A last-minute appearance by Dr. Jill Biden at this year’s Flagstaff Pride left community members to lash out against their local Pride organization.
The considerable shift to the right locally showed many that the work to attain civil rights is far from over.
The commission’s responsibilities are to manage the state’s utilities. But it also can limit companies who practice social responsibility, including in regards to LGBTQ+ people.
The races for three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission might be one people overlook on a lengthy 2024 election ballot, but it has significant economic consequences for Arizonans and even the state’s LGBTQ+ community, Democratic candidates in the race said.
Five people are elected to the commission, which oversees utility rates and licensing for businesses. This year, three seats are up for grabs in what is currently a supermajority of Republicans (only one Democrat currently sits on the commission).
Two of the six candidates running—Rachel Walden and Rene Lopez—have a history of anti-LGBTQ+ platforms and rhetoric: Walden attempted to sue the Mesa Unified School District for having trans-affirming policies, and Lopez has said he is against statewide LGBTQ+ protections.
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