Sanda Clark

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Sanda Clark

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

The Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem, 1968

Graduate

University of Texas at Austin, 1972

Personal

Religion

Agnostic

Profession

Executive director and principal performer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Sanda Clark (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Arizona House of Representatives to represent District 19. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Clark completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Sanda Clark was born in Bucharest. She earned a bachelor's degree from the Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem in 1968 and a graduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972. Her career experience includes working as the executive director and principal performer for Chamber Music PLUS and teaching in the music department at Wesleyan University.

Elections

2022

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 19 (2 seats)

Incumbent Gail Griffin and incumbent Lupe Diaz defeated Sanda Clark in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 19 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gail Griffin (R)	38.6	53,891
✔		Lupe Diaz (R)	35.5	49,561
		Sanda Clark (D)	25.9	36,242

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 139,694
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 19 (2 seats)

Sanda Clark advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 19 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sanda Clark	100.0	18,315

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 18,315
= 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 19 (2 seats)

Incumbent Gail Griffin and incumbent Lupe Diaz advanced from the Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 19 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gail Griffin	55.0	27,898
✔		Lupe Diaz	45.0	22,821

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 50,719
= 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

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sanda Clark completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Clark's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Sanda Clark. With a sense of profound gratitude for all this country has given to me, and with a determination to build a better, more sustainable, more inclusive Arizona, I am running for the AZ House in the newly created LD19.

Born in Bucharest, Romania, I came to the United States as a piano student at the University of TX in Austin, with a one-way ticket (that’s all my parents could afford). Through the generosity of strangers, I managed to get my Master’s Degree in piano performance, met and married cellist/playwright Harry Clark, my life and musical partner, and was blessed with an amazing journey. Running for office was not part of my plan but, with all that is happening around us, and with the ever-increasing danger to our Democracy, just complaining was no longer an option.

I have lived under an authoritarian regime and I do not want my beloved America to become the same as the country my parents fled from. The new LD 19 has been declared an "unwinnable district for democrats", and watching the events in Ukraine unfolding before our eyes, running for a seat in the legislature was a must-do for me.

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?

• Freedom to vote is the cornerstone of our Democracy it is a sacred right and also our responsibility to safeguard and protect now, and into the future.
• Water- is a major concern for Arizona and a real concern for residents in LD 19, whose wells are running dry. Water is essential for life and contrary to what some may think it is not an infinite resource.
• Invest in the best public education anywhere, by providing teachers with competitive salaries and the necessary support (staff, classroom materials, technology, etc) to attract and retain the best talent

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

• Protecting our Democracy is most important to me. Having grown up under an autocratic regime, protecting our freedoms is at the top of my agenda. Access to the ballot box should be easy and safe. This should not be a partisan issue, this is an American right.

• I am passionate about public education. All children deserve a powerful, purposeful public education that helps them build the skills necessary to reach their full potential to succeed in the modern economy and become informed and active participants in our democracy. Every public school should be well-funded, safe, and welcoming—a place where families want to send their children, where teachers want to teach and where students find joy in learning.

• The water situation reaching alarming stages is of great concern for me. Current legislators, some in office for decades, are doing nothing as the wells are running dry in Cochise county. Climate change and non-sustainable groundwater reserves demand action now but our current legislators continue to ignore the problem because of their alliances with the oil and gas industries that fund their campaigns. In doing so, they are robbing us of our future.

• I am dedicated to serving the people in LD19. We need leaders that will put AZ's working families ahead of the billionaires and corporations that feed their campaings.

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

In music, I admire the great Romanian conductor, Sergiu Celibidache, an incredible musician, who put music-making first, sacrificing having a permanent orchestra because his need to insure masterful memorable performances demanded more than any board of directors could accommodate because of fiscal constraints. In politics today I admire greatly Rep. Liz Cheney of WY and Rep.Katie Porter of CA, who is a single mom working every day to deliver for her constituents and the American people, holding big business and less than scrupulous people to account, correcting wrongs, daily. Liz Cheney who has demonstrated her dedication to our country and our Constitution, sacrificing perhaps her return to Congress.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

One of my favorite books is "The Queen's Gambit" - it shows that nothing is impossible

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

• Common sense, common ground

• Facts over fiction
•People over profits
• Sound policies
• The State House should not be a fantasyland
• Reality is a good place to be (particularly as a lawmaker!)
•Honesty
•Integrity
•Realistic about what he/she can deliver
•Being mindful of and caring for the underprivileged in society
•Empathy and foresight

These are some of what I deem important qualities for an elected official

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

Hard-working, courageous, perseverant, creative, determined, highly organized, a good listener, and eager to learn.

