Sharon Benson is named in a lawsuit for allegedly defaming a teacher she is set to have power over.
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.
Mario Garcia appears to continue his support of anti-LGBTQ+ candidates.
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS: Earlier this year, LOOKOUT and Arizona Agenda reported that LD24 Democratic candidate Mario Garcia was seen pictured at Republican fundraisers with Kari Lake, as well as promoted some of her events on his personal Facebook pages.
After our reporting, Garcia's campaign manager said he was unaware of his client's affiliations and dropped him. But the Maryvale resident has continued his bid to represent the district and push out Rep. Annalise Ortiz, who currently represents the region in the House of Representatives and is also a member of the LGBTQ+ caucus.
As of this past week, though, LOOKOUT was alerted by a resident that Garcia continues being seen with far-right candidates and supporters of them.
On his Facebook page, Garcia posted a recording of him taken by Abel Valencia, a Phoenix resident who has promoted the Presidential race of Felipe Rios, an Indiana Republican who is campaigning against abortion, the Affordable Care Act, and has an anti-LGBTQ+ platform.
Garcia posed alongside Rios and Valencia in multiple photos, including at the State Capitol and what appears to be Garcia's campaign headquarters.
(1) Mario Garcia, third from left, is pictured next to Felipe Rios and Abel Valencia, third from right. (2) Garcia, left, pictured with Rios, center, and Valencia, right. (3) Valencia, front, takes a photo with Garcia.
Rios is also on the November ballot for Indiana's House of Representatives, and on his campaign website, he pledged to not enforce the Affordable Care Act in the state, support a full ban on abortion from the moment of conception, and enforce a "traditional" marriage between man and woman.
Garcia could not be reached for comment by publication.
LOOKOUT'S TAKE: In our past reporting, Garcia said that he didn't affiliate with Kari Lake, and that it was just circumstance when they were pictured together.
“Claims that I support Kari Lake and am a secret Republican are unequivocally false,” Garcia told us in earlier reporting. “I met Kari Lake at a business conference with hundreds of other attendees. I've lived in this community for 17 years and have known her as a TV anchor. I do not support Kari Lake or endorse her campaign. I support Ruben Gallego for the Senate seat entirely. Merely posing for a photo does not align me with her extremism.”
That turned out to be a lie, since we found out the event he posed with her was a fundraiser for Lake and other Republicans. The recent pictures with Rios give more credence to the allegations from Garcia's opponent that he is not, indeed, a Democrat.
The Clean Elections debate between Garcia and Annalise Ortiz is slated for next week on July 12. LOOKOUT Executive Director Jake Hylton will be moderating. You can read our original story on Garcia below.
Joseph Darius Jaafari (he/him)
Hi friends...
The Arizona Corporation Commission race could affect the LGBTQ+ community in ways you may not have thought about.
Interviews with 24 people show consistent concerns about Phoenix Pride.
If a small rural city can find common ground, maybe we all can.
A private web meeting last week showed how a far-right religious organization is trying to teach families to challenge schools, causing a chilling a chilling effect.
If you like independent and accountability-driven queer news, then you'll love LOOKOUT's weekly newsletter.
LOOKOUT Publications is a federally recognized nonprofit news outlet. EIN Number:92-3129757
