Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2024 - Priya Sundareshan, Arizona State Senate District 18

As we tick off the final weeks of the 2024 election campaign season, the profiles keep coming! There are just so many talented progressive candidates running this year that unfortunately we won’t be able to highlight them all.

This week we are profiling Priya Sundareshan (she/her), a woman of many talents. With a BS in chemical engineering from MIT and a JD from University of Arizona law school, and a MS in natural resource economics from University of Arizona, this millennial attorney and mother-of-two teaches natural resource law at the University of Arizona, was a lawyer for the Environmental Defense Fund, and is a voting rights advocate, focusing on voter protection efforts and engagement on redistricting within the Arizona Democratic Party. Priya is currently the only South Asian member of the Arizona Legislature, and the first South Asian elected to the Arizona Senate. She is passionate about protecting Arizona water for long-term use, addressing climate change through state policies, and making voting as easy as possible.

Where are you based?
Tucson, AZ.

What is your position/what position are you running for?
Arizona Senator for Legislative District 18.

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
I believe we need more science-based decision-making in politics, especially when it comes to preserving our beautiful state for future generations. As a mother of two small children, I want my children and all children to inherit a sustainable world and sustainable Arizona.

What inspired you to run?
I have been an advocate for environmental issues and climate change in my career, and realized that it’s just as important to advocate at the state and local level for change because it’s possible to have more of an impact at these levels. I have also advocated for voting rights and fair elected representation in my free time. I finally realized that I can advocate from the outside, but it matters who the decision maker is, and electing the right person is the most important thing we can do — it was time for me to step into that elected role.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
I am hoping that Democrats are able to win a few more seats this year and flip the Arizona Legislature. We only need two more seats in each chamber to get the majority. This will have a profound impact for my district and all Arizonans, because Republicans have refused to address many issues that the voters have wanted to see, including more investment in public education and protecting our water. With Democrats in charge, we will be able to finally fix these issues and provide support for working families in Arizona.

How long have you been in office? What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
I am finishing my first term of two years in the Arizona Senate and am running for re-election. In that time, I have already become Ranking Member of the Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water committee, and the Senate Elections committee. So far, I have led our Senate Democratic Caucus in negotiations for a bill that was needed to fix our elections timeline without disenfranchising voters, and I have continued to lead our important water negotiations to protect rural water in Arizona. I am also leading our statewide effort to flip the Arizona Legislature this year!

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
I feel my passion for issues like voting rights and climate change is because they are some of the most important issues we face, and determine whether we are able to have our voices heard in our democracy as well as whether we are able to keep living in a world that sustains us. Reproductive freedom has become one of the most important issues now that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned precedent that had protected our ability to control our own bodies free from government interference, and we must now work to elect people who will fight to protect that freedom.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
I try to explain my votes so that my constituents and all Arizonans understand why I am doing so. At the same time, I speak in a way that is respectful even to my opponents, because I believe that I can make a greater difference when voters see that I am thoughtful about every vote that I take. I continue to highlight the common sense that guides my approach to protecting all Arizonans.

How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
Having grown up as a minority in America, I understand that we must make all of our systems more inclusive of people who have different experiences than what might be standard. We should think about who might be left out of anything we do so that everyone can fully participate.

What is your motto in life?
Try your hardest.

Where can we find out more about you?
Priya for Arizona and follow @priya4az on Twitter and Instagram.