Thursday February 27th long-time U.S. congressman Ed Pastor took to Twitter to announce that he will not seek reelection. This decision comes after 23 years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives, in which he represented the culturally rich and economically important area that makes up what is now the Arizona’s 7th congressional district. Pastor, who when first elected became the first Latino member of congress. Prior to running for office, Pastor worked professionally as an educator. Later he obtained a law degree and joined a team formed to enforce workers’ rights and the civil rights act.
Former Speaker of the House and current Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, submitted a statement following Pastors announcement commending him on his service. ”He is a trailblazer,” Pelosi said, “(he) dedicated his life to serving the families of Arizona and always worked to build a brighter future for the children of our nation, championing key investments in education, infrastructure, and small businesses.” At home members of both parties showed their appreciation for Pastor. Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton calling him one of the Phoenix areas greatest champions. Pastor, using his position in Washington, brought high dollar construction projects (light rail in Mesa, Sky Harbor improvements, etc.) which contributed greatly to development. A pedestrian bridge spanning McDowell Road near 35th Avenue was renamed after him in 2012, in honor of the work he put in to secure federal financing for the structure. Pastor received criticism from the Arizona Republic because of a growth in personal wealth that he obtain while in office, a sign of a much larger problem with system as a whole.
Pastor has yet to clarify whether or not this is a sign of retirement or public service in a new capacity. It is assumed that after 12 terms, and at the age of 70, Congressman Pastor will be spending more time with his family.
The seat is considered safe for democrats. State Representatives Ruben Gallego and Steve Gallardo head a list of democratic candidates who will contest one another in the primary.