A Legislative District 14 candidates forum featured, from left, Democrat Stephanie Walsh, Republican Tyler Farnsworth, moderator so and so, Democrat Mary Rose and Republican Laurin Hendrix.
Candidates for Arizona Legislative District 14 outlined differing approaches to immigration, water policy, transportation and state budgeting during a May 6 candidate forum hosted by the chambers of commerce of Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek.
The event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix/Gilbert Conference Center featured Republican candidates Tyler Farnsworth and Laurin Hendrix and Democratic candidates Stephanie Walsh and Mary Rose. Republicans Mylie Biggs and Jedidah Lyons did not attend. Biggs and Walsh are running for the Arizona Senate seat, while the others are seeking House seats.
Walsh, a mechanical engineer and nonprofit founder, said she entered the race because Arizona faces major long-term challenges tied to energy and water.
“We have big challenges coming up,” Walsh said. “Energy and water, again, are my biggest expertise areas.”
Farnworth, a Gilbert business owner, focused on economic growth and reducing government bureaucracy.
“I want less politicians down in Phoenix and more individuals that know how to run a business,” Farnsworth said.
Rose, a former business operations manager, said she decided to run after becoming frustrated with the political climate.
“I decided that instead of pulling over and not being happy with things, that I would push that into something more positive and run for office,” Rose said.
Hendrix, the incumbent legislator in the race, emphasized experience in government and budgeting.
“The biggest thing the legislature does is you balance a budget,” Hendrix said.
Candidates generally agreed the state should avoid overregulating local communities while still supporting infrastructure and economic development.
Farnsworth called for streamlining permitting and approval processes for businesses, arguing delays slow economic growth.
“As a small business owner, too often we have no idea what’s going on to getting our permits and our approvals done,” he said.
Rose said municipalities should retain more local control and be able to move projects forward more quickly.
“For the most part, the state needs to stay out of the town business,” Hendrix added.
Budgeting became a recurring theme throughout the evening, with several candidates criticizing how long lawmakers take to pass spending plans each year.
“I think our budgeting process has gotten out of control,” Walsh said.
Hendrix said the Legislature’s inability to pass budgets quickly is one of the state’s biggest structural problems.
“There ought to be a constitutional time line or statutory time line to require the legislature to get it done,” he said.
Transportation and infrastructure also drew significant discussion.
Farnsworth praised Arizona’s highway system compared with other states but criticized light rail expansion.
“I did not like the light rail then,” he said. “I do not like the light rail now.”
Walsh argued Arizona should improve how road projects are managed, saying long construction time lines create economic costs for drivers and businesses.
“It is frustrating to watch highways be worked on for years and you never see workers on them,” she said.
On immigration, candidates offered some of their clearest differences.
Walsh said Arizona relies heavily on immigrant labor and should pursue humane policies while maintaining border security.
“We build a lot of stuff on labor that is imported and expensive and they work hard,” Walsh said.
Farnsworth stressed the importance of enforcing immigration laws while prioritizing American workers.
“We also need to enforce the law,” he said.
Rose called for making citizenship easier for immigrants already contributing to Arizona’s economy.
“These are people,” Rose said.
Hendrix argued the immigration debate often overlooks the role of legal cross-border workers and skilled professionals.
“Immigration is happening,” Hendrix said. “Legal immigration is happening and needs to continue.”
Water policy rounded out much of the discussion, with candidates debating the severity of Arizona’s future shortages.
Walsh warned Arizona communities likely will face reduced Colorado River supplies as the population grows.
“We are going to be having less water,” she said.
Rose emphasized conservation and public education, while Hendrix downplayed fears of an immediate crisis.
“Brush your teeth, use your water, don’t worry about it,” Hendrix said.
We would like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him @sp_blodgett on X.
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).
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