Arizona Politics: De Los Santos Sets Agenda
The incoming House speaker says cost relief for workers is the top goal and rejects the idea that the election results give Democrats a free pass to rule alone.
By Aaron Foster ·
Rep. Oscar De Los Santos says lowering costs for working families will be the first order of business if he becomes the speaker of the Arizona House. He made the statement this week while explaining how his party intends to govern following the recent election.
De Los Santos currently holds the position of House minority leader. If elected speaker, he would become the first Democrat to head the Arizona House in sixty years. The chamber is poised to shift control to the Democratic majority after this week's statewide vote.
The representative emphasized that the election results do not grant an unlimited mandate for his party. He noted that registered Republicans still outnumber Democrats in Arizona by approximately 300,000. He argued that the new administration must respect this balance of power.
De Los Santos stated that the new coalition will include members from other parties. He said, "Republicans are welcome in our coalition. Independents are welcome in our coalition because what we're doing is not a partisan task. It is an Arizona first approach." He added that his team is willing to work with anyone to accomplish goals for the state.
The legislative agenda includes specific targets for the housing market. Democrats plan to focus on institutional investors who contribute to rising home prices in the Valley. They also intend to place limits on the expansion of data centers and add safeguards to the state's universal school voucher program.
Protecting the state's water supply is another day-one priority for the incoming leadership. These issues sit at the center of the new party's strategy for the upcoming session.
Arizona is one of five states where Democrats are set to control the governor's office and both legislative chambers. This trifecta gives the party the authority to reshape state laws and policy without needing the other major party for approval.
