Democratic candidates seeking to represent Legislative District 20 in the Arizona Legislature squared off this week in two separate debates that highlighted stark differences over data centers, a pressing housing shortage and the political positioning of the state’s governor. With the district’s Democratic registration so dominant that no Republicans qualified for the primary ballot, the July 21 primary will likely determine who holds the two House seats and the district’s Senate seat in November unless a write-in campaign succeeds.
Portraits of Tucson candidates featured in debate coverage, shown here as headshots for the story about data centers, housing and Hobbs.
The Senate debate featured two Democrats: Rocque Perez, a former Tucson City Council member, and Rep. Alma Hernandez, who is seeking a Senate seat after reaching term limits in the House. They were asked whether they would support imposing a pause on approvals for large data centers — an issue that has become a flashpoint in local political discussion since the city council unanimously rejected a $3.6 billion proposal known as Project Blue last August.
Perez took a firm stance opposing further data center incentives and approvals. He told voters he would vote against incentives and said he would likely pursue actions to limit what he characterized as extractive forms of development, pointing to water scarcity and other environmental pressures. Perez also relayed that during deliberations over Project Blue he heard from stakeholders who he felt had been misled or were misleading others about the project’s scope and impacts.
Hernandez offered a contrasting perspective, emphasizing the potential of data centers to bring employment opportunities to Tucson. “Look, I understand that this is a difficult issue,” she said. “There are many individuals who want to completely do away with the data centers. That is not the reality that we're living in.” Hernandez framed herself as a union member who wants to work with organized labor while also protecting water resources. “I think one of the biggest issues is we don't have a lot of really great-paying jobs in Tucson, specifically in LD20,” she said. “So, if we can work with our unions, work with these businesses that are coming here and find a way where we could be sustainable, I am all for coming to the table and being able to negotiate.”
A candidate speaking into a microphone at a Tucson debate event addressing issues including data centers and housing.
The candidates clashed over whether the large-scale data centers under discussion actually deliver the kind of well-paid, long-term jobs their proponents promise. Perez argued that massive facilities like the proposed Project Blue do not necessarily create substantial numbers of union-paying jobs and that there is no assurance developers would use union labor for construction or operations. Hernandez sharply rejected that characterization, noting the presence of tradespeople who would benefit from the work. “I know my opponent just said that there aren't many good-paying jobs. Well, tell that to the carpenters, tell that to the iron workers, tell that to all of the individuals who have been fighting and trying to be at the table in negotiations for these (data centers) to continue,” she said.
Beyond the Senate matchup, a separate forum brought together four Democratic contenders competing for the district’s two seats in the Arizona House. Discussion among those candidates turned to options for funding affordable housing, including whether short-term rentals should face higher taxation to help finance housing initiatives. The session was moderated by Tucson Agenda reporter Joe Ferguson for the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission.
The debates underscored the competing priorities that have animated conversations across the district: economic development and job creation on one hand, and resource conservation and community impacts on the other. Legislators and candidates in LD20 are contending with how to balance those priorities in a part of Tucson that includes the University of Arizona, downtown neighborhoods, South Tucson and areas such as Drexel Heights. With Democratic voters outnumbering Republicans in the district by a margin that left no GOP contenders on the primary ballot, the internal Democratic contests carry heightened significance for local policymaking.
Candidates and voters in Legislative District 20 will next be focused on the July 21 primary, when the Democratic field will be winnowed. The winners of that primary are poised to advance to the November ballot without major-party opposition unless a successful write-in campaign changes the dynamics. The debates this week offered a window into where the contenders stand on several issues likely to face future deliberation at both the city and state level, including how to manage large development proposals, how to expand affordable housing, and how to balance labor priorities with environmental and community concerns.