourth-generation realtor, she has personally assisted hundreds of families in their move to Pinal County and their achievement of the American dream of home ownership.
In 2011 Justine married her husband Garret, a retired major with twenty-two years in the United States Armed Forces. Together, they're raising a beautiful blended family, including four children who have gone on to enlist like their father and two children with special needs. Motherhood has motivated Justine's crusade in Pinal County on issues as expansive as education to healthcare. In a system that's been designed to benefit itself, children with disabilities and their parents need an advocate that prioritize their rights and interests. In 2018, in defense of her own daughter's safety and dignity, Justine challenged both state and federal agencies and won. A self-described "citizen legislator, " Justine used her first-term as an instrument of her constituents, seeking their input on legislation and writing bills reflecting their concerns. She set a new record as a freshman legislator for the most sponsored bills passed out of the Arizona Senate. She was honored as "Freshman Senator of the Year " by the Arizona Republican Party and recognized as "Elected Official of the Year 2023 " by the Arizona Coalition of School Boards. Justine Wadsack is incredibly proud to serve the people of Arizona and to represent her neighbors in LD17.
Rachel Jones
State Representative - District 17
Republican
Cory McGarr
State Representative - District 17
Republican
https://www.mcgarrforarizona.com/
Cory McGarr, a staunch constitutional conservative, is dedicated to expanding individual liberties while limiting government overreach. Disheartened by the lack of leadership among elected officials, Cory entered the political arena, running for the Arizona House in 2022 to uphold conservative principles. Since then, he has fearlessly championed conservative values, steadfast in his commitment to defending what's right, even when standing alone.
I stand as a beacon of hope for every American who's tired of empty promises and political games. In the State House, I fight tooth and nail to protect our rights, our values, and our way of life. From defending our freedoms to preserving our individual liberties, I'm in this fight for you! It's my hope to build a future where freedom reigns, government is limited, and every voice is heard.
Anna Orth
State Representative - District 17
Republican
https://www.voteannaorth.com/
Anna is an Arizona native and a 4th generation Tucsonan. For generations, her family has lived and honored Arizona's conservative values through deep involvement in our community. Anna is a graduate of both the University of Arizona and Grand Canyon University with a Master's degree in Organizational Psychology. She and her husband Steve have three grown children, who were all born and raised in Oro Valley. Anna is a lifelong Republican and successful small business owner. Her hobbies include pickleball, gardening, oil painting, and volunteering at her church and local charities.
I'm a 4 th -generation Tucsonan running to ensure Republicans keep this seat in conservative Republican hands. We can't afford Republicans who kill good Republican bills, or so-called America-first conservatives who break campaign promises and vote with Democrats. Our vote margin in the State House is just one vote, so Democrats win every time a State Representative betrays our cause. I'm an actual America First Conservative who believes in fixing our elections, securing our borders, supporting our police and veterans, restoring medical freedom so government cannot mandate future treatments or vaccines, low taxes, good jobs, and policies that protect our farmers and ranchers. I have been working on issues like election integrity since before 2020 and I've put in hundreds of hours on auditing the old system and helping design improvements to it. We don't need political grandstanding and politicians chasing social media clicks, we need long-term water planning, good roads, excellent schools, and common sense solutions to the everyday challenges Arizonans face. I've been successful in business and in my community because I do what is right and treat people right. I ask for your vote so I can do the same for our state. Let's protect our Republican majority together!
Kevin Volk
State Representative - District 17
Democratic
http://kevinvolkaz.com/
Kevin was born and raised in Tucson, where he attended neighborhood public schools and followed family tradition to Salpointe High School. After graduating college with a degree in Economics, Kevin served as a fifth-grade public school teacher, completed an internship for Representative Gabby Giffords in Congress, and worked as an English language educator in Mexico on a Fulbright scholarship. Kevin then came back home to Southern Arizona and joined family firm Volk Company as a real estate agent helping small businesses. Now, he has founded his own business to create affordable housing units for our community.
I am proud to have been born and raised in Southern Arizona. I am running to address our most pressing challenges head-on to build a better future for our community and our state. I'm a former public school teacher. I believe we need to fully staff and fund our schools so that all children have the opportunity to succeed. I'm a small business owner. We can build a strong economy while addressing the high costs of living - especially in housing, where I have direct experience. I grew up in the Sonoran desert. I know how vital water is for our way of life and economy here. We must develop a plan to diversify and conserve our water supply. And I'm an Arizonan. We treasure our individual freedoms like reproductive freedom and early voting, and we need to protect them from attack. These days, it seems like all we get from the current state legislature is extreme, divisive politics. We need to get back to focusing on public service. With a love of our community and real-world education and business experience, I am ready to help bring new leadership to the Arizona State House. I humbly ask for your vote.