Gabriela Saucedo Mercer

Details

Office: U.S. House of Representatives, District 3
Age: 48
Employer: Self employed
Education: Associate's degree in applied science degree from Cochise College
Political experience: Elected precinct committeeman of precinct 153 (2010-present), second vice chair of LD 27 (2010-2011), and Pima County Republican Party executive committee member at large (2010-2011)
Top priority: Repeal the tax burden that comes to us disguised as the Affordable Healthcare Act.

How would you use your position as an elected official to help businesses create jobs in Southern Arizona? I will work to lift unnecessary regulations which restrict the ability of businesses, large and small, to operate, grow and prosper.

Should the qualifications for Medicaid or AHCCCS be broadened to make more people eligible? No. Many non-working individuals already derive more income and benefits from government programs than workers earn from their jobs.

If you were in a position to vote on SB1070, would you have voted for or against it? SB1070 is a bill which I support. It is modeled after a 70-year-old federal law, it is not what its detractors claim, and its main provision was upheld by the US Supreme Court.

In a world of finite resources, what if anything would you be willing to cut to better fund education? Public education is being funded very well. We spend more per child than any private or religious school. What we need to do is give local boards more control and get the federal government out of calling the shots. We need to be able to hold administrators accountable if schools are not performing.

Should local government fight to keep the Rosemont Copper Mine out or encourage the company to stay? Local government should stay out of the flow of free enterprise! They should encourage business to come into our communities and create jobs. They should be offering incentives for companies to invest, not stop them from creating jobs!

What is the most important issue in your race? Job creation, so we can pay our rents and mortgages and feed our families.