David Garcia (Arizona)
David Garcia (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of Arizona. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Biography
Dr. Garcia was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. After completing his bachelor's degree at Arizona State University, he earned a master's and a doctorate degree in education policy from the University of Chicago. His dissertation examined segregation in Arizona's charter schools.[1] Before running for Arizona superintendent of public instruction, Garcia worked at Arizona State University Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College as an associate professor.[2]
In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Garcia served as the Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction for Standards and Accountability in Arizona. He also worked as a research analyst for the Arizona State Senate's Education Committee and as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Education. In addition to his role as associate superintendent, Garcia's leadership experience also includes service as the director of Research and Policy for the Arizona Department of Education and the director of the Arizona Education Policy Initiative.[2]. Over the years, Dr. Garcia has also published dozens of peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on education policy.[1]
Education
- B.A., in communication, Arizona State University (1993)
- M.A., in education research, institution and policy studies, University of Chicago (1997)
- Ph.D., in education research, institution and policy studies, University of Chicago (2002)[1]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Governor of Arizona
Incumbent Doug Ducey defeated David Garcia and Angel Torres in the general election for Governor of Arizona on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Doug Ducey (R) | 56.0 | 1,330,863 |
 | David Garcia (D) | 41.8 | 994,341 | |
 | Angel Torres (G) | 2.1 | 50,962 | |
| Total votes: 2,376,166 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Noah Dyer (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Arizona
David Garcia defeated Steve Farley and Kelly Fryer in the Democratic primary for Governor of Arizona on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David Garcia | 50.6 | 255,555 |
 | Steve Farley | 32.3 | 163,072 | |
 | Kelly Fryer | 17.2 | 86,810 | |
| Total votes: 505,437 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Arizona
Incumbent Doug Ducey defeated Ken Bennett in the Republican primary for Governor of Arizona on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Doug Ducey | 70.7 | 463,672 |
 | Ken Bennett | 29.3 | 191,775 | |
| Total votes: 655,447 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
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Libertarian primary election
No Libertarian candidates ran in the primary.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Barry J. Hess (L)
- Merissa Hamilton (L)
- Jeff Funicello (L)
- Kevin McCormick (L)
2014
| Superintendent of Arizona, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Diane Douglas |
50.5% | 740,273 | |
| Democratic | David Garcia | 49.5% | 724,239 | |
| Total Votes | 1,464,512 | |||
| Election results via Arizona Secretary of State | ||||
| Arizona Superintendent of Public instruction, Democratic Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| David Garcia |
53.9% | 157,233 | ||
| Sharon Thomas | 46.1% | 134,310 | ||
| Total Votes | 291,543 | |||
| Election results via Arizona Secretary of State. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Campaign website
Garcia's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Stable Families Investing in Childhood Early learning is profoundly beneficial to our young children. As Governor, David would support increased access to high-quality full-day pre-K programs. A child's brain develops rapidly during the first five years of life, especially the first three years. It is a time of rapid cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional and motor development. Research demonstrates that high-quality pre-K increases a child's chances of succeeding in school and in life. Children who attend high-quality programs are less likely to be held back a grade, less likely to need special education, and more likely to graduate from high school. They also have higher earnings as adults and are less likely to become dependent on welfare or involved with law enforcement. Classrooms where all children are prepared have higher learning productivity and classroom efficiency. More able children perform more capably in the classroom and enhance the learning of other children. Teachers spend more time working directly with children and less on classroom management.1 Quality, affordable child care is critical for families who struggle with the decision of one parent working or staying home to juggle the cost of childcare putting them at an economic disadvantage. For many Arizona families, quality child care has become too expensive or unattainable. Employees who have quality and affordable child care options are more stable and productive workers, which in turn makes Arizona more competitive when attracting business. Protecting our Children Our child welfare system is in a state of crisis. Almost every other state is seeing a steady decline in the number of children entering