“I am humbled by the decision of the voters tonight. To me, the people of this district are more than voters. They are my friends and neighbors — my extended family. I will be deeply honored to represent these good people as the Democratic nominee for Congressional District One.
“My roots run deep in District 1 — nearly 100 years. I know the people here, and I understand the challenges and potential of these diverse communities. But my general-election opponent is a Tucson lobbyist who is not from our district. Jonathan Paton’s values as payday-lending lobbyist are out of step with the sensible, working families here. Paton’s support for Paul Ryan’s plan to dismantle Medicare is out of step with our district’s seniors.
“And Paton is especially out of touch with the 12 tribal communities across our district. He has pledged to repeal the permanent reauthorization of Indian Health Service funding, which provides critical health-care services to Native Americans. He has pledged to support amending the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to create further restrictions on Indian gaming efforts. And our district needs a representative who will stand with the tribes to fight the Republican push for more uranium mining at the Grand Canyon.
“The choice is clear in November. I have a lifetime of service in this district, and it’s my home. For Tucson lobbyist Jonathan Paton, CD1 is just a place to run for office.”