Hard work and determination — which have brought me success in life — have not been enough to win this battle. Other than being a wife, mother, and grandmother, the most important job in the world to me is representing my fellow Arizonans. I know I must get better in order to do my best in each of these roles.

Ann Kirkpatrick

I believe we must protect Medicares guaranteed benefit, and I will oppose any effort to dismantle Medicare and turn it into a voucher system.

Ann Kirkpatrick

benefits effort believe

By boosting oversight and accountability, we can empower the VA in its core mission of helping the men and women who have served our country.

Ann Kirkpatrick

accountability men country

In Congress, I was a relentless advocate for fiscal responsibility.

Ann Kirkpatrick

relentless congress responsibility

I will not support efforts that kill jobs in my district and lack provisions for responsibly transitioning us toward a clean-energy economy.

Ann Kirkpatrick

effort support jobs

Gabby Giffords was a mentor of mine in the state Legislature and also in Congress.

Ann Kirkpatrick

mentor legislature states

I have always been an independent voice for the folks in my district.

Ann Kirkpatrick

folks independent voice

When millions of Americans are tightening their belts, folks have the right to expect their elected officials to do the same.

Ann Kirkpatrick

elected-officials belts folks

The EPA's [Clean Power Plan] is another example of Washington's lack of understanding when it comes to rural and Western energy issues. I oppose this new rule because it hurts my district, which has four coal-fired plants that power Arizona's big cities, small towns, businesses and residences. These plants also provide good-paying jobs in our tribal and rural regions.

Ann Kirkpatrick

cities hurt jobs

Both my mothers family and my fathers family go back almost a hundred years in the district. I was born in the district, raised in the district, raised my family in the district. And so thats the way I see myself.

Ann Kirkpatrick

mother father years

I grew up in rural Arizona. My dad ran a general store. I grew up learning to do more with less. And I have been saying, you know, Washington needs to do the same.

Ann Kirkpatrick

arizona dad grew-up

I grew up learning to do more with less.

Ann Kirkpatrick

grew grew-up

The Navajo Generating Station in Page, for example, employs hundreds of people, mostly Native Americans, and provides nearly all of the power for the Central Arizona Project. That means our entire state has a big stake in the energy production and economic stability of these plants.

Ann Kirkpatrick

native-american mean people

We need to find a balance between protecting our local economies while pursuing the longer-term goal of producing clean, affordable and reliable power.

Ann Kirkpatrick

balance goal needs

They say the path for Democrats flipping the house runs through this district so it’s a very, very key district nationally and we’re getting a lot of national attention because of that.

Ann Kirkpatrick

politics

I believe the private sector and small businesses drive our economy, and that means the federal government should work to ensure the private sector is as robust as possible.

Ann Kirkpatrick

drive government work believe

Yes, I introduced the congressional pay cut bill, cutting our salaries by five percent. And I think we have to lead by example.

Ann Kirkpatrick

lead-by-example i-think lead think

In 2010, I proposed that Congress take its first pay cut in 77 years, and my effort had bipartisan support. And as part of leading by example, I returned 5 percent of my paycheck every month to pay down the debt.

Ann Kirkpatrick

down debt effort support

I sincerely thank the many people who have reached out in support after my accident last week. The fall was serious, but with physical therapy I will fully recover, i do, however, have another challenge I must face, which was the underlying cause of my fall. Beginning next week, I will receive treatment that I have struggled to ask for, to treat my alcohol dependence.

Ann Kirkpatrick

I am finally seeking this help after struggling to do so in the past, and I am ready to admit that I, like countless other Americans, suffer from this disease.

Ann Kirkpatrick