Ann Kirkpatrick - for Arizona

Kirkpatrick Launches District-Wide Tour for Change

Former State Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, candidate to represent Arizona's 1st Congressional District, is kicking off her month long District-Wide Tour for Change this week in Pinal County. Beginning the first leg of the tour in Eloy on Wednesday, August 6th, the former prosecutor will travel for five straight days throughout the southern part of the district, visiting 19 communities, including Superior on Thursday, August 7 and San Manuel and Kearny on Friday, August 8 to meet with and listen to voters.

The District-Wide Tour for Change will bring Kirkpatrick through a number of communities that have struggled in the current economic climate, facing high unemployment and a lack of economic opportunity.

"These are tough times in Arizona," said Kirkpatrick. "With gas over four dollars a gallon, health care costs more and more unaffordable, and families being forced from their homes, we are in need of a big change. However, our leadership in Washington just doesn't seem to get it."

Throughout the campaign, Kirkpatrick has pledged to bring her deeply rooted understanding of the day-to-day challenges that rural communities face to the halls of Congress. With her background as her guide, she is committed to ensuring that every Arizonan have a chance for a better life.

"Growing up in the White Mountains, I saw people work really hard," she said. "I saw them struggle their whole lives. That's just something you don't ever forget."

"No American should ever have to choose between filling up their truck to drive to the grocery store and paying for prescription medications," she continued. "No American should ever have to cut back on the week's food bill to afford that month's utilities. No one in America should ever have to make those kinds of choices."

"It's pretty obvious that our leadership in Washington has forgotten about rural communities," said Kirkpatrick. "I'm running for Congress because we need to change Washington so that it begins serving the needs of Arizonans."

Kirkpatrick points to policies that have benefited big corporations instead of ordinary Americans who are struggling to get by. Just last week, several giant oil companies posted record profits, yet they are still the beneficiaries of massive taxpayer dollar giveaways.

"This is just the latest example of why Washington needs a wake-up call," said Kirkpatrick. "Nobody with any common sense can justify giving billions in taxpayer dollars to companies already earning the largest quarterly profits of any U.S. corporation in American history. Congress should be redirecting this money to give relief to working families and to invest in the renewable energy sources that will create good-paying jobs right here at home."

In the state legislature, Kirkpatrick was a strong advocate for investment in the renewable energies that are abundant in the state of Arizona, like wind and solar. She worked to expand tax credits for solar panels and to make it easier for homeowners to install this cost-saving technology.

"Wind and solar power will help break our dependency on foreign oil while drastically reducing energy costs for all Americans," continued Kirkpatrick. "Arizona can help supply clean energy to the world while creating good-paying jobs right here in our own communities at the same time."

In addition to creating jobs, the former representative stresses the importance of keeping good jobs in Arizona. She only supports trade agreements that have strong labor and environmental protections to ensure that America's workers can compete on a level playing field. In addition, Kirkpatrick is committed to eliminating the tax loopholes that allow companies to outsource America's jobs overseas.

"Washington needs to get its priorities straight," said Kirkpatrick. "It just doesn't make sense to reward companies that ship the jobs our families depend on to other countries. We need to be making the strategic investments that keep jobs here in Arizona."

In addition, Kirkpatrick has made Arizona's crumbling infrastructure one of the central themes of her campaign. Serving in the legislature from 2024 to 2024, Kirkpatrick was a champion for improving the state's roads, bridges, and telecommunication networks to make it easier for businesses to move into rural areas.

"This monsoon season, we have seen far too many roads and bridges washed out, and that endangers the public safety," said Kirkpatrick. "The time has long passed for our leadership to take the initiative and shore up the roads, bridges and dams that are so critical for the economic development and job creation this region needs. I think the first step is to take some of the $280 million taxpayers are sending over to Iraq every single day and redirect that money back here at home."

Ann will be emphasizing the service and commitment to her constituents that have won her the endorsement of Governor Napolitano, along with Arizona's teachers and firefighters and members of the law enforcement community. She will be taking time out of her campaign schedule to meet with these true public servants and hear their ideas on what she can do to help them do their jobs as a Member of Congress.