Teenage clerk candidate, Gosar challenger speak to LD29 Democrats

If a 19-year-old can get on the ballot just by his own elbow grease, I'm sure these kids can do things just as great.”

Sebastian "Seb" Matta

An 18-year-old Arizona State University student seeking to oversee Maricopa County’s court system and a Navy veteran challenging U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar made their pitches July 15 during an LD29 Democrats Club meeting at the Georgia T. Lord Library in Goodyear.

About 10 people attended the meeting, where Democratic candidates Sebastian "Seb" Matta, who is running for Maricopa County clerk of the Superior Court, and Dani Sterbinsky, who is seeking Arizona's 9th Congressional District seat, discussed their campaigns ahead of the November election. Both are unopposed in the Democratic primary and are expected to advance to the general election.

Matta, who turns 19 on primary day and would be among the youngest people ever elected to public office in Arizona if he wins in November, said he hopes to inspire more young people to become involved in public service.

"If a 19-year-old can get on the ballot just by his own elbow grease, I'm sure other kids can do things just as great," Matta said.

The first-generation Argentine American, who speaks fluent Spanish, is studying philosophy with a focus on law, politics and morality at ASU. A former high school debater who competed at four national tournaments, Matta said his interest in the clerk's office began as a child accompanying his father to the courthouse while his father worked at a law firm.

If elected, Matta plans to modernize the office. He said his first priority would be to allow probate cases to be initiated online, arguing the change would save residents, attorneys and the county time and money.

"They could just upload a PDF over the internet and have it done in a fraction of this time, which would save you money and would save the clerk's office money and time," Matta said.

He also called for expanding language access on the clerk's website, noting that many county residents do not primarily speak English at home.

When asked about campaigning in the general against Republican nominee Jeff Dial, a former state senator, Matta said he plans to focus on policy issues but will follow his opponent's lead when it comes to personal attacks.

"I won't shoot first, but I will shoot back," he said.

Sterbinsky, a Navy veteran and working mother, focused her remarks on the rising cost of living and criticized what she described as a lack of leadership in Washington.

Speaking about her family's experience, Sterbinsky said she and her husband, also a Navy veteran, have faced steep childcare costs while raising their 4-year-old daughter.

"People all across our district, all across Arizona, are working hard, making a little bit more each year and still somehow falling further and further behind," Sterbinsky said. "This is what an affordability crisis feels like."

Sterbinsky criticized Gosar, saying he has focused on controversy instead of serving constituents. She pointed to his censure by the U.S. House in 2021 after he posted an animated video which depicted him killing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking then President Joe Biden.

"The headlines he brings for our district are not good for us," Sterbinsky said.

Drawing on her service in the Navy aboard a guided-missile destroyer, Sterbinsky said she learned that leadership is about solving problems rather than seeking attention.

"I learned that leadership was measured not by who has the loudest voice in the room," she said. "That's how I'll serve in Congress. I'm ready to bring people together, solve problems and deliver long-term results for this district."

Sterbinsky said her campaign plans to travel to Washington later this summer to raise its profile after Congress returns from its August recess.

Primary Election Day is July 21.