Elizabeth Beck
Elizabeth is a mother, veteran, urban planner, and lawyer, and she is running to be the next State Representative for House District 97 in Tarrant County, TX. Her roots in the area go back to elementary school, and she is an active member of the local community, serving on the Board of Directors for both Congregation Beth-El and the Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas Fort Worth Community Board. While in the Army Reserves, she spent a year deployed as a sergeant in Taji, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a lawyer, she currently works for a firm representing employees across the country in wage claims. The middle-class suburbs of Fort Worth have been a stronghold for the state’s Republicans for decades; any Democrat successful in Tarrant County will challenge Texas’s future as a Republican bulwark in national politics.
Aimy Steele
With a background in education and leadership, Aimy Steele is running for NC State Representative, House District 82. Most recently, Aimy was an elementary school principal in Concord, NC. She is passionate about public education and knows first-hand that exposure to enriching educational experiences will open doors that can change lives. Aimy’s experience in the day-to-day operations of public schools has given her a keen understanding of the issues and challenges existing in local school systems. Aimy is a committed advocate for public education including free preschool for all children ages 3 to 4, and education that ensures opportunities for high-skill jobs in an increasingly competitive workforce. She is a mother of five and married to a pastor; her family and faith are core values of her life.
Coral Evans
Coral Evans is a third generation Arizonan and the mayor of Flagstaff AZ. Coral first ran for office to help save a beloved community center. The effort was successful, and for over a decade she has continued in public service. She has worked to bring a Veterans’ Home to Flagstaff, to help incubate small businesses, to fund after school care, and to expand library hours. As a State Representative she will fight for funding for education, support for small businesses, and local control for Northern Arizona. An advocate for the environment, Coral knows that investing in conservation and protective measures both limits the risk of disasters that cost money and generates income throughout the region. Coral believes that state and local policies should work to protect and conserve the public lands and wild spaces that are precious not only to local Arizonans but to tourists who visit the state.
Kayla Koether
A Grinnell College alumna and former AmericCorps educator, Kayla Koether grew up on a farm in rural Iowa and now works at Iowa State providing technical assistance to businesses and beginning farmers on best business practices, sustainability, production, marketing, and innovation. This is Kayla’s second try for the state legislature. While running in 2018, Kayla found herself in a dead heat, and went to court to ensure that 29 ballots delayed by the USPS were counted. She pressed that fight and got a law passed in Iowa to ensure that late arriving absentee ballots will be counted if there is any pre-Election Day postal barcode on it. Ultimately losing by 9 votes, Kayla is back in the fight and believes that by working together, we can revitalize Iowa’s rural farm economy, rebuild its main streets and bring the next generation back home to do it.
Jen Pellant
Jen Pellant was born and raised in the district she’s running for: Iowa House District 16. After the 2016 election, Jen quickly became committed to organizing and working for Democratic candidates in the region, before finally taking the plunge and stepping up to run herself. Raised in a family of public school teachers and coaches, Jen believes life is a team sport and that we all do better when working together. She advocates for strengthening public education through appropriate funding, reversing the privatization of Medicare to make health care affordable and restoring the right to collective bargaining. With her experience working in small businesses in hospitality and manufacturing, Jen knows first-hand that Main Street businesses build communities and create jobs. Jen will fight for a diverse and dynamic 21st century economy in Council Bluffs — one that provides residents with well-paying, modern jobs and careers by supporting small business ingenuity, entrepreneurism, and workers’ rights.
Charles Clayton
Charles Clayton was born and raised in Ft. Dodge, Iowa; his mom worked for the Fort Dodge school system in the laundry room and then as a custodian, and his father was a cook and mechanic. In high school Charles was arrested for firing a gun into the air during a New Year’s Eve celebration in 1992. That incident, and his subsequent felony sentence, marked a turning point, and for the last 25 years he has dedicated his life to working with kids and using his own story of redemption to prevent them from making the same mistakes. Charles is the co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit Athletes for Education and Success and has been an active member of the local community for decades. He has served on the Ft. Dodge Human Rights Commission and the local cultural diversity committee, the Iowa Disproportionate Minority Contact Committee, and the Iowa Commission on Status of African Americans. When elected, Charles plans to create more opportunities for kids, to make sure no family has to choose between health care and paying the rent, and to end social and racial inequalities that leave too many behind.
