Carranza, age 34, is a political strategist who has worked on campaigns for Hillary Clinton, Gina Ortiz Jones and Wendy Davis. Most recently she served as a regional director for the Democratic National Committee.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
I am a proud McCollum High School alumna and daughter of the Southside of San
Antonio. I was raised by a single mom with chronic health issues but no health
insurance. I started working at 16 to help my family pay the bills. In college when my
mom’s health got worse, I moved back home to help take care of her and get her the
healthcare she needed. My experience motivated me to become a community organizer.
I’ve enrolled hundreds of families like mine in affordable health insurance and
managed million dollar budgets to increase voter participation across our country.
I haven’t accepted a penny from insurance and utility companies because I am
committed to getting costs down for the middle class. To ensure our voices are heard
and our problems are tackled proactively, we need a fresh perspective and lawmakers
ready to get things done for our community.
What three issues do you consider to be most pressing for your district
and how do you plan to address them?
We need solutions-oriented leaders who can’t be bought and I’ll work with anyone,
Democrat or Republican, willing to do what it takes to lower costs, fight for our public
schools, and restore freedom.
Cost of Living: Growing up, my mom balanced multiple jobs to provide a better life for her kids, just as families across San Antonio do every day. We need to fight hard to lower prescription drug costs, property taxes, and rent to make sure our hard-earned money goes as far as possible. To do that, we have to stand up to the insurance and utility companies that are hiking up rates. In addition, we must take on the Big Pharma companies to lower costs on life saving medication and work to build a bipartisan coalition to expand Medicaid and get healthcare costs down for kids and working families.
Public Education: I’m a proud product of San Antonio public schools and I’ll vote “no” on the private school voucher plan that would defund our already underfunded public schools. When I’m talking to voters on the doors across the district each day, this is a top concern in every neighborhood. I will fight to increase public education funding, pay our teachers more so we can attract and retain the best teachers, and ensure better outcomes for our students.
Protecting Reproductive Freedom: Women are dying and carrying their rapists’ babies in Texas under the strictest abortion ban in our country. Politicians shouldn’t be making these decisions and we need to stop telling Texans what to do with their bodies. Extremists are taking us away from what’s really important: restoring and protecting our freedom. I will stand up to extremist politicians so we can get away from abortion bans and book bans and focus on the things that matter.
Do you support the creation of a school voucher program? If so, what specifics are you looking for? Are you willing to leave the next session without approving additional public school funding?
No, and let me be very clear: Private school vouchers are a scam. Vouchers increase
property taxes, take money out of our neighborhood public schools, and use your tax
dollars to pay for private school tuition. More than 90% of students in Bexar County
attend and rely on our public schools.
Teachers are the foundation that grows the middle class and prepares us for the real
world. We should be using our record surplus to fully fund our public schools, but
politicians are instead peddling voucher schemes that steal dollars from neighborhood
schools to bankroll corporate private schools.
We need to show we value our kids by giving them at least as good of an experience as
we had in school. That means more teachers in the classroom, not less. More support
staff to keep kids concentrated on learning, not fewer. And better pay to help our
schools compete to hire and hold the best talent in the country. It’s about respecting
our teachers and our kids enough to invest in them and do what needs to be done.
The Republicans that are pushing this plan are funded by wealthy pro-voucher donors.
I’m supported by Bexar County teachers, students and taxpayers.
Describe how you plan to be an effective lawmaker in a governing body
where leadership controls much of the agenda.
We need new leadership in the State House that is ready to find common sense
solutions for middle class families. From enrolling hundreds of families in affordable
healthcare to running voter engagement programs throughout San Antonio, I have
spent my career building relationships to get things done for our community.
Extremist politicians do not represent the needs and interests of voters in HD-118 who
want real solutions to the real challenges they face everyday including the rising cost
of living, teacher layoffs, and a lack of access to affordable healthcare.
I’ll always put practical solutions first. Too many people have been playing politics with
the border and with protecting our kids. Putting politics before the middle class isn’t a
plan. We need well-managed solutions to keep our border communities and families
safe.
I know everyone — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents — want to see lower costs, better schools, and their freedoms protected. I’m willing to work with anyone if it is good for Bexar County. We need to challenge the status quo and bring fresh solutions and ideas to the problems we face everyday. I am committed to working across the aisle to make that happen.
How would you solicit input and feedback from residents in your district?
As State Representative, I will be beholden to the residents of this district, not to
special interest groups. I knock doors and talk to voters every single day because
hearing directly from the people who live in HD-118 is my biggest priority. I will bring
that same approach to the state legislature.
We currently have no district office and, if elected, I will change that immediately. Our
office will always be open to the community as a space to solicit input and provide
resources and services. Community outreach is key. I’ll be available to HD-118 residents through town halls and regular block walks. I will create outreach initiatives and implement diverse community boards to address needs for students, veterans, seniors, economic development, and more. I’m committed to delivering results as State Representative and the only way to do that is through open communication with everyone who calls this district home.
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