Phoenix Councilmember Laura Pastor will run for US House to replace Ruben Gallego

Taylor Seely, Arizona Republic
Updated ·2 min read
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Phoenix District 4 Councilmember Laura Pastor attends a city council meeting in Phoenix on April 19, 2023.
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Another Phoenix City Council member is running for a spot in the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 3rd Congressional District.

City Councilmember Laura Pastor will pursue the seat currently held by Ruben Gallego, who's challenging Kyrsten Sinema for a U.S. Senate seat. She will announce her run on social media May 31, she told The Arizona Republic. Pastor's father, the late Congressman Ed Pastor, also served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Pastor filed her candidate's statement of interest for the seat with the Federal Election Commission on May 26.

Arizona's 3rd Congressional District includes south, midtown and uptown Phoenix, as well as Maryvale and parts of Glendale. Pastor is the fifth candidate to throw her hat in the ring, joining state Sen. Raquel Terán, Phoenix City Councilmember Yassamin Ansari and school board members Ylenia Aguilar and Hector Jaramillo.

The winner of the Democratic primary is largely expected to win the seat, since the district heavily favors Democrats and is not considered competitive by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Committee.

Pastor, a former educator and mother of four, represents parts of midtown and west Phoenix on the Phoenix City Council. She was first elected in 2013 and ran unopposed in 2017 and 2022. The councilwoman does not have to officially resign her seat until she turns in petition signatures to place her name on the ballot. Petitions are due in the spring.

Pastor's run marks the second Phoenix City Council member to announce a run for higher office. Ansari announced her bid for Gallego's seat in April.

Phoenix City Councilmember Betty Guardado hinted at a potential run in February but has not made any formal announcements.

In the works? 3 Phoenix City Council members may run for Congress. What to know

Reporter Taylor Seely covers Phoenix City Hall for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at tseely@arizonarepublic.com, by phone at 480-476-6116, or on Twitter @taylorseely95.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Laura Pastor will run for US House to replace Ruben Gallego