Arizona since: 1997.

Occupation: Currently an unemployed web and computer developer.

Marital: Married (Jeff, unemployed).

Children: 4.

Religious preference: Presbyterian.

Education: Bachelor’s, DeVry University, 2006 (I am the first person in my family to complete college).

Political experience: Campaign manager, Leigh Strickman, 2008; candidate, AZ Senate, 2010; core member, northern Phoenix team supporting Greg Stanton, 2011.

Memberships: Member, American Legion Auxiliary and WACVA; volunteer for Abandoned Mine Safety (www.abandonedminesafety.org/) and Mission of Mercy (amissionofmercy.org/arizona/); deacon at my church.

Interests: Family, community service, animals (rescue animals in particular), computers (hardware and software – yes, I am a geek) and motorcycles.

Political influence: The most influential person in my political development is Don MacDonald, a dear friend who got me into politics (he told me to stop complaining and put my money where my mouth is) in 2007.

Job creation measures: Tax incentives for the true job creators – mom and pop businesses. Improve funding for public education.

Top Issues: Providing representation for the people; this is supposed to be, after all, a government for, by and of the people. Undoing Citizen’s United and removing ALEC from our legislature. Restoring funding to Planned Parenthood.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: I favor it only if we can’t get back the tax giveaways to “needy” billionaire corporations.

Illegal immigration: If you really want to undermine immigration, there are two ways: Do what Reagan did, which was to grant amnesty, and prosecute ALL corporations and companies that send for and hire these workers while restoring the old agriculture workers plan.

Background & experience: Nothing I have learned can prepare me to be a legislator any more than reading books can prepare someone for parenthood. It’s learn as you go.

Pro-life / pro-choice: I personally hate abortion, which is why I support Planned Parenthood as they are responsible for the drop in abortions since Roe v Wade.

One last thing: I am no politician. I run for office because I love Arizona and cannot stand by while it is destroyed bit by bit. I can promise that I will support only living, breathing human beings, not representatives of ALEC, corporations, or CAP.

Campaign finance: public.

Arizona since: 1982.

Occupation: Self-employed; state representative, 2003-2007.

Marital: Married. (Tina).

Children: 3.

Religious preference: Evangelical Christian..

Education: B.S., business, ASU, 1993.

Political experience: Campaign advisor for Len Munsil for Governor, 2006; Republican candidate for Corporation Commission, 2008; paid staff, Yes for Marriage Campaign.

Legis exp: House 2005-2006, 2003-2004.

Memberships: No response.

Interests: Classic cars, hiking, skiing.

Political influence: I know that it has become a cliché, but my first vote ever was for Ronald Reagan. His belief that the individual is the strength of our country and his understanding of the founding fathers’ view on the role of government and the governed was revolutionary to me. Arizona has long been a state that values the individual over the state.

Job creation measures: Lower business property taxes would be a good place to start. Next would be shortening the time it takes to interact with our state bureaucracy. Businesses need solid timelines to manage their affairs. If a business needs to get a permit, license, required test, or one of a hundred things that business comes to government for, government agencies must provide a definitive timeline to accomplish each task. If the deadlines are not met, the government agency should lose its fee.

Top Issues: Education and jobs: We need to make the local school boards the most powerful force in local education. They know what the values of the community are and how to address them. Over the past twenty years more and more decisions about education have been put in the hands of the state and federal government and this has clearly been a bad idea. In the recent past our government has elevated the amount of regulation and business taxes to deal with problems that mostly do not exist. We need to make it easier to be in business here, through lower taxes, regulations that add value, and a licensing process that is fast and inexpensive.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: Oppose, we do not have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem.

Illegal immigration: We need to continue to make it hard for those who are here illegally to find work. It is clear from this past year, with diminishing economic opportunities, illegal immigrants self deport. We may still have to do something about the border if D.C. does not change hands in this election.

Background & experience: I have served four years in the state Legislature and have a strong conservative record. I know how to move my district’s agenda forward through hard work, focus, and friendly persuasion.

Pro-life / pro-choice: I am pro-life, except when it is necessary to save the life of the mother.

One last thing: I have lived in Arizona 30 years and it is a great state and I love it here. It can always be said that some state does this or that better or smarter than we do, but the fact is, Arizona is viewed by many in those states as the place to move for a chance to start again in a better place. I would be proud to returned to the state Legislature to move our state forward.

Campaign finance: private.

Republican

Arizona since: 1988.

Occupation: Clinical associate professor, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, ASU, since 2002; teacher, English/social studies, Greenway Middle School, for five years; real estate agent for two years; pharmaceutical sale representative, Wallace Labs, for one and a half years; account executive, Phoenix Suns, for one and a half years.

Marital: Married (Jay, Realtor ).

Children: 1.

Religious preference: Methodist.

Education: Ed.D., educational leadership, NAU, 2006; M.Ed., educational technology, ASU, 2002; B.S., communication-rhetoric, ASU 1992.

Political experience: Served on the AZ Dept of Education Alternative Teaching Certification Task Force, Institutional Review Committee for teacher and administrator program evaluations, and on NCLB working group for ADE.

Legis exp: House since 2011.

Memberships: Multiple professional associations related to employment.

Interests: Spending time with my family, hiking and biking, riding and showing registered quarter horses, animals.

Political influence: Personally, my mother is the most influential person in my political development. As a life-long Republican, I was raised on conservative, limited-government, and personal liberty ideals. Professionally, I look to both Barry Goldwater, who loved his country and our great state of Arizona, and Ronald Reagan. Both men stand as pillars in the Republican Party.

Job creation measures: As elected officials, we need to focus on reducing government roadblocks to job creation, while recognizing that “government” doesn’t create jobs. With that in mind, we need to focus on streamlining government bureaucracies related to doing business in our state, such as permitting processes, tax payments, navigating multiple municipality requirements and so forth. We also need to make sure we are working with business to identify and train a 21st century work force.

Top Issues: The top two issues beyond balancing our budget include improving both education and health care in Arizona. In education, there are a number of areas worthy of legislative attention, but I will focus on education data systems, quality teachers, and fixing education-funding loopholes. As for health care, I will work with our health care stakeholders to find innovative ways to deliver high quality medical services in the most efficient and effect manner by focusing on medical technology and delivery innovations.

Prop 100 sales tax extension: The tax that was passed in 2010 was marketed to the voters as a ‘temporary’ sales tax, and as such, will and should expire.

Illegal immigration: Securing the border is a high-stakes priority for Arizona. As a border state, we demand that the federal government address illegal immigration. The federal government must also increase the number of customs and border protection officers at Arizona’s international ports of entry to properly enforce immigration and drug laws and to facilitate trade. In Arizona, the Cattlemen Association’s “Restore Our Border Security Plan” outlines a solid path to do this important work in our state.

Background & experience: Many of my professional experiences have prepared me for my service as a state representative. However, probably most helpful has been my ability to read, study and analyze large amounts of information in a short period of time. Throughout my academic career, including completing my educational doctorate degree, this has been a skill that has served me well. In addition, I have worked in many sales positions that require me to negotiate and find “win-win” solutions to complex problems.

Pro-life / pro-choice: I am pro-life.

One last thing: I consider it a true honor to be elected to represent the constituents in my district and hope to continue to serve in this capacity. Probably the most rewarding part of my job is working with people to help solve problems, whether it is through constituent services or sponsoring legislation. I am also inspired by the school tours that come to the Capitol to learn about the legislative process. The students never cease to amaze me with their depth of understanding and genuine interest in the process.

Campaign finance: private.