Learn more about the three candidates in the 2024 Arizona Legislative District 17 House race.
LD17 is a Republican-leaning area including parts of Tucson and the area around it. Democrats have fielded candidates in both the House and Senate races for the district, though it’s all currently represented by Republicans.
Rachel Jones
Party: Republican
Website: jonesforarizona.com
Jones is an incumbent lawmaker finishing her first term and seeking re-election. In her first two years in office, she was the prime sponsor of two bills that were signed into law by Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs. Jones is a member of the Legislature’s far-right Freedom Caucus.
She states on her campaign site that her faith is her prime motivator. Jones sponsored a controversial resolution that would have declared the governor should grant all of Arizona’s electoral votes to the winner of the Republican presidential primary. Jones claimed that the 2020 and 2022 elections were fraudulent. On her campaign site, she lists border security, election integrity and economy as priorities.
Cory McGarr
Party: Republican
Website: mcgarrforarizona.com
McGarr is an incumbent Republican lawmaker finishing his first term and seeking reelection to the state House of Representatives. He hasn’t had a bill signed into law yet, and he is a member of the Legislature’s far-right Freedom Caucus, along with his seatmate Rachel Jones.
On his campaign site, McGarr states that frustration following the 2020 election influenced his decision to run for office stating that there is a need for election reform. McGarr describes himself as 100% “pro family,” “pro-religious liberty” and “pro-life.”
Kevin Volk
Party: Democrat
Website: kevinvolkaz.com
Volk is a political newcomer hoping to flip a House seat in conservative-leaning LD17. Volk worked as a public school teacher and a realtor who also interned for former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.
He is the founder of a business that creates “affordable, sustainable prefabricated housing units.” Volks campaign site states that his priorities are bringing living costs down, investing in education, protecting Arizona’s groundwater supply and reproductive freedom.
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Every two years, Arizonans cast their votes in primary and general elections. And every two years, critics complain it takes too many days for all the votes to be counted. Through KJZZ’s Q&AZ project, a listener asked: Why does the vote counting process take so long?
