TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — It has been a busy year for Katie Hobbs, but she's now in the final stretch of vying for Arizona's open governor seat.
"I've been traveling the state and talking to Arizonans. They want a governor who will bring real solutions and bring people together too," said Hobbs.
Hobbs said she is dedicated to solving Arizona's most urgent problems, starting with the state's economy.
"What we can do in the state is we can find ways to reduce costs on everything that families have to buy and that hits them in the pocketbook the most. Our plan is designed to address some of those things on everyday items like over the counter medication, school supplies, diapers, things that people buy every day and put money back in their pocket without raising taxes," said Hobbs.
Hobbs' plan to help Arizonans also includes making housing more affordable.
"We're seeing this problem increase so much because of affordability. The state absolutely needs to be a better partner with local jurisdictions, allowing them to do more in the way of developing affordable housing," said Hobbs.
The topic of abortion has recently taken center stage in Arizona. Hobbs wants voters to know she will continue to advocate for women's reproductive rights.
"I think what a lot of people don't realize is that when they start to allow the government to dictate healthcare, whether it's healthcare you agree with or not, it stands in the way of people getting necessary treatment. We are seeing, across the country, a lot of people that don't have access to routine pregnancy care because of the chilling effects that these restrictive laws have on their healthcare providers," said Hobbs.
Hobbs also outlined her plan for improving the education system, which she said starts with paying teachers more.
"We need to invest in teacher pay, but we also need to invest across the board. From early childhood education opportunities all the way to kids graduating. We need to get them into programs for the right career opportunities so they can end up in a good paying job," said Hobbs.
When it comes to Arizona's border, Hobbs wants to increase security while supporting legal entry into the country.
"Provide more border security, stop the trafficking of drugs across the border and put in place comprehensive reform that creates incentive for people to come in the country legally," said Hobbs.
When voting for the next governor, Hobbs wants Arizonans to keep one thing in mind.
"This race is not about democrats or republicans. It's a choice between sanity and chaos, and how we want our state to be governed moving into the future," said Hobbs.
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Megan Meier is a reporter for KGUN 9. Megan graduated from Arizona State Universityʼs Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications in May 2018. While pursuing her degree in broadcast journalism, Megan interned at the City of Phoenix. Share your story ideas and important issues with Megan by emailing megan.meier@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.