Age: 35. (07/12/76, Tucson, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: Adjunct professor, ASU School of Social Work, since 2003; instructor, Center for Progressive Leadership, since 2006.

Marital: Single.

Religious preference: Did not respond..

Education: Ph.D., justice studies, ASU, 2012; J.D., ASU, 2004; Master’s, social work, ASU, 1999.

Political experience: Chair, Protect Arizona’s Freedom (successfully defeated Ward Connerly initiative), 2008; chair, Arizona Together (successfully defeated same-sex marriage ban ballot initiative), 2006.

Legis exp: Senate 2011-Jan 2012 (resigned 1/3/12 to run for Congress in the newly created CD9); House 2005-2010; asst Democratic leader 2009-2010.

Memberships: Member, AZ Education Assn; Phoenix Women’s Commission since 2011; YWCA of Maricopa County Bd of Directors since 2008; Center for Progressive Leadership since 2006; TED Fellow, 2012; Young Elected Officials’ Network Steering Committee, 2006-2012; Aspen-Rodel Fellow in Leadership, 2008-2010; Harvard Kennedy School of Government – Women in Power, 2010; Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Senior Executives in State and Local Government, 2008; chair, Center for Policy Alternative Flemming Fellow, 2006.

Interests: Marathon running, road and mountain biking triathlon, hiking, published author.

Political influence: I have great admiration and respect for Sandra Day O’Connor. An Arizona native, she graduated as the first woman from her law school. Later, she served in the Arizona Senate and was known for her practical, common-sense approach to solving challenges. Later, as the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, she paved a path for all women in our nation. Her approach represents the best of Arizona – pragmatic problem solving.

Top priority: The biggest priority for me in Congress is to work towards creating a stronger economy both nationally and here in Arizona. That means helping small businesses grow, protecting our middle class, and working across the aisle to build an economy that produces jobs.

Respected opponent: Sandra Day O’Connor is a trailblazer for women in politics. Her common sense approach in the Supreme Court is a positive example of what Arizona has to offer in the national scene. I’m optimistic that we will see more of this in the upcoming decade.

Job creation measures: I intend to support policies that strengthen our small businesses and enhance the ability for new entrepreneurs to access capital. After all, ninety percent of Arizona’s economic engine comes from small businesses. I will advocate for measures that keep federal and infrastructure projects local. This means priority should go to contractors that demonstrate local hiring practices and fair opportunity for smaller firms to compete.

Illegal immigration: I support a smart, fair immigration solution that works for workers, employers and our national security. We must ensure a safe and secure border while maintaining a market-based solution that meets the demand for skilled and unskilled labor in our country. We should work towards a tough but fair path to citizenship for people already here in the U.S. that requires them to get right with the law by paying back taxes, paying a fine and learning English as a condition of gaining citizenship. We need a Congress that will work together to pass common sense solutions like the DREAM Act. Children who grow up knowing no other country but ours, have served in uniform to defend it, are educated and ready for work deserve a legal path to citizenship.

Federal deficit: The solution to our country’s $15 billion deficit isn’t easy. We need to address this from a pragmatic, common-sense perspective. First, we need to address spending and reduce wasteful, unnecessary spending from the federal budget. Second, we must address revenue by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire and closing loopholes in our tax code that ask everyone to pay their fair share. We can do this without asking middle class taxpayers to bear more of the burden they are already carrying and without sacrificing important federal security programs like Social Security and Medicare.

President Obama’s qualifications: The task for any presidential candidate will be to demonstrate an ability to put the nation’s recovery above harsh partisan divisions. I believe that President Obama will make this his priority.

Democrat

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: Attorney, Kirkpatrick & Harris, P.C. 1991-2008; instructor, business law & ethics, Coconino Community College, 2004.

Marital: Married (Roger Curley, attorney).

Children: 2.

Religious preference: Catholic.

Education: J.D., UofA College of Law, 1979; B.A., UofA, 1972.

Political experience: U.S. Representative, 2009-2010.

Legis exp: House 2005-2007.

Memberships: Bd of directors, Big Sisters; AZ State Bar Assn; bd of directors, Flagstaff Symphony Assn; bd of directors, United Way of Northern Arizona.

