Tara Kavaler
Arizona Republic
Héctor Jaramillo is positioning himself as the progressive candidate running in Arizona’s bluest congressional district.
He believes in Medicare for All; free college tuition; 20 days of paid leave for full-time employees annually, abolishing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Jaramillo is the only man in a crowded Democratic primary field in the 3rd Congressional District seeking to replace Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2024. The winner of the House primary next August is likely to be the winner of the general election because the district heavily favors Democrats and is considered “outside of competitive range” by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Committee, which drew the lines.
A school behavior interventionalist, Jaramillo is an at-large member of the Glendale Elementary School District Governing Board, a position he won uncontested in November. He earlier had lost in the Democratic primary for the Arizona House of Representatives for the 24th legislative district.
“To voters and people across the country, I would say, look, we have a real chance of turning Arizona blue. But that’s only if we elect a truly strong progressive candidate … someone that shows up, someone that is willing to establish year-long operations of community engagement and mutual aid,” Jaramillo said.
