Woods, 59, is running for Congress because of what she describes as an assault on various freedoms by the Republican Party.
Tara Kavaler
Arizona Republic
Marlene Galán-Woods, widow of former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods, on Wednesday launched a campaign for the congressional seat now held by veteran Rep. David Schweikert.
The former TV journalist joins four other candidates in the Democratic primary race. They hope to be the party’s nominee to take on Schweikert, R-Ariz., in the 2024 general election.
Woods, 59, is running for Congress because of what she describes as an assault on various freedoms by the Republican Party. She said she feels a responsibility to continue her late husband’s work and leaving future generations with a strong and free country.
“I am running for office because after the death of my husband, I was left with a profound sense of love and responsibility for our state and for our country,” Woods told The Arizona Republic in an interview. “And the fact is that our freedoms are under attack by a group of right-wing extremists. … I can’t look the other way.”
Voting rights and women’s reproductive rights are being threatened, she said. Woods also wants to preserve the “freedom to be free of gun violence.”
“I’m not trying to take anybody’s guns away,” she said. “Most of us agree that we need common sense gun laws: you’re not able to go into a Walmart and buy a grenade. You shouldn’t be able to go and buy a weapon that was made for war that is leaving hundreds of children slaughtered in school and at the mall.”
