SUPPORTED BY LOCAL PHOENIX, TEMPE + SCOTTSDALE LEADERS
Hi, I'm Caden.
My name is Caden Darrow.
I’m on a mission to address the issues that have stagnated progress in Arizona. It’s high time we elect leaders who prioritize their constituents of all backgrounds and can navigate the complexities of our political landscape. I bring a fresh perspective as a political outsider and longtime resident of LD8.
My roots are in Rapid City, South Dakota, where the values of hard work, community, and family shaped my upbringing. Moving to Tempe, Arizona, I’ve continued my commitment to public service through volunteer and activism work throughout our local community.
I was horrified to see our local legislator, Juan Mendez, advocate for issues that do not reflect our community values. Mendez has represented our area since 2012 and has a blatant track record of not showing up to work or voting. This is his sheer responsibility of what he was elected to do. We deserve representation from somebody who aligns with the diverse perspectives within our community and represents the interests of all constituents.
An alumnus of ASU, I currently work in the retail jewelry industry. Outside of work, you’ll find me exploring Arizona’s beautiful landscapes through hiking and cherishing moments with my family and Shiba Inu.
I’ve taken up the challenge of running in the Tempe/Scottsdale LD8 district in Arizona because the people of LD8 deserve a representative who listens and works tirelessly on their behalf and because I’m committed to breaking through the political gridlock to bring about positive change.
Prioritizing our Community
Excellent Education + Teacher Pay
In 2023, the legislature was unable to raise teacher pay due to obstruction from Juan Mendez, Athena Salman, and others in the state legislature. In Arizona, our teachers are suffering from one of the lowest average salaries in the nation. I will advocate for directly increasing teacher pay without relying upon the school boards by supporting a plan similar to the Pay Teachers First bill.
We should be funding our teachers and our classrooms – not the bureaucrats. I was the first candidate to call for universal audits of the public school system because I believe in well funded schools that are held accountable to their communities. We should not be giving millions of dollars to special interests when we could be funding our students most in need.
I believe in expanding access to school choice to Arizona’s families. Your zip code and income should not determine your educational outcome and I will work tirelessly to increase education funding for families who choose to attend public or private options.
Addressing the Housing Crisis
Housing prices are simply unaffordable for most hardworking Arizonans. I believe we must not ignore this issue or else we will become a society of trapped renters.
We ought to encourage the federal government to sell us more land to develop around the Phoenix metro area, outlaw the purchase of single family homes by large multibillion dollar companies and foreign entities, and change our zoning laws to better fit the modern city.
I look forward to achieving bipartisan achievements when it comes to addressing the housing crisis so we don’t wind up with long-term damaging policies like rent control.
Homelessness
Tragically, homelessness has been on the rise in our community. We must invest into resources for our unhoused community and ensure that there are options available for all types of homelessness.
People deserve opportunities and chances to succeed in life – we should never give up on members of our community and should look towards serious reintegration efforts to heal our community and get people off the streets.
Equal Rights
Equal rights are paramount to a successful Republic. Every person ought to be equal under the law – and I strongly oppose attempts to marginalize communities of any kind. No matter what your ethnic, sexual, religious, or linguistic background – you deserve to be treated with equal respect to any other individual.
I strongly believe in Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of judging one another by our individualism – not our inalienable characteristics – and oppose attempts to lump people into assumptions based on a group identity.
Public Safety
Small business owners and families should not be worried about threats to their lives, property, and loved ones. I believe we should hold our police accountable with body cameras while ensuring that they are funded enough to undergo proper training. Lethal action should always be a last resort as we look to modernize policing – keeping our communities safe while lowering incidents of police-related controversial incidents.
We should collaborate with law enforcement at the state, local, and federal level to address the fentanyl crisis and other individual issues facing Arizonans.
Immigration and the Border
Our immigration system is broken and needs comprehensive reform at the federal level. Nobody is more hurt by those who cross into this nation illegally than those who have undergone the legal process. I believe we must have humanitarian methods of addressing the border crisis while investing resources into state-run border patrol operations.
Safe + Secure Elections
Elections controversies are tearing apart this nation. Neither Republicans nor Democrats should ever question the results of an election in this country – and I believe in common sense election reforms that make it easier to vote and harder to cheat. We can work on bipartisan goals such as transparency in the elections process, cleaner voter rolls, an accessible polling location in every precinct, and requiring our election machinery to be made in America – not China.
Arizona's Water
Arizona’s water is one of its most precious resources. We should be actively renegotiating the Colorado River Compact with California and looking towards large water megaprojects such as desalination or cross-basin pipelines to address long-term water concerns. I support the creation of a statewide water market and a change in how we regulate brackish groundwater.
Salt River Community Priorities
The Salt River Community is an incredibly important part of not just our district, but our state. We must ensure that the Community’s needs are being met and that we oppose any attempts to obstruct Community members’ right to vote.
Additionally, I approve of efforts to fund a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Committee and am heartbroken that this issue has not been taken more seriously in the past. Funding for tribal public safety agencies is also important as we look to lower crime rates across the state amidst a crime wave.
Do you live in LD8?
Our district is a beautiful mix of Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe. We have Arizona State University, the Phoenix Zoo, and Old Town Scottsdale.
Do you live in sunny, gorgeous LD8? Find out with my interactive map!
