Democrat – Congressional District 7 U.S. House

Phone: (602) 443-1876

Age: 64. (11/21/49, Superior, AZ).

Arizona since: Birth

Occupation: Small business owner, El Portal Restaurant, since 2001; supervisor, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, since 1993; councilwoman, Phoenix City Council, 1983-93; special assistant, U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini, 1977-83.

Marital: Married

Children: 1

Education: B.A., social work, ASU, 1971.

Political experience: Supervisor, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, since 1993; councilwoman, Phoenix City Council, 1983-93.

Interests: Reading novels, watching movies with my family, and participating in church activities.

Top priority: I’m running for Congress to fix a broken political system that has failed the citizens of Arizona. I will work hard to pass comprehensive immigration reform and make sure it is implemented in a fair way. And I will fight the terrible deportation policy that hurts and separates families.

Initial legislation: I want to usher in comprehensive immigration reform and ensure it is implemented effectively and fairly. If that is done by the time I get to Congress, I plan to work on transportation and infrastructure issues, which can make a real difference in jobs for working men and women.

Federal deficit: As a fiscal conservative on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, I helped transform the county government from an entity with poor financial management to one of the best-run counties in the nation, resulting in the county going from a C-bond rating to an AAA rating. The best thing we can do to erase the deficit is grow the economy. For that reason, I support an increase in the minimum wage and the passage of comprehensive immigration reform, which numerous economic analysts, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have reported will have a long-term positive impact on U.S. economic growth.

Federal spending in AZ: I will work to bring federal funds to expand the light rail into all parts of the community, particularly the south and west portions of Phoenix that have too often been ignored.

Respected opponent: The former independent mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, has been a strong voice for reforming gun laws. Whether it’s through the gun buy-back programs I started while on the County Board of Supervisors or the Late Night Basketball program my husband and I started to keep kids off the streets, I’ve worked hard to make our communities safer and keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals. As a victim of gun violence myself, I applaud Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts and the attention he has brought to this problem.

Public policy advice: My husband – a former legislator and justice of the peace – and community leaders like former Senator Dennis DeConcini, Sen. Robert Meza, Alfredo Gutierrez, Tony Bustamante, Salvador Reza, Ron Ober, Athie Hardt, Art Hamilton, Bishop Henry Barnwell, and Bill Sheppard.

Wilcox, Mary Rose

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