The political spotlight turned to Phoenix on Sunday as the "Won’t Back Down" Tour brought Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy for a rally focused on flipping the House of Representatives.
Hosted by advocacy group MoveOn and supported by Democrat-leaning media company MeidasTouch, the high-energy event drew ASU students and potential challengers to Republicans.
Ansari, whose district encompasses the venue, said President Donald Trump’s administration was a "gangster regime" supported by Arizona’s Republican members of Congress.
"Their mission is carried forward by cowardly Republicans who will literally do whatever it is that Donald Trump wants," Ansari said.
Throughout the event, which was held at The Van Buren in Downtown Phoenix, Ansari, Crockett and Murphy talked about economic issues, immigration, healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights and governmental corruption.
The legislative officials also encouraged the audience to talk to people of all political perspectives about the harm caused by Trump’s policies and behavior.
"We need to be in conversation, not just with ourselves, but we need to give an on-ramp to the people who believed this guy, who thought he was serious about tackling costs and thought he was kidding about being a dictator," Murphy said.
Crockett said it was also important to motivate Democrats who "have lost faith," as she stressed nationwide solidarity for the party.
During the Q&A portion, the speakers emphasized their visions for the future of the Democratic Party.
Ansari said Democrats need to focus on housing affordability, and Murphy said they must defend a version of democracy that better serves Americans. Crockett proposed improving the education system, increasing corporate taxes, implementing ethics rules for the Supreme Court, ensuring equal voting rights nationwide and eliminating the filibuster in the Senate.
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"I’m real aggressive, if y’all haven’t noticed, so my vision would be a very aggressive one," Crockett said.
MoveOn spokesperson Britt Jacovich said in an email from Aug. 2 that they expected to exceed the venue’s capacity of 1,800 people. Although there did not appear to be nearly that many, the event brought in hundreds of attendees.
Among those in attendance were several ASU students.
Quinn Anderson, a senior studying biological sciences, said he had never been to an event like the "Won’t Back Down" Tour. He said he went because national politics is "becoming more toxic."
Cameron Bautista, a junior studying mathematics, political science and justice studies who also serves as the political director for the Keep Arizona Blue Student Coalition, said he was looking forward to a candid conversation about the Republicans’ political agenda and ways to fight back.
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"What a lot of Arizonans of all ages, specifically young Arizonans, are wanting to hear is the truth," Bautista said. "We don’t want to hear all this political, glorified fluff that so many politicians have."
Colin Mcpherson, a junior studying political science, is the campaign manager for Bernadette Greene-Placentia — a Democrat running to unseat Rep. Abraham Hamadeh of Arizona's 8th Congressional District. They said Republicans like Hamadeh are not responsive to their constituents.
"A lot of Arizonans aren’t being listened to," Mcpherson said.
While town halls by Arizona's Republican representatives have been sparse, they haven't been nonexistent. Rep. Eli Crane held a call-in town hall in late July, according to the Arizona Daily Sun, and Rep. Andy Biggs participated in a Republican-only town hall in March, per the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
However, The New York Times reported in early March that GOP representatives were told not to hold in-person town halls.
Greene-Placentia, who attended the rally, said Hamadeh’s values did not align with those of his voters. Greene-Placentia said federal cuts to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and food assistance programs would especially hurt that district, which includes ASU’s West Valley campus.
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Accountability of politicians to their communities was a priority for Crockett, too.
"For far too long, there’s too many people in elected office that believe that they are kings and queens, instead of understanding that we serve you, the people," Crockett said.
Ansari closed her speech by encouraging listeners to take action.
"Every single choice that you make, to organize, to mobilize, to get people involved in the process will make a difference for the future of this country," Ansari said.
Edited by George Headley, Leah Mesquita and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at coyer1@asu.edu and follow @carstenoyer on X.
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Carsten Oyer is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication, as well as public service and public policy. This is his second semester with The State Press, having previously worked as a politics reporter.
