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U.S. House of Representatives District 3

U.S. RepresentativeDescription of office: The U.S. Congress is made up of two chambers. The House of Representatives is the lower chamber, with 435 members, including 9 from Arizona. Representatives must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years, and a resident of the state. The entire membership of the House is elected every 2 years. Each term is 2 years, and there are no term limits.Responsibilities: Representatives pass laws, serve on committees, approve the federal budget, and impose taxes and tariffs (taxes on goods imported from another country). The House has several exclusive powers not granted to the Senate, including the power to introduce revenue bills and to elect the president if no majority of electoral votes is reached. The House can impeach (bring charges against) elected officials.Why you should care: The laws Congress passes affect almost every aspect of your lives, including taxes and spending, the safety of our food and drugs, elections and voting, labor laws, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans’ benefits, the postal service, the climate, and national infrastructures such as dams, reservoirs, roads, bridges, and rural high-speed internet access. Congress can declare war, but cannot prevent the Executive Branch/President from deploying troops without a formal declaration of war.For additional information: https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained https://www.azcleanelections.gov/how-government-works/us-representatives

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  • Candidate picture

    Yassamin Ansari
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    Alan Aversa
    (Nol)

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    David Redkey
    (Grn)

Biographical Information

What specific actions would you take to exercise Congress’s oversight authority, including appropriations, investigations, subpoenas, confirmations, legislation, and other enforcement tools, to monitor federal agencies and taxpayer spending, prevent executive overreach, and address corruption, waste, fraud, abuse, and conflicts of interest?

What specific actions would you undertake to protect the constitutional system of checks and balances among the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches to uphold judicial independence, limit executive overreach and ensure that the Department of Justice and federal law enforcement agencies administer justice fairly, independently, and free from political influence of the executive branch or partisan interference?

What federal legislation, economic policies, or budget priorities would you support to help Arizona families address the rising cost of living, including housing affordability, healthcare, childcare, food, energy, insurance, and the growing gap between wages and everyday expenses?

What federal policies, investments, or workforce initiatives would you support to strengthen Arizona’s economy, expand good-paying jobs, support small businesses, improve workforce training and education, and promote long-term economic opportunity and financial stability for Arizona workers, families, and communities?

What changes, if any, would you support in federal tax, spending, and budget policies to address the national debt and reduce the risk of federal government shutdowns, while protecting essential services, infrastructure, contracts, benefits, healthcare, education, and other federal programs relied upon by Arizona residents and communities?

What federal immigration and border policies would you support regarding border security, immigration enforcement, asylum processing, legal immigration pathways, and oversight of federal immigration agencies such as ICE, and how would you balance public safety, due process protections, economic needs, and civil rights?

What changes, if any, would you support to congressional ethics laws and rules, including stock trading restrictions, campaign finance transparency, financial disclosure requirements, lobbying rules, and measures to prevent conflicts of interest and strengthen public trust in Congress?

Campaign Phone 480-415-7117
Campaign Twitter @yassaminansari
Campaign YouTube
Public Policy Priorities 1) Bringing down the cost of living for working families 2) A just, humane immigration system 3) Tackling the Trump Administration’s corruption
Qualifications and Experience Before being elected Congresswoman, she was the youngest City Councilmember in Phoenix history, and also served as Vice Mayor. Please refer to www.yassaminforcongress.com for more!
Memberships & Affiliations Democratic Party
Endorsements Senator Mark Kelly, Governor Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Attorney General Kris Mayes, UFCW, IBEW, Teamsters, Unite Here!, Arizona Building & Construction Trades Plumbers
Community Service Served as Climate Advisor to the United Nations where she worked on the Paris Climate Accords
Education Stanford University - undergrad (International Relations major), University of Cambridge - Master's
As a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, I have made accountability, transparency, and the rule of law central priorities of my work in Congress. I use my position on the Oversight Committee to investigate waste, fraud, abuse, and potential corruption across the federal government, regardless of which party is in power. I have been relentless in demanding transparency, including pushing for the release of the Epstein files and opposing efforts to obscure or politicize public records. I have also conducted oversight of immigration detention facilities, including ICE detention centers, raising concerns about conditions, access to care, heat safety, and humane treatment standards for detainees held in taxpayer-funded facilities. I also support strong oversight of federal spending and contracting, including robust use of hearings, investigations, subpoenas when necessary, appropriations leverage and legislation to hold agencies accountable.
Our democracy depends on an independent judiciary and a system of checks and balances that prevents any one branch of government from accumulating excessive power. I have been outspoken in Congress and national media defending judicial independence and opposing efforts by any administration to politicize federal law enforcement agencies. Congress must actively use its oversight authority to investigate executive overreach, demand transparency from agencies, and use legislative tools to enforce accountability. I have supported efforts to hold Pam Bondi accountable, including backing impeachment inquiries, because no official should be above the law. I have also used my platform in Congress and public appearances to raise concerns about political interference in the justice system and to defend the independence of courts. I will continue working to ensure that the DOJ's decisions are based on the law, not political loyalty, and that equal justice under the law applies to everyone.
Arizona families are facing rising costs across housing, healthcare, childcare, groceries, and energy. I support expanding the Child Tax Credit, lowering prescription drug prices, strengthening the Affordable Care Act, and increasing access to affordable childcare. I also support investments to expand affordable and workforce housing and reduce barriers that drive up housing costs.

