Newspaper calls congresswoman a “champion” for the district

FLAGSTAFF – The White Mountain Independent – a top news source for Eastern Arizona communities — endorsed Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick for re-election today, pointing to her strong record of bipartisanship, standing up to the EPA’s misguided regulations and fighting for jobs.

Read the full editorial below.

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WMI endorses Kirkpatrick for CD1

Despite all of the divisiveness and controversy that resulted from the redrawing of Arizona’s congressional districts in 2024, the 1st Congressional District remained as the rural one, and the Independent Redistricting Commission did not tack onto it any of metropolitan Phoenix or Tucson.

District 1 sprawls over 58,000 square miles through 11 of the state’s 15 counties, contains seven national forests and is home to 12 Native American tribes. The rural district is home to many of the industries that the state’s economy was built on — from agriculture, mining and manufacturing to retail and tourism. The voter registration in CD1 makes it one of the more competitive districts in the country.

This November, incumbent Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick is challenged by Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin. Kirkpatrick has roots in the White Mountains — she was born in McNary and attended Blue Ridge High School. Tobin has lived in Phoenix, Dewey and Paulden and has been in banking, insurance and real estate. Both are formidable candidates with rural backgrounds, and we believe both could champion legislation that matters to the White Mountains and this district.

But during her time in Congress, Kirkpatrick has proven that she is that champion. She stood up to the federal government when the Environmental Protection Agency threatened to close the Navajo Generating Station and put its 500-some employees out of work on the Navajo Nation.

She worked with Republican Rep. Paul Gosar to promote legislation that would advance a massive copper mine in the district, understanding that jobs are a top priority.

She also has supported projects like the Four Forest Restoration Initiative, which have the ability to protect our precious forests from the devastation of wildfires and strengthen our local economy by reviving the timber industry.

She has worked rigorously on veterans’ issues and successfully sponsored a bill allocating $5 billion toward hiring new medical staff for the Veterans Affairs Department — an issue that is expected to help Show Low and its struggling clinic.

She has shown that she is committed to fight for the people of CD1 and the White Mountains. For that reason, we recommend you vote for Ann Kirkpatrick.
 

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