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

Legislators develop and consider policies and positions. A legislator must actively seek out factual information from a broad spectrum of stakeholders. A good representative remains accessible to all of his/her constituents. Ultimately a representative must pass sensible and effective legislation that will improve the quality of life of the people he/she represents

What legacy would you like to leave?

She never stopped trying to do better

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

The first historical event that I remember was listening to the entire broadcast of Yosef Stalin's funeral over the radio in Bucharest. I was 7 years old. Indoctrination in communist Romania started from kindergarten. It was the first time that my parents realized I was being turned into a little communist party girl that could become a threat to them. They determined it was time to leave.

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

My first job was at UT Austin- accompanying singers and string players for 2 years. It was UT's very wonderful program offering students in need a way to support themselves while working towards a degree. I held the position for 2 years and then was upgraded to Teaching Assistant, providing piano instruction in the University's music department Piano Lab, to music majors undergraduates whose instrument was other than the piano.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Queen's Gambit, is the perfect book that illustrates that following one's passion, makes a dream possible to become reality.

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

LASSIE

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

Leonard Cohen Hallelujah

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

To accept the fact that not everything was up to me

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

The ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature is achieved when both are dedicated to serving the citizens of Arizona. Implementing a shared vision of prosperity, security, and a healthy future to improve the quality of life for all. Lately, this has not been the case as so many politicians feel their first responsibility is to those that helped them get elected and their chief priority is to stay in office.

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

• The future of our Democracy-protecting our freedoms to prevent our country from becoming an Oligarchy under a totalitarian Government. That requires more than one party that shares in this goal. It is sad that the old Republican party has disappeared into this cult that prefers autocrats and conspiracy theorists over our own democratic government.

• Climate change - Consider what is happening with the Colorado River — the primary sustainable water supply for Arizona. Rural communities with smaller groundwater reserves and no access to dwindling Colorado or other smaller river flows will be the first to run out of water which will affect jobs and the housing market in a big way. The current legislature continues to ignore the problem. HB 2411 most recently passing the House is a perfect example of a legislator's dereliction of duty. If part of our state becomes uninhabitable, what else matters?

• The lack of investment in public education is a huge concern. It is time to move Arizona from the current position of next to last for the quality of the public schools and teachers' salaries. Continuing to gut our public education does more than just rob kids of a bright future, and lift many out of poverty, but it also affects the state economically. No businesses would consider relocating to an area where the quality of education is poor.

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

Unicameralism could be a simpler more efficient way to the legislative process, even if the number of legislators remains unchanged as there are fewer institutions to maintain and support financially. The question is -Is cutting costs the only or best answer to our current problems?

Having two legislative chambers offers the opportunity to re-debate and correct errors in either chamber in parallel, and in some cases to introduce legislation in either chamber.

Unicameralims have the distinct potential for a lack of restraint of the majority, especially if the majority also dominates the executive. That concerns me and should concern any patriotic American that wants to keep our republic.

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

I am not sure. It might be. But look at Zelensky! What is important in my view, is for a politician to have a strong moral core and healthy principles. To me, the integrity to put his constituents and the Constitution before his/her private interests are more important than experience. Lack of experience can bring a great deal of fearlessness and a wealth of new fresh ideas to the mix. I do believe in term limits- I deplore the revolving door policy so prevalent in Arizona.

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

I definitely do. We can only succeed when we respect each other and trust that we share in the common belief that the best interest of our constituents and country is our guiding principle in introducing and passing bills.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I favor TRANSPARENCY! First, allow the residents to submit plans and make those plans available to the public; second, require that all meetings, and hearings concerning redistricting be open to the public.