Political influence: My parents. My father taught me the value of a dollar when he ran the general store in the White Mountains, where I grew up. And he and my mother, who was a schoolteacher, taught me the Arizona values of hard work, self-reliance and giving back to the community. Their values are the common-sense values of greater Arizona, and they are the foundation of my political development and public service.

Top priority: My top priority is standing up for the middle class. This means creating good jobs in our district and across Arizona. I have a record of working across the aisle on such efforts, including the Copper Basin Jobs Project, the Four Forests Restoration Initiative, or the closing of the black liquor tax loopholes. Standing up for the middle class also means protecting Medicare and Social Security from drastic cuts by asking millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share. And it means investing in education so our schools have modern classrooms, smaller class sizes and the most qualified teachers in the world.

Respected opponent: I’ve answered this question in the past, and the answer today is still former state senator Jake Flake, who hailed from the White Mountains as I do. When I was first elected to the state Legislature, I learned from him what it meant to truly serve the people of greater Arizona. He always put his district first, and he was able to work with both parties to find common ground and get things done that would help his constituents. He remains a model for me of how elected officials should act.

Job creation measures: I believe we can create jobs by investing in emerging technologies such as wind, solar and biotech. Arizona and particularly my district are ripe for this type of job creation. I also believe we can create jobs by investing in Arizona’s natural resources in a way that both strengthens our economy and protects our environment. While in Congress, I introduced legislation for a National Scenic Area designation for Sedona’s Red Rocks, and if elected I will work hard to see that through. I will also stand up to protect the Grand Canyon and the contribution the Canyon makes to Arizona’s economy by opposing any effort to open up land around the Canyon for uranium mining.

Illegal immigration: I support a federal immigration strategy that includes proper funding for border security and the tools to protect our communities from criminals, cartels and traffickers, and fair and sensible steps like the DREAM Act so we are not punishing young people who were brought into this country as children and are now working hard, playing by the rules and building a stronger future. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s why the DREAM Act has been endorsed by fair-minded people across our nation — from top Pentagon officials to editorial boards to Republicans and Democrats alike.

Federal deficit: We need to get the debt under control by cutting waste and spending on programs that don’t work. But we should not balance the budget by making drastic cuts to Medicare and Social Security benefits. Instead we need to ask millionaires to pay more taxes and end tax breaks for big corporations.

President Obama’s qualifications: No.

Libertarian

Did not respond.

Democrat

Age: 39. (09/26/72, Seattle, WA).

Arizona since: 2002.

Occupation: Professor.

Marital: Did not respond..

Religious preference: Did not respond..

Education: M.P.A., Harvard University, 2012; Ph.D., American government/public policy, ASU, 2009; M.I.S., political science/social statistics, University of Montana, 1998; B.A., political science/business, University of Montana, 1996.

Political experience: Ran for Arizona governor in 2010.

Interests: Reading and writing, volunteering, athletics.

Political influence: Personally: Father, William Jette, and brother, Mike Jette. Socially: Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Moses, Mohandas Gandhi. Politically (Modern): John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

Top priority: Reform education, reshape health care, build and strengthen America’s economy, and safeguard all rights.

Respected opponent: Stephen Colbert.

Job creation measures: I will pursue measures that focus on technology advancements and address the issue of workforce preparation. Today we require education and special skills like no other time in America’s history to compete internationally and to maintain our lead in the world. As such, a highly energized focus on education is required as well as providing the necessary resources to spark a new era of technological advancement.

Illegal immigration: Undocumented individuals can pose a problem as well as a great opportunity for America. As a nation, we have a rich but conflictual history in regards to how we deal with undocumented peoples. I will provide a plan that will provide flexibility and mobility to undocumented peoples as well as address the origins of undocumented peoples. Doing so, we will maintain a solid economy and provide opportunity for all people here at home, while at the same time limit the use of social services of undocumented peoples.

Federal deficit: I will invest in technology across all fields and concentrate on education so that jobs can be created instead of merely being acquired. Also, I will restructure the tax system so that big businesses will pay their fair share and not be rewarded for taking their money overseas. Finally, I will call an end to big government and usher in the era of smarter government.

President Obama’s qualifications: No.

Americans Elect

Age: 37. (07/09/1974, Pittsburg, PA).

