Democrat Brian Hualde, left, makes introductory remarks at a Congressional District 5 candidate while, from left, Democrat Chris James, moderator Patrick Carlson from APS, Republican Daniel Keenan and Democrat Elizabeth Lee listen.
Four candidates seeking to represent Arizona’s Congressional District 5 offered sharply different visions on immigration, health care, regulation and the federal government’s role in the economy during a candidate forum Wednesday hosted by the Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek chambers of commerce.
The May 6 event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix/Gilbert Conference Center featured Republican Daniel Keenan and Democrats Brian Hualde, Chris James and Elizabeth Lee. Republican Mark Lamb did not attend, citing a scheduling conflict.
The discussion frequently centered on the government's role in supporting East Valley businesses and residents, with candidates offering contrasting approaches ranging from reduced regulation and spending cuts to expanded infrastructure investment and health care reforms.
Keenan, a homebuilder and conservative Republican, repeatedly argued for reducing the size and influence of the federal government.
“I want less government in our lives, everyone, so we could be free and prosperous,” Keenan said during closing remarks.
He emphasized lowering regulations, ending deficit spending and tightening immigration enforcement, while also calling for the elimination of the H-1B visa program.
“I want those jobs to come to young Americans,” Keenan said.
Keenan also tied affordability concerns to his work in construction, describing one of the first homes he built for a veteran and a nurse with three children.
“One of the things that motivates me to run is the fact that there’s no way that that family could afford to purchase that same house today,” he said.
James, who highlighted his background in small business development and work with the federal government, focused on economic development, access to capital and bipartisan cooperation.
“We need people who, and we need leaders who can help heal, can help bring hope, can help bring solutions for our communities,” James said.
James said the federal government should act as a partner to local economies and criticized what he described as partisan gridlock in Washington. He also defended programs supporting small businesses, arguing federal cuts to agencies such as the Small Business Administration reduce resources available to local companies.
When discussing immigration, James supported stronger border security while also advocating pathways for longtime undocumented immigrants to gain legal status.
“We need to figure out that in the 1980s, President Reagan figured out a solution, and we need to look at that solution,” James said.
Lee, a reproductive health and infertility nurse and patient advocate, frequently framed issues through the lens of health care and systems management.
“The working folks of our district have not had representation that looked first and foremost to what was in their best interest,” Lee said in her opening remarks.
Elizabeth Lee speaks at a Congressional District 5 candidate forum in Gilbert while Daniel Keenan listens.
Daniel Keenan speaks at a Congressional District 5 candidate forum in Gilbert.
Chris James speaks at a Congressional District 5 candidate forum in Gilbert.
Brian Hualde speaks at a Congressional District 5 candidate forum in Gilbert.
Lee argued the federal government should support workforce development and affordable career pathways outside traditional four-year universities. She also repeatedly returned to healthcare costs as a major economic burden on families and employers.
“The cost of health care in this country is atrocious, and that burden falls on patients and it falls on businesses,” Lee said.
On immigration, Lee criticized conditions in ICE detention facilities and called for more humane treatment and expanded pathways to citizenship.
“They are here, they are human, we need to handle the problem in a humane way,” Lee said.
Hualde, an Army combat medic veteran and pediatric surgery nurse practitioner, emphasized infrastructure, education and healthcare access throughout the forum.
“What I’ve done my entire life is to serve,” Hualde said during his opening statement.
Hualde argued federal investment in infrastructure is essential for the rapidly growing East Valley, particularly transportation systems that connect workers to businesses.
“If we don’t have the appropriate infrastructure in place to make sure their businesses can be successful, they will fail,” he said.
Like the other Democratic candidates, Hualde supported stronger border security paired with legal pathways for immigrants to work in the United States.
“Not everyone is here for bad purposes,” Hualde said.
The candidates also sparred over taxation and the national debt.
Keenan argued deficit spending was the primary driver of the nation’s debt and rejected calls for higher taxes on wealthy Americans.
“The rich pay their fair share,” Keenan said.
Hualde and James both supported closing tax loopholes and increasing taxes on wealthier Americans and corporations. Hualde also called for reducing military spending, while James said corporations with sophisticated tax strategies often avoid paying taxes entirely.
Water policy emerged as another major topic, with all four candidates acknowledging Arizona’s long-term challenges surrounding the Colorado River and continued growth in the state.
Keenan advocated for additional desalination plants and expanded nuclear energy production, while James called for regional cooperation among Western states, tribes and agricultural interests.
Lee said Arizona should become a leader in sustainability and long-term planning, warning against “borrow(ing) from our kids’ future for today.”
Hualde focused on regulating major water users such as artificial intelligence data centers and balancing future growth with limited resources.
The event concluded with candidates making final appeals to voters ahead of the race for the East Valley-based congressional seat.
Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines. Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him on X at @sp_blodgett.
Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
Arizona Congressional District 5,
CD5 candidate forum,
Daniel Keenan,
Brian Hualde,
Chris James,
Elizabeth Lee,
Gilbert candidate forum,
East Valley politics,
Arizona immigration policy,
Arizona water policy
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