Democratic candidates hope to fill Biggs’ seat in Congress

By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

Which Democratic Party candidate has the best chance of filling the Congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Andy Biggs?

That’s what will be determined in the July 21 U.S. House of Representatives Arizona District 5 primary.

Four Democratic Party challengers will face off for the privilege to compete against Mark Lamb or Daniel Keenan and claim the seat.

Blake Bracht, Brian Hualde, Chris James and Elizabeth Lee will compete for the Democratic nomination.

District 5 will have the empty seat because Andy Biggs (R-Gilbert) is stepping down at the end of his fifth term as he competes for Arizona governor.

The district includes the towns of Gilbert, San Tan Valley and Queen Creek and the Sun Lakes area, along with the southern and eastern parts of Chandler and eastern Mesa, laying in both Maricopa and Pinal counties.

Blake Bracht of San Tan Valley is one of the four challengers seeking the Democratic Party nomination in the July 21 U.S. House of Representatives Arizona District 5 primary.

Courtesy of Blake Bracht

Blake Bracht, San Tan Valley

Bracht is married to Allyson, with whom he has one daughter, Charlotte. The Nebraska native earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Louis University in 2018 and a law degree from the University of Missouri in 2022.

He has practiced law since 2022, stating he’s most proud of his work representing individuals and small businesses with everyday legal issues.

Bracht’s graduate degree included a concentration in tax law.

Bracht’s key stated issues are modifying federal fiscal and tax policy to make the economy work for the average person, supporting LGBTQIA-plus rights, reproductive freedom, a free and high-quality public education and maintaining a free and independent press.

Brian Hualde of Mesa is one of the four challengers seeking the Democratic Party nomination in the July 21 U.S. House of Representatives Arizona District 5 primary.

Courtesy of Brian Hualde

Brian Hualde, Mesa

Hualde is a nurse practitioner listed as part of the Phoenix Children’s network. He states he’s a fourth-generation Arizonan, born in Phoenix and raised in central and northern Arizona, graduating from Prescott High School before attending Northern Arizona University.

Hualde joined the Army and served as a medic, deploying twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He then completed his undergraduate work and met his wife at NAU, later earning a master’s degree that led to him becoming a nurse practitioner.

Hualde and his wife, who moved from Peoria to east Mesa in 2020, have six children.

His issues include immigration reforms that create humane and functional pathways to citizenship, more funding for public schools, reducing red tape that delays home construction, fair policies that stabilize housing costs, more renewable energy and sustainable jobs, tackling the fentanyl crisis, ensuring care and support for veterans, reproductive healthcare autonomy and hiring and workplace fairness.

Chris James of Gilbert is one of the four challengers seeking the Democratic Party nomination in the July 21 U.S. House of Representatives Arizona District 5 primary.

Courtesy of Chris James

Chris James, Gilbert

James has been president and CEO of The National Center For American Indian Enterprise Development since 2017. That’s after he was associate administrator of the Office of Field Operations and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C. for about five and half years.

The Small Business Administration is under the U.S. Department of the Treasury. James also was the associate program manager of the Community Development Financial Institutions Program for two years.

James also served on President Trump’s FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment. His college degree is in communication studies.

James and his wife, Piret, have three grown children who are all graduates of Gilbert Public Schools and went on to college.

James’ main priorities include educational investments, smart infrastructure, economic growth, health care and protecting seniors, and protecting democracy against special interests and election deniers.

Elizabeth Lee of Gilbert is one of the four challengers seeking the Democratic Party nomination in the July 21 U.S. House of Representatives Arizona District 5 primary.

Courtesy of Elizabeth Lee

Elizabeth Lee, Gilbert

Lee is a registered nurse who is the principal consultant under contract with Executive Fertility Consultants. She has also been the Arizona chair for Reproductive Freedom for All for the past year.

Born and raised in Ohio, Lee holds a bachelor’s in psychology and mathematics from Northwestern State University. Her RN training was done at Carrington College.

She grew up with a “mysterious illness” that doctors couldn’t diagnose until she was in her late 30s, which turned out to be Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

She and her husband, Sean, have one adopted child and one of their own.

Lee states her life situation made her want to seek and help implement health care system reforms of several types.

Lee’s priorities include affordability, health care access, fully-funded public schools, gun violence prevention and economic and environmental stability.

Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org. 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.

INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.