Arizona since: 2006.

Occupation: Financial advisor, USAA, since 2006; financial advisor/compliance officer/registered principal, Ameriprise, 2002-2004 and 2005-2006; compliance officer/register principal, LPL, 2004-2005.

Marital: Married (Kimberlee Kiewel, police officer).

Religious preference: Byzantine Catholic.

Education: Chartered retirement planning counselor, College for Financial Planning, 2007; B.S., history, U.S. Naval Academy, 1996; Baldwin High School, 1992.

Political experience: None.

Memberships: U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Assn (local and national organization); American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Interests: Volleyball (played/coached/refereed), animals, walking/hiking, singing, woodworking.

Political influence: Although I was a young boy when she died and never would have had the chance to meet her, Ayn Rand is the most influential person in my political development. She is by no means infallible, but her writings have given me the tools to properly frame my thinking on the true role of government, the motivations of individuals and the interrelationship of these two forces. Before studying Rand, I viewed myself as a liberal, but have come to realize the folly of that point of view and would now describe myself as a Libertarian conservative.

Top priority: The core issue that needs to be addressed is the immediate balancing of the federal budget. Our greatest national security threat is excessive debt, worsened by an unending deficit and a congress that is absolutely unwilling to do anything about it. Every day that we fail to act on correcting this long-term systemic problem of a lack of fiscal responsibility, we move even closer to fiscal collapse. If we do not take immediate action as a nation to solve this problem, the days of our great nation being the leader of the world will regretfully end.

Respected opponent: Ron Paul is the person that most fits this criteria. Simply put, his fortitude, persistence in the face of unpopular views, and consistency of message is without compare. He has motivated me that if you believe in your cause you should work tirelessly to achieve it.

Job creation measures: First, I support modifying the taxation and regulatory environment that strongly favors large companies. Small business is the main job creation engine in the U.S. and they are overwhelmed with regulatory requirements and tax law complexities. To streamline these areas in favor of smaller businesses would be very helpful. Secondly, we are now five years into our housing collapse. In some cases, it is not as much a question of job creation as it is lack of mobility due to housing disruption that is causing unemployment. I would support limited government action to create conditions to speed the fledgling recovery in this area.

Illegal immigration: First, we need to secure our border by all reasonable means. Secondly, we need to set up a vibrant guest worker program that allows us to match willing workers with willing employers when there is no domestic labor force to fill the gap. Third, for illegal immigrants, but otherwise law abiding and productive members of society, I support a significant, but not punitive fine and/or community service in lieu of deportation. For illegal immigrants that also engage in other criminal behavior, I support a mandated doubling of the sentence for the given offense followed by deportation.

Federal deficit: I support closing unnecessary tax loopholes that are simply political favors in deference to a flatter and lower tax code across the board. This would allow for greater revenues overall and eliminate spending through the tax code. Secondly, I would put all options regarding entitlement program reform on the table to both slow their growth and strengthen them for future generations.

President Obama’s qualifications: Although I did not vote for President Obama in 2008 and almost assuredly will not vote for him in 2012 either, I have never had questions about his qualifications to be elected president.

Green

Did not respond.

Democrat

Arizona since: 1986.

Occupation: Retired teacher, Glendale Union H.S. District, 1993-2009.

Marital: Married (Homemaker).

Children: 2.

Religious preference: Christian.

Education: B.A., social studies, Univ of Michigan, 1969.

Political experience: Helped with Steve Owens campaign in 1998; Democratic nominee, CD3, 2000; Democratic candidate for CD2, 2004 and 2006.

Memberships: AZ Education Assn, 1993-2009; Teamsters Union Local 486, 1977-1986; U.S. Army Field Artillery, 1971-1972; Michigan Education Assn, 1969-1971 and 1973-1977.

Interests: Exploring Arizona’s back country in my Jeep Wrangler, bass fishing, and building and riding my propeller-driven “aerocycle.”

Political influence: My father was a part-time Washington lobbyist for the Michigan Association of School Superintendents and in this capacity he testified before House and Senate committees and helped draft and promote various successful pieces of education legislation. Because of my father’s involvement, I learned from a young age to pay attention to the workings of our government and the issues of the day.