Through my work in Congress and as Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Task Force on Lowering Costs, I have focused on addressing affordability challenges directly. Through town halls in Arizona and across the country, I have heard from families struggling with rising utility bills, rent, and everyday expenses. Those conversations guide my work to lower costs and strengthen economic security for working families.

I also support policies that raise wages, protect workers, and ensure economic growth benefits working people, not just large corporations and the wealthiest Americans.
Arizona's economy is strongest when workers, entrepreneurs, and local businesses have opportunities to succeed. I support investments in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, and semiconductor production that create good-paying jobs while strengthening long-term competitiveness. I have long advocated for prevailing wage protections because taxpayer-funded projects should create high-quality jobs that support working families in our communities. I support expanding workforce development programs, apprenticeships, technical education, and community college pathways. I also support expanding access to capital and technical assistance for small businesses, which are essential to Arizona’s economy. Economic policy must also address affordability. I support policies that lower those costs while building a strong foundation for long-term economic opportunity in urban, suburban, rural, and tribal communities.
Addressing the national debt requires a balanced and responsible approach. I support reducing deficits by closing tax loopholes that benefit the wealthiest individuals and large corporations, improving government efficiency, and making strategic investments that strengthen long-term economic growth. I oppose using government shutdowns or default threats as political tools. Congress must govern responsibly by passing budgets on time and ensuring stability for families, businesses, and public services. At the same time, we must protect essential programs including Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ services, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public safety, which millions of Arizona residents rely on every day.
Arizona is a border state, and we need both secure borders and a fair, functional immigration system. I support comprehensive immigration reform that strengthens border security, modernizes ports of entry, improves asylum processing, and ensures due process protections are fully respected. I support expanding legal immigration pathways that keep families together and meet workforce needs. I also support strong oversight of ICE and Customs & Border Protection, to ensure transparency, and compliance with constitutional rights. I have advocated for improved conditions in ICE detention facilities, including concerns about access to medical care and poor treatment. I have also highlighted individual cases like Yari’s, to illustrate the real, human consequences of immigration policy and the need for a system that balances enforcement with fairness and decency. Immigration enforcement should prioritize public safety threats while respecting civil rights.
Public trust in government depends on strong ethics rules and transparency. I support banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks while in office, strengthening financial disclosure requirements, increasing transparency in campaign finance, and tightening lobbying rules.

