2026 Legislative District 13 Candidates

Kristie O’Brien

State Senate, District 13

I am the daughter of a social worker and granddaughter of a police officer and volunteer firefighter. Growing up in Chandler, I was raised with a deep appreciation for community and public service. I began my career at the U.S. Senate working with both Democrats and Republicans to get bipartisan clean water and clean air legislation passed.

As a lawyer and mediator, I have spent my career bringing people together to find common ground and solve problems, including civil litigation, intellectual property law, and international criminal matters, and partnering with local and federal law enforcement on public safety issues. But becoming a mom is what I am most proud of. Nearly a decade ago, I delivered my twins at 32 weeks. They spent 43 days in the NICU, and I saw firsthand how medical costs can threaten a family’s future. This experience motivated me to run.

Many families and small businesses in Chandler are struggling with rising costs, uncertainty over water security, and challenges in our public schools. I am running to bring down costs, protect our long-term water supply, strengthen our public schools and workforce training pipelines, and deliver bipartisan solutions that usher in a better future for Chandler and LD13.

Julie Willoughby

State Senate, District 13

The simple answer is my family and my career. The more detailed answer is that as an ER trauma nurse and a small business owner, I’ve spent my career on the front lines, and I’ve seen up close how hard it is for families to get by and for employers to keep their doors open. My priorities are simple: keep Arizona affordable, keep our neighborhoods safe, protect parents’ role in their kids’ education, and cut the red tape that’s holding small businesses back.

Kristie O’Brien

State Senate, District 13

My legislative priorities align with the priorities of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, including business advocacy, listening to and meeting with local business leaders, increasing public-private partnerships for workforce development, improving K-12 public education, funding our community and state universities, supporting economic growth, investing in Arizona’s infrastructure, and ensuring sustainability through managing and sourcing our long-term water supply.

My leadership style is strength through building relationships based on respect and a desire to serve the community. For each bill, I ask: who does it help, who does it harm, can Arizona afford it, and what are the short and long-term ramifications for our legislative district? When weighing these decisions, I will confer with stakeholders, including the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and local business leaders.

Julie Willoughby

State Senate, District 13

My husband and I are small business owners ourselves, so I understand firsthand what red tape and rising costs do to a bottom line. In the House, I’ve delivered real tax relief, pushed to keep fees and licensing predictable, and worked together with job creators instead of piling on mandates. That’s the same practical, results-first approach I’ll keep bringing to the Senate.

Kristie O’Brien

State Senate, District 13

The Chandler Chamber is beloved and well respected in our community. Through community forums and events, the Chamber does a great job of bringing together community leaders of all parties with local business leaders. Over the years, I have learned that what unites us in our local business needs and personal lives is far more than what divides us politically. We all want an Arizona where our businesses thrive, our families are safe, and our long-term growth is sustainable.

The Chandler Chamber’s endorsement would signal that the Chamber understands we need a leader who will listen to the business community, collaborate at the local level, engage with business leaders of all backgrounds, and promote legislation that serves the district’s best interests over special interests. I have spent my career bringing people together to find common solutions to pressing problems, and it would be an honor to work closely with the Chamber to keep our community thriving for decades to come.

Julie Willoughby

State Senate, District 13

A Chamber endorsement tells Chandler’s business community they have a State Senator who will deliver, not just talk. I’d put that support to work by staying in the room with local business owners and the Chamber, hearing what’s slowing everyone down, and making sure your voices shape the policy that affects everyone’s bottom line. I have received the Chamber’s endorsement in the past and would be honored to receive it yet again.

Racquel “Rockee” Armstrong

State House, District 13

I am running for office to fight for policies that invest in quality public education and workforce development because education is the backbone of a strong economy. When we prepare students for success, we strengthen our workforce, help local businesses grow, attract new employers, and build a more prosperous future. Throughout my career as a school leader, I worked closely with local businesses and community partners to solve challenges facing students and families, which showed me that the best solutions come when schools, businesses, and the community work together.

I also earned my MBA, which strengthened my understanding of economic development and what small businesses need to succeed. I believe in supporting small businesses, and one of my priorities, and a practice I live by, is shopping local and supporting the entrepreneurs who invest in our neighborhoods. A strong local economy depends on a well-educated workforce.

Kevin Hartke

State House, District 13

I have always been driven to serve. Being an elected official has been an extension of this commitment. Roughly 35 years ago, a boy was murdered on the sidewalk of the church where I was pastoring. I was deeply disturbed by this act and decided to see how I could get involved outside the walls of the church to make a difference in the broader community, leading to over a decade and a half of community engagement, from coaching soccer with the YMCA to serving on City Boards and Commissions.

My core priorities: provide certainty and stability to the business community; keep taxes as low as possible; tackle long-term issues proactively, as Chandler has done with water augmentation and conservation, and apply that same approach to housing, power, and transportation; listen to the local community and resolve problems where government can; and collaborate across the business, faith, and nonprofit community and across party lines to get things done.

Jacob Weinberg

State House, District 13

I’m running for office because I’ve lived a life of service to the community, and I want to continue to serve the people to make the world a better place for future generations. Given my background of over twenty-one years of leadership in the United States Army, over fifteen years of business leadership, and over twenty years of active leadership in the community, I feel I am the best positioned to understand the whole community, take in various viewpoints, and make the best decisions to represent the people I will represent.

My priorities when elected will be to ensure the people of Chandler have the resources they need to not only survive but thrive. I would work to make the most efficient use of water, electricity, and utilities in our community, focusing on the areas with the biggest ROI. I would work to make Chandler a more affordable place by improving the housing supply and working to reduce healthcare costs so we can have a happy, healthy, and productive community.