foster care, while Arizona is seeing the opposite. Foster care policy should be focused on strengthening families because we know that when families are given the tools, resources, necessary support, and financial security they can properly care for their children and eliminate the need for foster care altogether. These supports do not currently exist and with a prevalence of poverty wage jobs and the instability that comes from working poverty, we see our foster care rolls at unsustainable highs. When child safety is a concern and children must be removed from an unsafe environment, our priority must be to ensure that every child is able to achieve lifelong permanency. No child should age out of the foster care system and every child should have a supportive adult in their life that they can call upon when things get difficult. Sadly, many of the children in Arizona foster care are left with no stable support system once they leave care. There is nothing normal about being involved in the foster care system. Normalcy for these young people means participating in developmentally appropriate activities and that kids are given the love, attention, and security they deserve so they can reach their fullest potential as contributing members of society. In addition to supporting families, frontline social workers need to know that we are there for them. Having consistent and reliable contact with a social worker is pivotal in the success of a foster child and when caseworkers are supported, they are able to develop deeper relationships with the children and better understand their issues and concerns. Immigrant Families are Arizona Families Immigrants are an essential cornerstone of Arizona’s economy. Immigrant-owned businesses generated $1.3B into the economy in 2014 and employed nearly 114,000 Arizonans in 2007; almost 22% of all Arizona entrepreneurs are foreign born. Immigrant households earned $21.4 billion or 13% of all income in Arizona in 2014, paid more than 1 in 8 dollars in state and local taxes, and contributed almost $2.7 billion into Social Security and Medicare.2 As Governor, David will stand with Dreamers and make sure that these young people - brought to this country as children and who represent the best of American values like hard work, sacrifice and service - are protected and allowed to live, work and study without fear. David supports treating these young Americans like any other young Arizonan and making sure basic supports like in-state tuition or a driver’s license are not obstacles to becoming the future business and civic leaders of our state. David will fight the mass deportation policies of Trump, Arpaio and Ducey and restore Arizona’s image as a place where immigrant contributions are valued and law-abiding families are protected. Mexico is by far Arizona’s largest trading partner with over $17 billion in trade between Arizona and Mexico every year. While Ducey touts his travel junkets as helping to restore business relationships with Mexico, anyone who spends any amount of time in Mexico today knows how much damage Republicans and Ducey have done to Arizona’s reputation with Mexican leaders, business people and consumers. To truly undo the decades of damage Ducey and Republicans have done to our economy, Arizona must invest in deep alliances with everyday Mexicans and communicate how we are moving on from our failed past and attacks on Mexico. David will be the first bilingual and Latino governor in over 40 years and is committed to being Arizona’s loudest champion in Mexico and Latin America not just undoing the damage done but also promoting the business, trade and resources that Arizona has to offer. David will vigorously oppose Trump’s foolish wall and the further damage it would inflict on our border communities and economic partnerships. David understands that the choice between border security and compassionate immigration policy is a false one. We can both keep Arizonans safe, vigorously punish drug and human smuggling while protecting immigrant families who have built lives here, play by the rules and are simply the next generation of Americans ‘yearning to breathe free.’ Further demonization and angry rhetoric from Republicans and Ducey won’t achieve any of these outcomes and the will of Arizonans is clear: the days of attacking immigrants in Arizona are over. A Champion for Arizona Women David has been and will continue to be a strong voice in support of comprehensive health education, access to family planning and women’s health services, including access to legal and safe abortions, and policies that are inclusive, fair and that strengthen families. When women succeed, Arizona succeeds. David also believes that our state will thrive under Equal Pay for Equal Work laws and that when women are given equal opportunity, they will succeed at every level. As Governor, David would push for equal pay legislation that levels the playing field for women in the workplace. A Garcia administration will partner with and encourage women-owned businesses and lead by example to hire the best and brightest women to help lead our state forward. Fairness for ALL Families As governor, David will make education his priority - including comprehensive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate health education for ALL Arizona students. It is legal today in Arizona to fire someone simply for who they