Arizona State Senate District 18 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Arizona, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Arizona State Senate District 18 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

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• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Arizona State Senate District 18

Priya Sundareshan defeated Stan Caine in the general election for Arizona State Senate District 18 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Priya Sundareshan (D)	62.2	67,343
		Stan Caine (R)	37.8	40,896

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 108,239
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Stan Caine (R)

Fiscal Responsibility - Fight Inflation & Tax Increases

Public Safety - Support Police, First Responders, & Veterans

Support Constitutional Liberties and Rights

Priya Sundareshan (D)

We must create a sustainable, thriving Arizona for my children and all children to live in. This includes a public education system that is fully funded, using water responsibly, and taking action to address climate change by swiftly transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Voting rights are fundamental to maintaining our democracy, and we must strengthen everyone's ability to access the ballot by making it easy and accessible to vote. We should not place barriers on the right to vote.

Protecting our human rights is fundamental to making our democracy a reality. The right to control our own bodies and access abortion as one of many healthcare options during pregnancy, the right to contraception, the right to marry who we want, the right to be the gender we are comfortable being, and many more, must be protected from discrimination.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Stan Caine (R)

I’m passionate about doing the right thing and working to advocate for self-responsibility. I want to give parents choices for how their children are educated and the right to know what their children are being taught. I want people to feel and be safe in their homes, community, and state. I believe in the adage “Follow the Money” to see where in the state budget resources are being allocated. I’m a constitutionalist person who believes in small government and limited taxes.

Priya Sundareshan (D)

I have spent my career in environmental law and policy in an effort to reduce our use of fossil fuels and prevent climate change. Transitioning to renewable energy and revamping our transportation systems to minimize fossil fuel consumption is fundamental to ensuring that we leave a livable planet for our children.

I am also passionate about responsible water use, especially in our arid West. We need to reform our water laws so that they are based in science and aim for sustainable use to support our desert living.

I believe that voting must be easy and accessible for all, and this makes our democracy a reality. We should not be putting up barriers to vote, especially because such barriers fall harder on black and brown people, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

As a graduate of Tucson public schools, I want all children in Arizona to have the opportunity to attend full funded public schools with teachers and staff who are paid comparable to teachers in other states.

As a new mom who has recently been through pregnancy, we must protect the right to access the full suite of healthcare options during pregnancy, including abortion. Each person should be able to control their own body.

We must protect the human rights of everyone and their ability to be who they are and love who they wish. Discrimination has no place in our society.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Stan Caine (R)

I look up to my mother as she had the most impact on who I am today. My mother had an 8th grade education and was a sharecropper’s daughter. She was born in 1939 and raised in Arkansas. Her life was anything but easy.

There are several people who I would like to follow from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan. I like JFK because of his famous statement, “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.” I like Reagan because of his ability to get things done.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Stan Caine (R)

Stan started a career in radio broadcasting in his early teens while living in Southern California. For over 19 years Stan has lived in Arizona Legislative District 18 (old LD 9) and raised three children who are now successful adults. He currently has his teaching certification and has served as a substitute K-12 teacher in the Amphitheater and Marana School Districts, as well as an adjunct professor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

In addition to Stan's education qualifications, he worked full time for over 30 years for the Department of Defense as an Integrated Product Team Lead for several major weapon systems. As a civil servant Stan has traveled worldwide in his duties.

Stan's history of truthfulness and fairness will benefit our district as he promises to maintain his integrity! This complements Stan's experience managing million-dollar budgets, to include the largest (400 billion dollars) DOD program--the F35, and he still holds an active high-level security clearance.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Stan Caine (R)

I believe an elected official represents the people and as such should always consult with them to make decisions. An elected official is not there to do what they want but to do what the constituents want.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Stan Caine (R)

I would like people in LD18 to reflect on the fact that I am a conservative American who believes in self-responsibility, fiscal responsibility, and treating one another with respect. I want to be known as a person of his word and one who brought integrity to the office of state senator.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Stan Caine (R)

The first historical event for me was when I was in first grade (about 7 years old) in Forrest City, Arkansas and the racial riots came to my elementary school. It was the late 1960’s and shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1965 was passed. I will never forget the destruction of my school.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Stan Caine (R)

My first job was in radio broadcasting as an early teenager in Southern California. I was in broadcasting for nearly 10 years and worked my way from being a part time on air disc jockey to being the program director.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Stan Caine (R)

Bible because it helps to guide my life

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Stan Caine (R)

Superman

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Stan Caine (R)

"Proud to be an American"

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Stan Caine (R)

When I was 10, I suffered a stroke due to a birth defect. I was blind for six months and later in life developed epilepsy. For over 30 years, I took several pills a day to manage my epilepsy. Then in 2019, my neurosurgeon found that I no longer had epileptic seizures and was taken off my medications. I also struggle with loosing my momma to cancer in 2019, I miss her everyday.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Stan Caine (R)

The ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature should be to represent the will of the people of the great state of Arizona within the confines of the Arizona Constitution.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Stan Caine (R)

Arizona is facing several great challenges that will carry into the next decade including providing quality education without inserting political bias, securing the state border, protecting the citizens, ensuring voter integrity, and maintaining fiscal responsibility.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

Stan Caine (R)

I like the two house system as it ensures the representatives have their function and the senate has their functions.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Stan Caine (R)

No.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Stan Caine (R)

Yes. As in life, building relationships allows for everyone involved the opportunity to understand one another’s viewpoint.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Stan Caine (R)

Take the back room politics out of redistricting and actually listen to the people by responding to their requests.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Stan Caine (R)

Natural Resources, Energy and Water; Military Affairs & Public Safety; and Appropriations.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

Stan Caine (R)

N/A

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Stan Caine (R)

No

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Stan Caine (R)

Not at this time.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Stan Caine (R)

Too many to pick just one. People are upset at the condition of our country and the impacts it has on our state. They are upset at the economy (from gas prices to lack of baby formulae). People have said they want police to be respected and for the Government to stop intruding in their lives; they want the freedom to live.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Stan Caine (R)

I don't have a favorite joke because I love humor and jokes are good based on situations.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Stan Caine (R)

Within certain limits, emergency powers should be for a short period of time and then require legislature direction.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Stan Caine (R)

Yes

See also

More about these elections:

• Arizona State Senate elections, 2022

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