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Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick visits a bakery on the south side

Posted at 5:37 PM, Aug 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-29 12:01:22-04

US Representative Ann Kirkpatrick made a campaign stop at a South Tucson bakery Saturday morning. She took a tour of La Estrella Bakery, where she spoke to KGUN 9 about immigration, veterans, education, the economy, and more about her platform.

She believes that small businesses are one tenet of a successful Arizona economy. But another key aspect -- a strong education system.

"It's been my vision for Arizona to build a strong, diverse, stable economy," Kirkpatrick said. "But we can't do that without a world-class education system."

In her eyes, better paying jobs will come with a better state education process.

"We can't have those good paying jobs without having a very, very good education system," she said. "It's a top priority."

Switching gears, Kirkpatrick feels that veterans' issues in Arizona are very often overlooked.

"I hear from veterans from all over the state who have paid the price - they've served our country, and they still can't get the benefits that they've earned," she said. "There have to be some changes. I just met with some veterans yesterday in our office in Casa Grande. And they're still not getting the care that they need, so we've got to figure this out."

When it comes to border security and immigration, the Democratic candidate believes the government needs to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

"I'm a former prosecutor. I have zero tolerance for illegal activity," she said. "But we've got to have comprehensive immigration reform, that includes the Dream Act, so that those people who are coming here legally can cross the border."

Running unopposed in the Democratic Primary, Kirkpatrick thinks she'll be squaring off with 5-time incumbent Senator John McCain. However, she noted that he has a tough race ahead.