are or who they love. Workplace discrimination hurts our economy, our state, and our people, and makes it more difficult to attract top-talent to Arizona. Arizona does not have a statewide law that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. That is why, as Governor, David will sign an executive order prohibiting state employers and state contractors from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender expression. David will also push for passage of a permanent law that protects LGBTQ Arizonans from discrimation at the workplace, in housing, and in public accomodations. David will ensure protections against harassment within the executive branch are strong and work with legislators to require sexual harassment training and prevention programs for all state employees. Protecting Outdoor Arizona for our Children and Families As Governor, David will fight to protect our natural resources, air and water that make Arizona a top tourist destination and are an important part of our outdoor heritage. David believes that climate change is a real and urgent threat and that politicians who are doing nothing about it are putting all of us and future generations of Arizonans at risk. Not only does lack of action threaten the future of our state and the planet, it also ignores an enormous economic opportunity to make Arizona the nation’s leader in solar energy and that would put people to work in good-paying jobs and careers. David believes that the best way to address the impacts of climate change is to embrace a plan to transition Arizona to a 21st Century clean energy grid and make Arizona the solar superpower it should be as rapidly as possible. David was the first statewide candidate to endorse the Clean Energy for Healthy Arizona initiative that will increase the amount of our energy that comes from renewable sources like wind and solar from 15% today to 50% by 2030. David knows this initiative will create thousands of good jobs and real careers across Arizona that pay well enough to support a family and will result in cleaner water, air, and better health outcomes for people. This approach will sharply reduce toxic pollutants like carbon, mercury and sulfur dioxide. Doctors say this will dramatically reduce the rates of heart disease, asthma, respiratory diseases, and even cancer – especially for children and seniors. We have an obligation to do something now, so we don’t leave our children and grandchildren a planet that is damaged and polluted. Healthy Families David understands that it’s not just about putting people on insurance or getting them to the doctor. It’s about improving quality of life for our families, reducing disease, and building a productive economy for the long run. We need to build a better health system across the board, from our hospitals and doctors offices, mental and behavioral health system to our environmental policies, to our schools, nursing homes, and community centers. David will fight to maintain the historic protections in the Affordable Care Act like ensuring those with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage, making sure lifetime caps are never allowed to return and that essential health care benefits actually include basic and necessary health treatments. David will fight to expand the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to ensure it covers the working poor or those who make too much to qualify today but not enough to afford insurance on the marketplace; he will also work to make sure AHCCCS covers all mental and behavioral health care needs. David will fight to expand the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to ensure it covers the working poor, healthier and younger Arizonans who chose to buy in or those who make too much to qualify today but not enough to afford insurance on the marketplace; he will also work to make sure AHCCCS covers all mental and behavioral health care needs. David will fight to make sure that if something catastrophic happens to a loved one, the family won’t face the choice between bankruptcy or healthcare. Good Jobs & A Fair Economy A fair economy means investing in diverse businesses, fighting for equality in the workplace and creating opportunities to lift families out of poverty. In Arizona, we have suffered under decades of self-serving politicians looking out for themselves and those at the top. They have allowed the big corporations and special interests to rig the system. Fairness is the backbone of an economy that eliminates poverty wages and advances prosperity for every family. As Governor, David will focus on creating good jobs and real careers – not dead end poverty jobs. We need to put Arizona first which means investing in and supporting Arizona businesses and entrepreneurs every chance we get. It means prioritizing and encouraging the use of local businesses for public contracts and encouraging local investment in Arizona innovation. Putting Arizona first means that we have a 15-county strategy that invests beyond Maricopa and Pima Counties and identifies and supports the economic engines in the rural parts of our state. One way to grow our agricultural economy is to improve sustainable agriculture and value-added agriculture practices, including craft breweries, vineyards, locally grown and made products, and farmers markets. Arizona’s agriculture industry already has a $23 billion impact