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After more than a decade in Congress sounding the alarm on debt, demographics, and economic sustainability, Arizona Rep. David Schweikert is stepping away from Washington and setting his sights on the governor’s office.
In this The Gold Spot Overtime, the Congressman joins Scottsdale Bullion & Coin’s Founder Eric Sepanek and Precious Metals Advisor John Karow to discuss the challenges facing Arizonans and his vision for the state as a gubernatorial candidate.
What Makes Arizona Unique
Arizona has long stood apart from the rest of the country as a haven for opportunity and generational betterment. Schweikert refers to it as “the closest thing I know to a meritocracy.” People from across the country and around the world arrive to build businesses, pursue prosperity, and enjoy a high quality of life rooted in freedom and mobility.
For decades, Arizona has served as both a growth engine and an innovation sandbox, attracting entrepreneurs, emerging industries, and skilled workers seeking opportunity. This appeal has fueled rapid population growth, with the state adding more than 1 million residents since 2010, including a surge of newcomers in the post-pandemic migration wave.
Yet despite its enduring strengths, Arizona now faces a new set of challenges that threaten to slow its momentum.
Economic Headwinds Facing Arizona
For a long time, Arizona had successfully promoted economic vitality by attracting next-generation industries and high-quality employers. In recent years, however, that progress has stalled. Residents understand better than anyone how the state’s wages have struggled to keep up with rising living costs, leaving many households feeling financially squeezed.
“There’s this lack of understanding that if you look at the actual numbers of Arizona, we’re treading water right now. And if we do this much longer, we’re going to be actually in a fiscal mess.”–
During the recent inflation surge, Maricopa County ranked among the highest in the nation.
“If your wages haven’t gone up 28%, you’re poorer today…than [you] were five years ago.”–
Creating a competitive business climate and sustaining economic momentum has traditionally been a central responsibility of the governor’s office, and critics argue that momentum has slowed.
Revitalizing Arizona’s Economic Prosperity
Schweikert describes a holistic approach to securing and optimizing the Grand Canyon State’s economic boom — strengthening the infrastructure surrounding the economy so productivity can flourish and opportunity expands.
“You can do things in the state of Arizona that could create a revolution of prosperity.”–
When transportation works, education prepares workers, and businesses can grow efficiently, wages tend to rise as a result. By improving productivity and attracting investment, Arizona can restore upward mobility and expand economic opportunity.
A Rapid-Fire Economic Vision
Beyond restoring job growth, Schweikert outlines a practical agenda focused on removing barriers to prosperity and improving everyday quality of life.
- Modernizing, permitting, and reducing regulatory bottlenecks through technology
- Creating innovation “sandboxes” to attract emerging industries
- Improving transportation systems to support commerce and mobility
- Strengthening workforce pipelines and career-ready education
- Addressing homelessness through addiction treatment and recovery pathways
- Improving public health outcomes to reduce long-term costs
- Prioritizing law enforcement and drug interdiction to enhance community safety
- Modernizing government operations through data-driven efficiency
Together, these priorities emphasize faster government, healthier communities, and a more competitive economic environment.
“There are great ideas out there. We just need the vision to execute them.”–
The Governor’s Role in Driving Growth
Arizona’s constitution creates a relatively strong legislature and a weaker executive branch, yet history shows that effective governors can reshape the state’s economic trajectory.
Under past leadership, Arizona climbed from the lower tier of wage growth into the top tier — demonstrating how direction, coordination, and economic vision can produce measurable change.
“For the people that are trying to raise their family and get ready for retirement and have a life here, I’ll get their vote because we provide a path for a better life in Arizona and getting back to the days when our wages grew, and our prosperity expanded.”–
Effective leadership depends on collaboration and engagement across government and communities. Schweikert has a proven track record of working across the aisle and fairly representing constituencies with diverse viewpoints.
“[I’ll work with]…anyone that will show up and engage in the vision.”–
To learn more about Congressman David Schweikert’s campaign and policy priorities or to get involved with his gubernatorial race, check out his official campaign website here.
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