Laura Pastor
Laura Pastor, a three-term councilwoman representing Phoenix Council District 4, on May 31 announced her intention to run for Congress in Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District. Pastor will join a fellow Phoenix councilmember, Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari (District 7), in vying for the seat currently held by Ruben Gallego, who will challenge Kyrsten Sinema for a U.S. Senate seat in 2024.
Pastor, a native of Phoenix, is the daughter of Verma Pastor and the late Congressman Ed Pastor.
“My dad taught me that any politician can talk, but it’s the results you deliver that matter. So, I’m excited to announce my candidacy for Congress,” Pastor said in a released statement. “I am running to put my experience to work on behalf of Arizonans — to take care of our veterans, to have someone looking out for the family budgets, and to protect all of our access to health care including reproductive care.”
In an announcement video, she highlighted her efforts taking on the cancer crisis among first responders. She also points to her work to “improve the quality of life for all residents in her district, focusing on issues such as affordable housing, economic development, and public safety.”
First elected in 2013, Pastor has won three elections to City Council District 4, most recently an unchallenged reelection in 2022.
Patricia Jimenez
Also on May 31, Patricia Jimenez, Isaac School District governing board president, announced that she will file to fill the vacancy that Pastor will leave once she resigns her council seat to make the congressional run.
Jimenez, who has lived in West Phoenix for more than 30 years, says she intends to represent Council District 4 by focusing on securing safer communities, economic development and support for small businesses, and accessible housing.
“Growing up in a community like West Phoenix you don’t get to interact with many politicians. I first ran for office because my son was not receiving the resources necessary to fulfill his academic needs,” Jimenez said in a released statement. “I quickly understood that my family wasn’t the only one struggling and that I could serve as a voice for so many underserved families in my community. This is why I continue to do what I do. I listen to individuals that face so many struggles and provide them with representation and solutions.”