Janet Weninger

State House, District 13

I am running to continue serving the community I have loved and called home for nearly 30 years. My husband and I raised our three children here, built our businesses here, and have had the privilege of working alongside nonprofits, churches, schools, businesses, and government to help strengthen our community. I have also worked with veterans, people experiencing homelessness, foster youth, and families navigating our justice and child welfare systems, which taught me the value of compassion, accountability, perseverance, and collaboration.

My priorities are strengthening Arizona’s economy, supporting small businesses, protecting public safety, expanding educational opportunities, ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and planning wisely for our state’s long-term water future. I believe government is most effective when it empowers people, removes unnecessary barriers to opportunity, and creates an environment where families, businesses, and communities can flourish together.

Racquel “Rockee” Armstrong

State House, District 13

I have spent my career as a teacher, school administrator, and now a professor at Arizona State University, where I prepare and support education leaders. Along the way, I have earned national recognition for public service, coached and taught in public schools, managed school operations, and conducted research that informs education policy and leadership across the country. As a school leader, I regularly partnered with local businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations to solve challenges and create opportunities for students.

Those experiences reinforced my belief that strong schools and a strong business community go hand in hand. During my time working towards my MBA, I also more deeply understood the role small businesses play in creating jobs and strengthening our local economy. If elected, I will maintain open lines of communication with business leaders, community organizations, and residents to ensure I understand how legislation will affect those I represent. I believe the best policy comes from bringing people together.

Kevin Hartke

State House, District 13

I have long believed that those closest to the people should make decisions pertinent to their oversight. As a public leader and community member for over 40 years, I have endeavored to put the interests of the local community and businesses foremost. As Mayor and a Councilmember, I have built relationships with the Chamber and local businesses by attending hundreds of Chamber ribbon cuttings, serving ex-officio on the Chamber Board, and supporting local businesses and events as often as my schedule has allowed.

My goal as an elected official has been to provide certainty and stability to the business community. As a State Representative, I will continue that future-focused, commonsense perspective, working across the political aisle to sponsor and support legislation that best serves local businesses. Under my leadership, Chandler has lowered property tax rates 11 years in a row, paid off the unfunded PSPRS, maintained the lowest municipal sales tax in the state, the lowest cost of combined city services in the greater Phoenix region, and a triple-A bond rating from all rating agencies.

Jacob Weinberg

State House, District 13

If elected, my decision-making will reflect the values and desires of the people I was elected to represent in Chandler, Gilbert, and Sun Lakes, not the desires and values of outside influencers within my party or otherwise. Twenty-one years in the United States Army have taught me to work with people of all races, religions, and political creeds to get the job done. My fifteen years in public accounting as a financial statement auditor taught me how important it is to collaborate with experts and understand diverse opinions to make the best decisions possible.

To better understand the needs of the community and its continuing shifting desires, I will continue to seek input through personal interactions, townhalls, and working with local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce so I can make the most informed decisions on legislation put forth at the State Legislature.

Janet Weninger

State House, District 13

Strong communities are built through partnerships among businesses, educators, nonprofits, local governments, and residents. As a small business owner, I understand the challenges employers face, including workforce development, rising costs, regulatory burdens, infrastructure needs, and maintaining a competitive economy. I support policies that encourage responsible economic growth, streamline unnecessary regulations, improve permitting processes, and strengthen workforce development.

Businesses make investments based on stability and predictability, and I will support policies that foster a consistent regulatory environment and allow businesses of every size to grow and succeed. I will remain accessible to the Chandler Chamber and the business community, actively seeking input before major policy decisions.

Racquel “Rockee” Armstrong

State House, District 13

A Chandler Chamber endorsement would reflect my belief that education and the economy are directly connected. I have seen firsthand how partnerships with the business community can solve problems and expand opportunities for students. Strong public schools and workforce development create the skilled workforce that businesses need, and strong businesses create good jobs and opportunity for our communities.

If elected, I will always maintain an open door at the Capitol. I will keep a constant line of communication with the Chandler Chamber and local business leaders, and before voting on legislation, I will always consider how it will impact businesses in our community. I believe the best policy comes from listening to the people who will be affected by it.

Kevin Hartke

State House, District 13

I have been honored to have the Chandler Chamber’s endorsement in the past for my service as a Councilmember and as Mayor. It has always meant a lot to me as an affirmation of my commitment to Chandler and the local business community, having invested over four decades into serving the needs and aspirations of this community.

I will leverage this support to continue engaging the business community, applying best practices, and seeking advice and counsel from the Chamber and local businesses as I learn about local concerns and sponsor and support legislation.

Jacob Weinberg

State House, District 13

I believe the Chandler Chamber endorsement will help me in several ways. First, it will show the voters the Chamber agrees with my ideas on improving the economic vitality of Chandler, creating more efficient & effective governance, while improving infrastructure and securing water & energy for the highest ROI items. It will also be a great avenue to help further spread the word on my candidacy and ideas on how to further improve the lives of Chandler’s citizens. Finally, it will

Janet Weninger

State House, District 13

A Chandler Chamber endorsement would demonstrate that the local business community has confidence in my ability to help shape public policy that strengthens our economy and improves quality of life for everyone who calls Chandler home. I would be honored to receive the Chamber’s endorsement because I believe we share a common purpose: creating an environment where businesses, families, and communities can thrive.

If elected, I will remain accessible to the Chamber and its members through regular communication, business visits, legislative updates, and community events, working together to remove unnecessary barriers, strengthen our workforce, and encourage continued investment in Chandler and throughout Arizona.