Janet Diaz
Janet Diaz was born in the Bronx but grew up in Lancaster County, PA, and spent over 17 years working in the healthcare industry while volunteering at her church, her local nursing home, and as a sexual assault counselor. Her path to political activism started with phone banking and canvassing, then to Emerge PA, and finally to winning a seat on the Lancaster City Council, where she fought to protect vulnerable populations through initiatives like bilingual press conferences. As the first Latina member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, she will be a champion for affordable health care, a living wage, and the fight against climate change.
George Scott
George Scott was raised on a family farm in South Central Pennsylvania, and served in the U.S. Army on active duty for 20 years as a military intelligence officer. After returning home, he continued to follow his lifelong call to serve, earning a Master of Divinity degree and becoming a pastor in Perry County. Now he looks to serve Pennsylvanians as a member of the State Senate, where he will ensure that quality health care is affordable and accessible, that everyone has access to a first-rate public education, and that comprehensive campaign finance reforms restore confidence in our political system.
Joana Scholtz
Joana Scholtz is a mother, US Army veteran, retired teacher, local NAACP Branch President, 23 year resident of KS District 40, and candidate for the Kansas State House of Representatives. Upon graduation from college with a BA in Russian Studies, Joana was commissioned in the United States Army as a Military Intelligence Officer, and served on active duty for eight years. After receiving her Masters in Special Education, she taught school during the funding deficits of Governor Brownback’s administration and experienced first hand the impact of underfunding Kansas students. If elected Joana will stand for Medicaid expansion, full funding for Kansas schools, supporting local veterans services, and green business development. She knows that Kansas needs bold and creative ideas to fix its state budget and believes all good legislation requires bipartisan support.
Jo Ella Hoye
Jo Ella is a committed public servant who is running for the Kansas House of Representatives to elevate the voices of Kansans and fight for change. As a volunteer for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America for over three and a half years, including as Kansas Chapter Leader, Jo Ella was part of a strategic team that helped move the needle on gun safety in Kansas with bipartisan support. Jo Ella’s continued presence at the Statehouse influenced the passage of sensible gun legislation, earning her the nomination by Everytown for Gun Safety for the 2018 Professional Women in Advocacy Excellence in Advocacy of a State Issue Campaign Award. Born in Lincoln, NE, Jo Ella earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. She’s held local government management positions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, most recently as a Senior Analyst in the Johnson County Manager’s Office. Jo Ella has been a dedicated advocate for the safety of children and families, and her journey has led her to run for this open seat in Kansas HD17 because she’s seen firsthand what can be accomplished when people make their voices heard in Topeka. Jo Ella currently serves as Vice Chair of the Lenexa KS Planning Commission where she lives with her husband and young son.
Akilah Bacy
With a tireless focus on improving the lives of working people and vulnerable community members, Akilah Bacy is running to flip TX HD 138. She is a native Houstonian, Spelman College alumna, and former Harris County Assistant District Attorney, now working in employment law and specializing in discrimination and unjust termination. Outside of work, Akilah also supports her community through a host of volunteer endeavors, including serving as a pro bono immigration attorney for children seeking asylum in the United States, mentoring at her local school district, teaching literacy, ESL, and legal rights classes in the West Houston community, and teaching Sunday school. Bacy has an insider’s knowledge of her community’s challenges, which include education, health care, flooding, climate, employment rights, restorative justice — all issues voters in her district care deeply about. And she knows from first hand experience that the long-term fix has to come out of Austin.
Natali Hurtado
A single mother at 19, Natali Hurtado had to work through school while relying on her family and social assistance programs. Natali holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration and her public service experience working with staffers at Houston City Hall, the Texas House of Representatives and Congress has given her a deep knowledge of policies and practices that affect her community. As a Latina, mother and businesswoman she is committed to making sure Latinos, women and working families have their voices heard. Natali works currently as Deputy Executive Director at an economic development firm where she works to improve the district through public safety initiatives, environmental and urban design projects, and community development programs. This is her second campaign for TX HD 126.