Paradise Valley Independent Op-Ed: Arizona needs problem-solvers and cooperation
For the last 10 years, my wife Jamie and I have proudly called Paradise Valley home. We’ve raised our two boys here, built lasting friendships, and come to love the unique spirit of this community.
When I was elected to the Arizona House in 2018 and re-elected in 2020, I worked closely with then-Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner (and I’m grateful for his endorsement in this race) and the Town Council on issues important to PV residents. I thought I knew this community well.
But over the course of my campaign for the State Senate campaign, I have knocked on more than 1,000 doors across Paradise Valley. At every door, I asked the same question: “What matters most to you as a voter?”
While I heard concerns about our schools, public safety, and the need to reign in AirBnBs, the issue raised most often was something deeper: a desire for all of us — especially our elected leaders — to stop all the fighting and work together for the good of the state.
Again and again, neighbors told me they are exhausted by the politics of division, name-calling, and constant outrage. They want Democrats and Republicans to spend less time attacking each other and more time solving problems.
Hearing that from so many fellow PV residents made me fall in love with this community all over again. It also reminded me why public service matters: people are looking for leaders who will listen first, work across differences, and focus on results.
I spent my career building businesses and leading teams in the private sector. Success didn’t depend on political labels. It depended on setting goals, bringing people together, and delivering results.
That’s the approach I brought to the Legislature. I worked with Republican Governor Doug Ducey and Republican House Speaker Rusty Bowers to support the tax credits for TSMC and to allow our community colleges to issue four year degrees, among other achievements. We didn’t always agree, but I never once called anyone a name.
Arizona doesn’t need more political performers. We need more problem-solvers.