Here is a look at the candidates for the state Senate and state House of Representative for legislative district 24 which encompasses most of downtown Phoenix including ASU's Downtown campus.
State Senate District 24
Lela Alston (Democrat)
Alston has been involved with Arizona politics since 1976 when she was an Arizona state Senator. She also served on the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board and Arizona’s House of Representatives where she is currently representing the 24th district.
Economy/Fiscal Responsibility: Alston pushes for higher wage jobs for Arizona families and believes Arizona should attract skilled workers.
Education: Alston believes the legislature needs to stop cutting the education budget and that education should be accessible and affordable.
In 2011, Alston voted against SB 1617, a 2011 bill that decreased funding the Arizona Department of Education.
Environment: Alston pushes for preserving Arizona’s resources. She has also supported alternative energy measures to keep Arizona’s air and water clean.
Vicki Alger (Republican)
Alger has spent most of her career researching education policy for the U.S. Department of Education, where she advised them on school choice. Before her research career, she lectured on American politics, English and British literature at several universities.
She is entering her first political campaign alongside her husband, David Alger who is vying for the House seat in the same district.
Her platform:
Economy/Fiscal Responsibility: Alger believes taxes are not a fund for a select few to use at their discrepancy.
Education: Alger has not made a statement about her stance on this issue.
Environment: Alger has not made a statement about her stance on this issue.
State Representative District 24
Jennifer Longdon (Democrat)
After being paralyzed in a drive-by shooting, Longdon spent 14 years working to improve the lives of people with disabilities. She has served on various boards and commissions including the Phoenix Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues.
Education: Longdon supports better funding for education including higher salaries for teachers, decreasing class sizes and providing additional counseling and special education staff in Arizona schools.
She also pushes for restoring capital funds (District Additional Assistance) to unspecified "appropriate levels" and wants schools to be funded mainly by state governments.
Gun rights: Longdon opposes the "extreme gun lobby," but also says she is a gun owner herself. She advocates for universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders.
She also wants to improve sexual assault protection and mental health services for Arizona residents.
Healthcare: Longdon has called for quality affordable health care for all Arizonans. She said she will protect Medicaid expansion and KidsCare. She also believes women should have access to comprehensive reproductive health care and the ability to make their own choices when it comes to their health.
Amish Shah (Democrat)
Before his career in politics, Shah attended medical school and became an ER doctor. Shah has also been an educator, researcher and worked with the NFL physician society.
Education: Shah has said that Ducey's plan to raise teacher pay is neither permanent nor adequate because the raises depend on future revenue, which he said is not guaranteed. He also pushes for raising the appropriate revenue.
Healthcare: Shah supports universal health care for all Americans.
Democracy: Shah believes the Arizona legislature has been passing measures that make it harder for voters to enact laws and propositions and he wants to make it easier for Arizonans to do.
David Alger (Republican)
Before settling in Arizona in 2000, Alger was an active duty service member of the U.S. Navy, and he continued his military service up until 2015. He is also married to Vicki Alger.
David Alger has criticized politicians who have failed to fulfill their promises.
Economy/Fiscal Responsibility: David Alger believes taxes are not a fund for a select few to use at their discrepancy.
Education: David Alger values the personal right of parents to raise their children however they choose and to provide them with a quality education.
Editors Note: David Alger was unable to provide a courtesy photo.
Reach the reporter at mzhao49@asu.edu and follow @michelle_zhao23 on Twitter.
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