on our state’s economy and there’s more room to grow. Improving sustainable irrigation techniques through technology will also benefit farm driven communities. Arizona's ability to sustain long-term growth depends on the ability for businesses to connect with the rest of the global economy through high-capacity broadband. We must remove the barriers that inhibit expansion of high-speed digital infrastructure that meets the needs of all Arizonans. This lack of infrastructure investment disproportionately impacts our rural and tribal communities. In our 21st century economy, dependable high-speed internet access is a necessary tool for nearly all workers and businesses. Arizona tribes should be an integral part of our economic development strategy. David is committed to ensuring that tribes receive the benefits of all our economic development efforts and infrastructure investments while respecting tribal sovereignty and supporting the needs of each unique tribe. A clean energy economy will create thousands of jobs, many of them in rural Arizona. It will also curb the cost of energy and will attract manufacturing and energy intensive industries. As we work to get more clean energy in our state, we will need a larger and well-trained workforce. As renewable energy and energy efficient technologies grow, state government needs to work with the private sector and labor partners to identify the necessary skills and education needed to support this industry. Make Arizona a Solar Superpower David was the first statewide candidate to endorse the Clean Energy for Healthy Arizona initiative. A ballot measure that will increase the amount of our energy that comes from renewable sources like wind and solar to 50% by 2030. Arizona's Tech Future Investing in a Competitive and Dynamic Workforce As Governor, David will fight for universal community college for all Arizonans seeking a degree or certificate which will develop the high-skilled workforce that Arizona needs to attract and support the high-wage economy of the future. An economy where good jobs are common place and prosperity is shared. As a teacher and professor, David has seen how a good education changes lives for generations. After serving in the Army, David was able to receive a college education at an affordable public university with the help of the GI Bill. But Ducey’s policies have created a tuition crisis. Arizona tuition hikes are among the highest in the country and state support for community college has been completely eliminated. Rising student debt is crushing Arizona’s middle-class families. While Arizona’s university system gets most of the attention, most high school students begin their postsecondary aspirations at a community college, particularly in underserved and rural communities. It’s where students get their credentials to become police officers or firefighters. Where radiology technicians and Licensed Practical Nurses get their training. Where assembly line workers learn new skills that allow them to move into precision manufacturing jobs. It’s where education and industry work together to identify the jobs of the future and develop the training necessary to provide a skilled workforce. Two-thirds of future jobs will require some type of postsecondary education, with many of those jobs in high-skilled careers that don’t require a 4-year degree but may require a vocational or technical certificate. Community college provides an opportunity for Arizonans whose jobs have been displaced to retool for a new career. And people who earn an associate’s degree or certificate earn more than people with a high school degree. Households with a college education will make over $1 million more than their counterparts with only a high school education over the course of their lifetimes. The idea is simple. Invest in Arizonans to complete an Associate’s Degree or certificate in two years. The degrees should lead to entrance in a university and the certificates should focus in high-demand, high-skill areas. These skilled workers then enter the workforce without a suffocating debt burden and are able to contribute to Arizona’s economy for the rest of their careers. After an initial investment to help Arizonans get an education, this proposal pays for itself as more people are able to fill and create high wage jobs, contributing back to Arizona’s economy over the course of their long careers. The proposal is a shared commitment between the state investing in students and students themselves having skin in the game. Students must pay for living expenses and commit the time and energy to stay on track to complete their degree. New York, Tennessee, Arkansas, Minnesota, Montana, and Oregon – many of these states led by Republican governors - have passed free community college initiatives. Many more states will follow suit and will lead the way in attracting and developing a diverse, high-skill, high-wage economy. Arizona cannot be left behind. Once two-year degrees and certificates are accessible to all Arizonans, we will begin opening the doors to our four-year public universities. Big ideas like these are the only way to make Arizona competitive, dynamic and able to serve all Arizonans, not just a few. It’s time to take the next step forward in Arizona to build a better future for our state and our people. Honest & Effective Government Ducey has done nothing to reduce corruption