I also support stronger enforcement of conflict of interest laws and measures that reduce the influence of special interests and dark money in politics. Members of Congress should be held to the highest ethical standards, and government should always be accountable to the people, not wealthy donors or corporate interests.
Campaign Email aversa.vote@proton.me
Campaign Website http://aversa.vote
Campaign Twitter @https://x.com/SententiaeDeo
Campaign YouTube
Public Policy Priorities pro-life / right-to-life
Education B.Sc. in physics and astronomy from the University of Arizona
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Campaign Phone 480-269-1390
Campaign Twitter @Redkey4Congress
Campaign YouTube
Public Policy Priorities My public policy priorities center on Foundation Economics: rebuilding the economic foundation for working people. Healthcare, housing, education, wages, family security, and basic living costs should be affordable without requiring people to take on crushing debt. I support TriCare Prime for All, progressive tax reform, stronger labor protections, better-funded public schools, affordable public higher education, housing reform, and policies that protect Arizona’s water, agriculture, and communities. Economic freedom also means family freedom. Because of today’s cost of living, many women and younger Americans do not feel they can afford to have children. Millennials and younger generations were denied much of the economic environment Baby Boomers benefited from. Foundation Economics is designed to reverse that decline by strengthening wages, lowering essential costs, and giving women and families greater freedom to decide whether and when to have children.
Qualifications and Experience I bring experience in education, public service, communication, and working-class life. I earned two bachelor’s degrees from Arizona State University in English and Communication, a Master of Education in Secondary Education (also ASU), and a graduate certificate in Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies (NAU). I have worked as a public-school teacher since 2019 and previously spent five years working on the public information line for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), helping provide accurate public-health information to the public. My background in teaching, writing, public communication, and community engagement has required me to explain complex issues clearly, listen to different perspectives, and work directly with people. I am running for Congress to bring that practical experience to public policy and to represent working people whose concerns are too often ignored.
Memberships & Affiliations Member, Amnesty International; member, Arizona Green Party; former member, Democratic Party / Arizona Democratic Party; former member, Metro Phoenix Democratic Socialists of America; former member, Democratic Socialists of America (national). I separated from the Arizona Democrats / Democratic Party and the DSA this year due to acting like loyal opposition to the Genocide in Palestine. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” from Letter from Birmingham Jail (MLK, 1963).
Endorsements Outside of the voters, I have not asked for endorsements.
Community Service My community service has centered on education, public information, and civic engagement. As a public-school teacher, I have worked directly with Arizona students and families since 2019. I previously spent five years working on the public information line for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), helping members of the public obtain reliable health information and referrals to medical services in their area. I also participate in community and voter outreach, speaking directly with residents about issues affecting working families, education, healthcare, housing, and the cost of living. My approach to public service is based on listening to people directly and using education and communication to help communities make informed decisions.
Education Graduate Certificate, RWDMS (NAU); M.Ed, Secondary Education (ASU); BA, English & BA Communication (ASU); AA, Education/General (GCC).
I would use Congress’s oversight authority aggressively but lawfully. I would review agency budgets, condition appropriations when spending is unsupported, require public reporting, and support GAO and inspector general investigations into waste, fraud, abuse, and conflicts of interest. Through House committees, I would support hearings, document demands, and subpoenas when agencies refuse lawful oversight. I would also strengthen whistleblower protections, inspector general independence, competitive contracting, and conflict-of-interest disclosure. As a Representative, I would not claim the Senate’s confirmation power, but I would use the House’s legislative, appropriations, oversight, contempt, and impeachment powers when justified by the facts and law. Oversight should apply equally regardless of which party controls the executive branch.
I would defend the separation of powers by insisting that each branch remain within its constitutional authority. Congress must conduct oversight, control appropriations, investigate executive misconduct, enforce subpoenas, and legislate when executive agencies exceed statutory authority. I would protect judicial independence by opposing political retaliation against judges and attempts to interfere with individual cases or court decisions outside lawful appellate and legislative processes. I would support strong inspector general and whistleblower protections and require transparency regarding contacts between the White House, DOJ, and federal law enforcement concerning specific investigations. DOJ and federal law enforcement must apply the law based on evidence and legal standards, not political loyalty. Congressional oversight should examine improper interference regardless of which party controls the presidency.
I would support Foundation Economics: policies that strengthen the working class by reducing essential costs and increasing household security. I support TriCare Prime for All as a pathway to universal healthcare because healthcare is part of national security, helping protect Americans from disease, both foreign and domestic. I would also support housing credits and increased housing supply, expanded child tax support, free school meals, and stronger labor protections, including ending the salaried overtime exemption. Federal investment in energy, infrastructure, and local communities should lower long-term costs. My tax policy would keep rates lower for working- and middle-income households while requiring very high incomes and large businesses to contribute more. The goal is to ensure wages can cover housing, healthcare, food, childcare, energy, insurance, and raising a family.
I would advance Foundation Economics by investing in workers, small businesses, education, and communities. I do not believe a country’s success is measured from the top by the quality of life of billionaires. True success is measured from the bottom, at the foundation, by the quality of life of the poor and working class. I support stronger labor protections, including ending the salaried overtime exemption, along with expanded apprenticeships, workforce training, career and technical education, and partnerships among schools, colleges, unions, and employers. Pell-eligible students should have access to tuition-free public higher education. I would support small businesses through fair access to federal contracting and capital and invest in infrastructure, energy, technology, and water security. The goal is good-paying jobs, stronger wages, affordable necessities, and long-term financial stability for Arizona families.
I would address the national debt through progressive tax reform, stronger oversight, and reducing unnecessary spending without cutting essential services. I support automatic temporary funding when Congress fails to pass appropriations, protecting healthcare, education, infrastructure, benefits, contracts, federal workers, and military personnel. I would also pursue laws—and any constitutional changes necessary—to ensure that during a shutdown, no elected or executive official responsible for governing receives pay. After seeing military members serve, fight, and face harm while their pay is threatened, I cannot accept a system that shields political leaders from the consequences of their failure. Like Ender Wiggin’s philosophy in Ender’s Game (Card, 1985), the consequences to them should be severe enough that leaders never consider using a shutdown as a political weapon.
I support secure borders, due process, expanded legal immigration, and faster, fairer asylum decisions. ICE has existed only since 2003, and I would move to dissolve the agency while transferring necessary border, customs, investigative, and public-safety functions to appropriate federal agencies under stronger congressional oversight. ASU Professor David Altheide’s Politics of Fear refined my view that fear could be used for social control. I predicted that danger as a sophomore at Sunnyslope High School ('98-'99) after reading Machiavelli’s The Prince (1532), when I argued that fear could be used to control a population in an essay for a practice college application. My teacher, Mrs. Terri Fields, a Republican, told me that could "never happen" in the United States. Boy, was she wrong. Therefore, immigration policy should protect public safety without using fear, denying due process, separating families unnecessarily, or treating immigrants as political targets.
I would strengthen congressional ethics laws by banning members of Congress and their family members—not merely spouses or dependent children—from trading individual stocks while the member holds office. That restriction should apply broadly, including to extended family, because government service should never create an opportunity for relatives to profit from material nonpublic information. I support blind trusts or diversified funds, stronger financial disclosures, full campaign-finance transparency, and meaningful penalties for violations. Members should disclose family financial interests that could create conflicts before voting on legislation. I would also strengthen lobbying disclosure rules and restrictions on former members and senior staff becoming paid lobbyists. Public service should not enrich an official’s family through information or access unavailable to ordinary Americans.