The most common criteria used for redistricting include:

•Contiguity
•Consistency with natural and political boundaries (county lines, for example)
•Compactness (low perimeter to area ratio or a similar measure)
• Competitiveness

Little of the above criteria were used this time around when our LD19 was artificially manufactured

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

My first choice would be to serve on the appropriations, education, or Government committees. Honestly, any committee would be an honor to serve on.

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

N/A

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

Janet Napolitano.

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

I don't think so.

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?

Please read the horror stories of some living in my LD19. This is from an article in BuzzFeed:

..."Towns in the valley rely primarily on water drawn from wells for their homes and businesses. And as groundwater levels decline due to agricultural pumping, more and more residents are reporting their wells running dry.

Barbara Kaiser and her husband drove west in their motorhome a decade ago with plans to build a home and retire on their 80-acre property. But her husband died, and Kaiser, now 74, was burdened with figuring out how to haul water after her well ran dry for the second time in June. She also had to choose between saving money to deepen her well or saving for the home she still hopes to build on her property."

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/caitochs/colorado-river-shortage-arizona-drought

Tell us your favorite joke.

I don't have one. When you grow up in Romania, you don't develop a sense of humor. You are taught to persevere and excel!

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

State legislatures have wide-ranging “police powers” to create laws that promote public health, welfare, and safety. While executive officials should have the ability to respond quickly to an imminent crisis, the ultimate responsibility for determining public policy should remain with state legislatures. I believe it is prudent and it is their constitutional duty to provide a check on their governors, even in emergency situations.

YES

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

I believe it is impossible to legislate without compromise. However, compromise should never come at the expense of one's moral principles. I believe to be an effective legislator one must be free to use the best judgment to ensure that every bill contains the best and fairest possible balance between the interests of the various entities that will be affected by it. Ultimately a good legislator crafts successful legislation, for the greater good of all his/her constituents.

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

2022 Elections

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Government

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Candidate

Arizona House of Representatives District 19

Website

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Arizona House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Steve Montenegro

Majority Leader:Michael Carbone

Minority Leader:Oscar De Los Santos

Representatives

District 1

Selina Bliss (R)

Quang Nguyen (R)

District 2

Stephanie Simacek (D)

Justin Wilmeth (R)

District 3

Joseph Chaplik (R)

Alexander Kolodin (R)

District 4

Pamela Carter (R)

Matt Gress (R)

District 5

Sarah Liguori (D)

Aaron Marquez (D)

District 6

Mae Peshlakai (D)

Myron Tsosie (D)

District 7

Walter Blackman (R)

David Marshall (R)

District 8

Janeen Connolly (D)

Brian Garcia (D)

District 9

Lorena Austin (D)

Seth Blattman (D)

District 10

Ralph Heap (R)

Justin Olson (R)

District 11

Junelle Cavero (D)

Oscar De Los Santos (D)

District 12

Patricia Contreras (D)

Anastasia Travers (D)

District 13

Jeff Weninger (R)

Julie Willoughby (R)

District 14

Laurin Hendrix (R)

Khyl Powell (R)

District 15

Neal Carter (R)

Michael Way (R)

District 16

Chris Lopez (R)

Teresa Martinez (R)

District 17

Rachel Keshel (R)

Kevin Volk (D)

District 18

Nancy Gutierrez (D)

Christopher Mathis (D)

District 19

Lupe Diaz (R)

Gail Griffin (R)

District 20

Alma Hernandez (D)

Betty Villegas (D)

District 21

Consuelo Hernandez (D)

Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (D)

District 22

Lupe Contreras (D)

Elda Luna-Nájera (D)

District 23

Michele Pena (R)

Mariana Sandoval (D)

District 24

Anna Abeytia (D)

Lydia Hernandez (D)

District 25

Michael Carbone (R)

Nick Kupper (R)

District 26

Cesar Aguilar (D)

Quantá Crews (D)

District 27

Lisa Fink (R)

Tony Rivero (R)

District 28

David Livingston (R)

Beverly Pingerelli (R)

District 29

Steve Montenegro (R)

James Taylor (R)

District 30

Leo Biasiucci (R)

John Gillette (R)

Republican Party (33)

Democratic Party (27)