and, in fact, has eliminated public reporting and transparency requirements that might reveal pay-to-play activities. David and his team will work for you, the citizens. We have an obligation to you to be honest and trustworthy. The Garcia Administration will restore accountability and transparency to the Executive Office. We will accept no lobbyist campaign contributions and will work to advance policies and legislation that hold state government accountable. We will fight for everyday Arizonans and end the days of state government serving only those who can pay to have a seat at the table. The Courage to Stand up for Public Safety As Governor, David would call for universal background checks on all gun sales and would close the so called ‘gun show loophole’ that allows for people who would not be able to pass a criminal background check to purchase a gun, preventing domestic abusers and other predators from gaining access to weapons. Likewise, after San Bernadino, Las Vegas, Florida and the multiple other mass shootings, it is time that weapons of war no longer be allowed in civilian life. David was trained to use these weapons and understands what they are designed to do. A ban on assault weapons is an appropriate step in protecting kids, schools and the public from those who wish to inflict maximum harm. David will stand with the student organizers who are mobilizing around the issue and actively engage in discussions with the education community about how best to keep all our kids safe. Finally, David pledges to take no contributions from the National Rifle Association. Fighting for Our Democracy Ducey and Arizona election administrators failed to protect our elections in 2016. We saw long lines that made national headlines, our voter database targeted by foreign actors, and consistent miscommunication or outright incorrect information sent to voters. David is committed to making sure Arizona elections are trusted, safe and secure while making sure every eligible Arizonan has access to voting. David supports election modernization efforts that will make voting safer, more secure and more accessible. Voter registration systems in Arizona are outdated and error-prone, blocking thousands of eligible Arizonans from casting a ballot. Too many Arizonans attempt to vote but find themselves left off the rolls, deleted or purged. Automatic Voter Registration will modernize our voter registration system, bringing us into the 21st Century and ensuring that all eligible Arizonans can cast their vote. In particular, automatic voter registration would save taxpayer money, increase electoral accuracy and voter participation while making sure our elections are safer and more secure against attacks. Keeping Families Together through Responsible Criminal Justice Solutions Mass incarceration is a tremendous social and financial drain on our communities. Arizona’s jails and prisons have become an inefficient and costly substitute for addiction and mental health treatment; and money that could go to public education, healthcare, and community-oriented crime prevention instead goes to prop up a failing prison system. Arizona’s corrections system is in shambles. The recidivism rate has risen to an all-time high of 50%. Incarceration of women is on the rise, with the majority of women behind bars for non-violent, low-level drug offenses. We cannot continue to waste money - and lives - propping up this failed system. David will bring new leadership to this crisis and implement best-practice alternatives to costly incarceration such as drug treatment, community service, and family counseling. Arizona is in the midst of an opioid crisis, yet Governor Ducey has done little to address the problem. Instead of focusing on front-end interventions, such as treatment and diversion, Arizona continues to lock up drug offenders at an alarming rate. We need a Governor who understands the reality that far too many Arizonans are facing. Incarceration does not result in people overcoming their addictions, and the threat of a harsher sentence for a subsequent conviction does nothing to make people clean and sober. We aren’t going to build a better future for our state by tearing families apart with counterproductive - and costly - prison sentences. Investments in early childhood education can lead to reduced incarceration later in life. When we fail to educate our young people, we set them up for a dramatically worse future. That’s common sense, but it’s also supported by mountains of data and research. David will get our priorities back on track.[3] |
” |
| —Garcia for Governor[4] | ||
Campaign advertisements
The following is an example of an ad from Garcia's 2018 election campaign.
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
- Governor of Arizona
- Arizona gubernatorial election, 2018
- Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction
- 2014 elections
- Diane Douglas
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Arizona State University, "David Garcia," accessed Aug. 7, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tucson Weekly, "Crazily Enough, Someone Qualified Is Interested In Run for State Superintendent of Public Instruction," accessed Aug. 7, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ David Garcia for Governor, "David's Vision," accessed September 21, 2018
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