“We know this is a difficult time for all Americans, and we want your safety and that of your loved ones to come first. We understand if you are unable to contribute, we want you on our team no matter what. Thank you!”

John,

This will be a bit long, but please read it. It’s quite unbelievable.

The Arizona Republic published an opinion hit-piece on Eva trying to frame our grassroots campaign as “opportunistic.” They shamed her for raising money even though our campaign was the first one to pause all face-to-face campaign activities as the COVID-19 crisis unfolded. When we tried to offer a response, they refused to publish our op-ed.

The “offensive” email the paper picked apart called out our government’s failure to prepare our healthcare system for this kind of crisis. We wrote that representatives in Congress are bought by the same private companies who profit from our broken healthcare system and don’t push for real structural change. That’s a hard fact.

You may also remember that on March 8 — before the paper’s piece was published — Eva shared with you what it means to run a campaign as a female candidate: “Female candidates and politicians also operate within narrow bands of acceptable behavior, the boundaries of which are policed relentlessly by party leaders, colleagues, voters, and the media.”

We didn’t know just how quickly we will see yet another example of a woman being shamed for running for an office. We can walk and chew gum at the same time — support our neighbors in need and campaign hard so we can have a better Congress. 

The bias of the paper’s opinion piece was clear. They tried to pick apart our email to supporters line by line, calling us “opportunistic”, then painting our opponent as a local hero of the crisis, rather than a part of the problem. They chose to protect the status quo that leaves people without healthcare and living from paycheck to paycheck.

We knew these attacks were coming, but we didn’t know how low they would actually go. That’s why we’re creating a fund to help defend Eva against smear campaigns and misinformation like this one. Chip in $25 or more now if you’re able to give.

The people who donate to our campaign — like you — are everyday people who desperately need our system to work for them, their families, and their neighbors. My opponent can’t say the same.

Labeling a 100% grassroots campaign as “opportunistic” simply because we are doing what we’ve done since January of 2019 — running a campaign — is as fact-free as this country’s presidency. It’s easy to stop fundraising when your campaign is funded by corporations and special interests. You know what’s opportunistic? Politicians like Rep. O’Halleran who take thousands of dollars every cycle from private companies that price-gouge life-saving drugs because they know people will do anything for them.

What the establishment really fears is the opportunity voters will finally have in this district.

We need to push back against articles like this one by getting the truth to voters. Add to our fund so we can counter these attacks.

So yes, now is the time for politics because who we elect can have deadly consequences. If now isn’t the time to talk about that — during a public health crisis that highlights inequities in our healthcare system — when is? It takes immense privilege to not see that.

Now is the time to push harder for a better future because lives depend on the choices of our politicians. We are seeing it right before our eyes.

In solidarity,

Team Eva

Note: Here’s the hit piece we are referring to in this email.