This March, Phoenicians will elect a new mayor as well as two new council members in a special election for Districts 5 and 8. The two districts were vacated after Daniel Valenzuela and Kate Gallego stepped down to pursue mayoral campaigns in 2018.
Phoenix City Council District 8, which is currently represented by Felicita Mendoza, covers a large portion of downtown and south Phoenix as well as parts of Arcadia, curving along the 59th Avenue railroad. Here are the candidates running for the district this election cycle:
Lawrence Robinson
Lawrence Robinson has built his campaign on supporting the protection of historic buildings, promoting business ownership for women and underrepresented communities, and “creating transit and connectivity” by supporting the South Central light rail extension. He has held prior positions in educational and LGBT organizations and was a chief architect of the Phoenix anti-LGBT discrimination ordinance. He hopes to bring progressive ideologies to the Phoenix City Council in order to promote a better quality of life for people from all backgrounds. Robinson has also been endorsed by the Urban Phoenix Project PAC, the organization behind the recall election of Phoenix city councilman Michael Nowakowski.
RELATED: D8 City Council candidate campaigns on progressive ideas
Warren Stewart, Jr.
Warren Stewart Jr. plans to reshape district 8 by creating more jobs and more walkable urban areas and social destinations. He wants to see more economic opportunity in the district, but also wants to ensure the heritage of south Phoenix is preserved. Stewart and his team were in favor of the recently-passed Talking Stick Resort Arena renovation deal. Stewart grew up attending the baptist church where his father, Warren Stewart Sr., was a pastor. After becoming a pastor himself, Stewart is continuing in his father’s footsteps by running for the same district 8 council seat his father vied for in 2013 before losing to Kate Gallego.
RELATED: Warren Stewart Jr., son of a preacher man, seeks District 8 council seat
Carlos Garcia
Carlos Garcia is a vocal activist for migrant rights and has worked with Puente Arizona, a Phoenix-based human rights group, to provide support and education to migrant communities and aid individuals facing deportation since 2007. Garcia said he would work to distance Phoenix from President Donald Trump and would vote against anti-immigrant policies. While supportive of the efforts to invest in infrastructure, Garcia has some qualms with how light rail projects have been approved in south Phoenix, especially the South Central extension. He felt the community was not involved in the process, despite the city’s outreach attempts.
RELATED: Carlos Garcia seeks to represent District 8, emphasizing social issues
Gilbert Arvizu
Gilbert Arvizu is an independent candidate with a passion for fighting “unjust policy,” building his campaign on healthcare reform and cultivating a business-friendly environment in Phoenix. He is a supporter of the South Phoenix light rail expansion, but believes the city should support business owners who experience hardship due to the construction. Arvizu said his extensive legislative experience, including working with John McCain as an intern, taught him invaluable lessons.
RELATED: Independent candidate shoots for District 8 seat
Onesimus Strachan
Onesimus Strachan is an assistant director at the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University. According to campaign materials, Strachan has been a resident of Arizona for 31 years and has worked extensively with the local community. He founded “Pops Track Club” to train athletes for the Junior Olympics and mentored children through 100 Black Men of Phoenix, an organization aiming to help minority youth. He also served as a board member in the Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce.
Camaron Stevenson
According to his campaign website, Camaron Stevenson’s platform is focused around “workers’ rights, affordable housing, and safer communities.” His progressive platform also includes decriminalizing cannabis, supporting universal healthcare and granting a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients. According to campaign materials, Stevenson aims to bring tech startups and accompanying opportunities and wealth to District 8. Stevenson is the director of communications for the Arizona Housing Coalition and previously served as a digital strategist for Kathy Hoffman’s Superintendent of Public Instruction race.
RELATED: Writer takes advocacy into his own hands with D8 bid
Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson is a former Phoenix police officer with over two decades of experience. He is also the former Phoenix City Council member for District 8, serving three terms from 2002 to 2013. While there, he was a member of four city subcommittees and chaired the Phoenix Economic Board of Directors.
He currently serves on the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency and was also the founder of the African American Strategic Leadership Group, an organization formed to tackle issues concerning politics and education.
This story was updated on Feb. 24 to include a link to Camaron Stevenson’s profile.
Contact the reporter at Rebecca.Spiess@asu.edu.
Correction: This story was updated on Feb. 15 to update the fact that Michael Langley did not qualify for the ballot. Michael Johnson’s candidacy and profile has also been included as well as Camaron Stevenson’s most recent political experience.
