Arizona's Most Successful Advocate for Change Will Bring Change to Congress
-- Wins Congressman Trent Franks Immediate Endorsement --
MUNDS PARK, ARIZONA - Citing a need for systemic change in Washington DC and in Congress, Sydney Hay, Arizona's most successful advocate for conservative change, announced her candidacy today for Arizona's Congressional District 1.
Said Sydney Hay,
"Politics and government in America are broken. Washington DC is broken. That's why, now more than ever, Arizona's First Congressional District needs an advocate, with a proven record, ready on day-one, to be our champion of change. I'm running to be CD-1's advocate for change because I've been one of Arizona's most successful advocates for change."
Sydney Hay brings to the race an impressive record of success for conservative causes, including:
Tax Relief- After Arizona saw eight years of tax increases, Sydney Hay led the ballot initiative to require a 2/3's vote at the Legislature in order to enact a tax or fee increase. Arizona has since seen 15 years without a legislatively-enacted income, sales or property tax increase.
Education Reform - As the leading advocate for education reform, Sydney Hay's successful efforts have included charter schools and the nation's first public/private education tax credits. With these victories and more, Arizona now leads the nation in educational choices and the public/private tax credits have become a model other states are following.
Ethics in Government - In the aftermath of AzScam, where Legislators were discovered to be taking bribes from undercover law enforcement posing as casino lobbyists, Sydney Hay launched a campaign for strict ethical reforms, forcing the Legislature to pass prohibitions on gifts from lobbyists, on personal use of campaign cash and on fundraising while the Legislature is in session.
Sydney Hay is the President of the Arizona Mining Association, (whose members employ thousands of Arizonans and contribute several billion dollars annually to Arizona's economy, with most of their operations being within CD-1). She is the former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources and has served for the past thirteen years as Executive Director of AMIGOS (Arizona Mining and Industry Get Our Support, a trade association of small to mid-sized businesses that supply Arizona's vital copper mining industry) - all firsts for a woman in the male-dominated industry. A small business owner, she owns her own public affairs and association management firm and has managed numerous political campaigns from local to national in scope.
Continued Hay,
"I have worked on behalf of the people and issues that CD-1 is all about: taxpayers, small businesses, natural resource employers and the jobs they create, and parents wanting the best education for their children. I've made a real difference for Arizona. I'm ready to fight for real change in Congress."
Wins Congressman Trent Franks Immediate Endorsement
The Sydney Hay for Congress campaign was immediately bolstered today with the endorsement of Congressman Trent Franks, who said,
"For me, this marks day-one of doing everything I can to see that Sydney Hay is the Republican elected to fill that seat. My strong commitment to Sydney Hay is due to her strong commitment to principled conservative reforms. I've known Sydney Hay for more than 20 years and in those 20 years she has amassed a tremendous record of accomplishment on issues that are vital to the citizens of Congressional District 1, vital to Arizona and to vital America. As an advocate for taxpayers, small businesses, natural resource industries, and parents seeking educational opportunities for their children, Sydney Hay hasn't just pushed for change, she's made change happen."
Franks continued, "With America facing thorny issues like protecting our borders, fighting international terrorism and promoting rural economic opportunities, Arizona's CD-1 cannot afford a new member who needs on-the-job training. We need a Member of Congress, Sydney Hay, who is ready on day-one to bring her experience as a principled conservative reformer to the halls of Congress -- someone who has never wavered in her defense of life, liberty and limited government. Sydney Hay is ready to go to work to fix what's broken in Washington. And I'm ready to go to work to help ensure Sydney Hay wins this race."
Thanking Congressman Franks for his support Sydney Hay said,
"Congressman Franks' support means so much to me because we share the belief that much of what government does, it has no business doing. It spends too much, wastes too much, taxes too much, regulates too much. Much of what government is supposed to do it does poorly or not at all. Bloated bureaucracies and destructive government policies invite incompetence and frustrate common-sense. Now, more than ever, we need advocates in Congress for bedrock American values: individual responsibility; entrepreneurial spirit; economic opportunity; -- all within the framework of limited government. I've made advocacy for change my life's work. Now I want to take that advocacy to Congress. That's what the Sydney Hay for Congress campaign is all about."
Sydney Hay previously ran for this Congressional seat, losing narrowly in the 2002 Primary to Rick Renzi.
Sydney and her husband Dan divide their time between homes in Munds Park and Scottsdale with their two dogs, and a lovable old quarter horse named Earl. Her son Andrew is an airline pilot and her daughter Sarah and her son-in-law Ron are the proud parents of Sydney's three grandchildren Andrew, Caleb and Sophia.
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