Top priority: I have selected as my campaign slogan “Restoring the American Dream” and to do this we must first make income taxes and Social Security taxes fair and equitable by following the “Buffett Rule.” The present tax code places too much of the tax burden on the shoulders of the middle class and is responsible for the growing gap between rich and poor.

Respected opponent: The late U.S. Rep. Bob Stump. I believe Bob Stump was an honest, cordial gentleman, and a true fiscal conservative. As a former farmer he knew how to be frugal with his own resources and always tried to be careful not to waste the taxpayer’s money. I also respect his service to our country in the U.S. Navy during WWII. When I challenged him in the 2000 election, my biggest complaint was that as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee he didn’t vehemently demand adequate funding for Veterans’ health care.

Job creation measures: Domestic spending to repair our aging schools, highways, bridges, pipelines and power grids. Tax incentives and favorable regulations to encourage the building of large solar power plants and the installation of residential rooftop solar panels on new and existing homes.

Illegal immigration: We need comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders and allows those who are here illegally, but have no criminal record, to pay a fine and wait longer for permanent residency status than those who didn’t violate our immigration laws. (This amnesty plan is actually the one put forth by John McCain, Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe in 2000). Immigration reform must simultaneously address uniformly enforcing our immigration laws in the workplace and securing our borders, and I favor using the National Guard to secure the border.

Federal deficit: I would advocate for fair and equitable income and Social Security taxes. Income tax rates should follow the “Buffett Rule” so that investment income is taxed the same as earned income. Also, the cap on Social Security/Medicare taxes should be raised from its current $106,800 to about $250,000 or perhaps removed entirely. In either case, the rate should be reduced so that it is less burdensome on lower income people, particularly the self-employed.

President Obama’s qualifications: No.

Democrat

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: U.S. Congress since 1991; Maricopa County Supervisor, 1976-1991.

Marital: Married (Verma).

Children: 2.

Religious preference: Catholic.

Education: J.D., ASU, 1974; B.A., chemistry, ASU, 1966.

Political experience: U.S. Congress since 1991; Maricopa County Supervisor since 1976.

Memberships: Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Blues Society, AZ Town Hall, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of Eight, Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary, Par-Gents.

Interests: Music and sports.

Political influence: I have had many. It is difficult to name one.

Top priority: Stabilize the economy to create employment opportunities and continue economic growth in the United States.

Respected opponent: John Rhodes.

Job creation measures: Provide tax incentives to expanding businesses and new business that are creating employment opportunities; implement a huge infrastructure program to rebuild America.

Illegal immigration: Pass comprehensive immigration reform which includes a viable and fair guest worker program.

Federal deficit: Eliminate or reduce duplicative programs and non-essential spending; increase revenues.

President Obama’s qualifications: No.

Libertarian

Arizona since: Birth.

Occupation: Principal, Precision Shade (an architectural design services company); worked several scenery and exhibit companies in Los Angeles as a digital production manager.

Marital: Divorced.

Religious preference: Protestant.

Education: Studied engineering, philosophy and art at ASU; studied astronomy at UofA; studied film at UCLA.

Political experience: Candidate, U.S. Congress (California), 1996, 1998, 2000; candidate, California Assembly, 1992, 1994.

Memberships: Reverend, Universal Life Church; VP, Desert Voices Toastmasters; member, Green Chamber of Commerce.

Interests: Philosophy, motorcycle riding, world peace.

Issues: Did not respond.

Arizona since: 1997.

Occupation: President, VBP Group, since 2006; Paradise Valley mayor, 2008-2010; asst secretary, U.S. Dept of Agriculture for President George W. Bush, 2003-2006.

Marital: Married (Lisa).

Children: 2.

Religious preference: Christian.

Education: J.D., Georgetown University, 1988; B.S., finance, Cal State Long Beach, 1983.

Political experience: Paradise Valley Town Council; general counsel, U.S. Office of Personnel Management; special assistant to President George W. Bush.

Memberships: Greater Phoenix Salvation Army Bd; Nat’l Advisory Bd of the Salvation Army; bd of director, Starshine Academy; Scottsdale Rotary; Christian Family Care Agency.

Interests: Cooking, watching college football and basketball.

Issues: Did not respond.