ER doc, transgender hoping to turn CD8 blue
By Katie Campbell | Arizona Capitol Times
In these early days of the 8th Congressional District special election, little attention – if any – has been paid to the two Democratic candidates running in the overwhelmingly red stronghold.
Related: Political experts ponder Franks endorsement – boost or baggage?
Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, an emergency room physician, and Brianna Westbrook, a transgender woman working in the automotive industry, according to her campaign bio, entered the race while Franks was still in office and was presumed to be running for re-election. And both are still in now that Franks is out and an expedited process to replace him is in full-swing.
Both claim strong grassroots support and hope to ride on their image as political outsiders making their first runs for office.
Unfortunately for them, even Democratic consultants don’t think that will be enough to make CD8 a real contest.
