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Linda Gross
Linda Gross (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Arizona House of Representatives to represent District 8. She lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Gross completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Linda Gross attended Kansas State University. Her career experience includes working as an entrepreneur and publisher.[1]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 8 (2 seats)
Incumbent David Cook and incumbent Thomas Shope defeated Carmen Casillas and Linda Gross in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 8 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | David Cook (R) | 29.2 | 28,421 |
| ✔ |  | Thomas Shope (R) | 28.9 | 28,150 |
 | Carmen Casillas (D) | 21.8 | 21,171 | |
 | Linda Gross (D)  | 20.1 | 19,530 | |
| Total votes: 97,272 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 8 (2 seats)
Carmen Casillas and Linda Gross defeated Pablo Correa in the Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 8 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carmen Casillas | 39.6 | 6,916 |
| ✔ | | Linda Gross | 30.6 | 5,343 |
| Pablo Correa | 29.9 | 5,222 | ||
| Total votes: 17,481 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 8 (2 seats)
Incumbent Thomas Shope and incumbent David Cook advanced from the Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 8 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Thomas Shope | 50.9 | 10,432 |
| ✔ | | David Cook | 49.1 | 10,062 |
| Total votes: 20,494 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Linda Gross completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gross' responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
My top 3 priorities will be funding public education, taking action to solve our water crisis, and making sure healthcare is affordable for all Arizonans.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As someone who has chosen to live in small towns and rural communities, I know firsthand that we have very specific needs that are often ignored. I'm a small business owner who knows how important it is that our local economies are healthy and receiving adequate resources from our state. Healthcare is also an issue that is personally important to me. Every single one of us will face health problems at some point in our life, and we should not lose sleep over the financial impact our health will have on us. As a cancer survivor, and as a daughter who turned her life upside down to care for her ailing mother, this is personal. I know the challenges and struggles we face when it comes to health, and I will work hard to make sure all Arizonans have access to affordable healthcare. When you or someone you love is sick, there's enough on your plate without also having to worry about whether or not you can pay your bills.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
Rev. Patrick T O'Neill tells a story about Masai warriors, whose traditional greeting to each other is, "Kasserian Ingera." It means, "And How Are All the Children?" As soon as I heard this, I knew it was a North Star to follow. We must ask ourselves this question until we get to a place where we can heartily respond with, "All The Children Are Well," Then, we will have managed to address the pressing needs we face as well as develop long-term solutions. We will have learned to cherish our environment and preserve and protect our air, water, and land for future generations, and we will have forged good relations with our neighbors close to home and around the world.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Good values are at the heart of a good legislator. I believe that many of our current legislators have the wrong priorities, and it's clearly affecting the decisions they're making. First and foremost, we need elected officials who value integrity - people who will do what's right whether or not it's popular, or politically expedient, or will make their donors happy. The current legislators in my district get elected year after year with money from corporations, lobbyists, and special interest groups; then, they support legislation to make those groups even richer at the expense of their constituents. We need to elect legislators who put people over profit - and that's me. As a Clean Elections candidate, I reject money from those corporations and special interest groups, because my only priority is making life better for the people in my district.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
As a journalist, I approach every decision with thorough research and analysis. I'm an excellent listener who makes sure I understand every side of an issue and hear from different groups of people. I know how important it is to be thoughtful, ask questions, and truly understand the potential impact of each and every solution. Too often, we see legislators making decisions that are short-sighted and/or politically expedient. I offer a clear alternative to that: I will work hard to study the issues and with that knowledge, create effective solutions to benefit my constituents and address their needs.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
We are facing a lot of challenges in Arizona, but one of the most significant and immediate issues to address is the water crisis. We have been in a drought for years, and the current legislature has not done nearly enough. In fact, in the last session, the only water bills introduced actually lessened groundwater regulations to allow large scale housing developments to build in areas where we're already experiencing a major water shortage. We need to sign off on a Drought Contingency Plan, and take steps towards conservation. This is no longer a short-term drought; it's the reality in which we are living, and I plan to be part of a legislature that addresses this issue and works towards solutions that will ensure we have enough water today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
It is crucial that legislators work with each other. The current administration and our state legislature has become incredibly partisan, pitting political parties against each other to the detriment of the people of Arizona. This isn't about us vs. them, and it isn't about winning or losing; as a state legislator, my job will be working for and protecting ALL constituents, regardless of who they voted for. To do that effectively, I will work with my colleagues in the legislature to put those differences aside and do what's right for the people of Arizona.
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.
See also
- State legislative elections, 2018
- Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Arizona House of Representatives
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on August 27, 2018
