Raquel Terán
{{Short description|American politician (born 1977)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Raquel Terán
|image = Raquel Teran by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
|office = Minority Leader of the Arizona Senate
|term_start = January 9, 2023
|term_end = March 2, 2023
|predecessor = Rebecca Rios
|successor = Mitzi Epstein
|office1 = Member of the Arizona Senate
|term_start1 = September 28, 2021
|term_end1 = April 13, 2023
|predecessor1 = Tony Navarrete
|successor1 = Flavio Bravo
|constituency1 = 30th district (2021–2023)
26th district (2023)
|office2 = Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party
|term_start2 = January 23, 2021
|term_end2 = January 28, 2023
|predecessor2 = Felecia Rotellini
|successor2 = Yolanda Bejarano
|state_house3 = Arizona
|district3 = 30th
|alongside3 = Robert Meza
|term_start3 = January 14, 2019
|term_end3 = September 28, 2021
|predecessor3 = Tony Navarrete
|successor3 = Christian Solorio
|birth_date = {{nowrap|{{birth date and age|1977|11|30}}}}
|birth_place = Douglas, Arizona, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
}}
Raquel Terán (born November 30, 1977){{cite web |url=https://www.raquelteran.com |title=Raquel Teran for Congress | Phoenix |website=Raquel Teran}} is an American politician who previously served as a member of the Arizona Senate from the 26th district. She previously served in the Arizona House of Representatives and as chair of the Arizona Democratic Party.
Early life
Terán was born in Douglas, Arizona. Her citizenship was challenged in court by an anti-immigration advocate in 2012, and again after her 2018 election.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/newly-elected-raquel-ter-n-defiant-she-faces-birther-movement-n934536 |publisher=NBC News |title=Newly elected Raquel Terán defiant as she faces a birther movement in Arizona |date=November 9, 2018 |first1=Nicole |last1=Acevedo |first2=Stephen |last2=Nuño-Pérez |first3=Suzanne |last3=Gamboa |access-date=November 13, 2018}} The lawsuits were both dismissed.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/judge-dismisses-birther-lawsuit-against-newly-elected-arizona-latina-raquel-n936331 |title=Judge dismisses 'birther' lawsuit against newly elected Arizona Latina, Raquel Terán |publisher=NBC News |date=November 14, 2018 |first1=Nicole |last1=Acevedo |access-date=July 20, 2020}}
Career
Prior to being elected to the state legislature, Terán was a community organizer who was active in opposing Arizona SB 1070 that she believed had an "anti-immigrant sentiment."{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/arizona-several-latina-progressives-democrats-run-local-state-races-n871961 |title=In Arizona, several Latina progressives, Democrats run for local, state races |publisher=NBC News |access-date=January 14, 2019 |date=May 10, 2018 |last=Nuño-Pérez |first=Stephen}} She was part of the successful recall of Russell Pearce, the primary sponsor of SB 1070, in 2011.
Terán was elected in November 2018 to the Arizona House of Representatives, and she assumed office on January 14, 2019. In 2021, Terán was elected chair of the Arizona Democratic Party.{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-arizona-phoenix-joe-arpaio-russell-pearce-e8fbeccecde5e1b984561cab2a58eb88 |title=Raquel Terán elected Arizona Democratic Party chair |publisher=Apnews.com |date= January 24, 2021|accessdate=April 6, 2023}} On September 15, 2021, Terán was appointed to the Arizona Senate to fill the remainder of Tony Navarrete's two-year term following his resignation.{{cite web |last1=Associated Press |title=Terán selected to replace Navarrete in Arizona Senate |url=https://ktar.com/story/4684368/teran-selected-to-replace-navarrete-in-arizona-senate/ |website=KTAR.com |access-date=September 15, 2021 |date=September 15, 2021}}
The Senate Democratic Caucus elected Téran to serve as the minority leader of the Arizona State Senate, succeeding outgoing minority leader Rebecca Rios, in December 2022.{{cite web|author=Destination: Drama! |url=https://azpbs.org/horizon/2022/12/arizona-democrats-experience-big-win-this-election-season/ |title=Arizona Democrats experience big win this election season - Arizona PBS |publisher=Azpbs.org |date=December 6, 2022 |accessdate=April 6, 2023}} She stepped down as state party chair to focus on the position, and stepped down as minority leader in March 2023, as she explored a run for the United States House of Representatives.{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/arizona-democrats-senate-minority-leader-9b06c7367fe1b6545f54d68fb6de1f6f |title=Arizona Senate Democrats pick new minority leader |publisher=AP News |date=March 2, 2023 |accessdate=April 6, 2023}}
In April 2023, after Congressman Ruben Gallego announced his intention to run for the United States Senate against incumbent Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Téran announced her candidacy to succeed Gallego in {{ushr|AZ|3}} of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2024 elections.{{cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/04/05/arizona-state-lawmaker-raquel-teran-announces-run-ruben-gallego-us-house-seat/70080386007/ |title=State Sen. Raquel Terán announces run for 3rd Congressional District |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=January 9, 2023 |accessdate=April 6, 2023}} On April 13, 2023, Terán announced she was resigning from the Arizona Senate to focus on her congressional run.{{cite web |title=Democratic Arizona Sen. Raquel Terán resigns to focus on congressional run |url=https://ktar.com/story/5483777/democratic-arizona-sen-raquel-teran-resigns-to-focus-on-congressional-run/ |publisher=KTAR |accessdate=April 14, 2023 |date=April 13, 2023}} In July 2023, the Working Families Party announced their endorsement of Terán.{{cite web |author1=Brittany Gibson |title=Progressive Working Families Party backs candidate to replace Rep. Ruben Gallego |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/25/progressive-working-families-gallego-00107914 |website=Politico |access-date=July 26, 2023 |date=July 25, 2023}}
In 2023, she opposed Arizona state legislation to increase housing supply through faster permitting processes and less restrictive zoning regulations. She said that she wanted guarantees for affordable housing.{{Cite web |last=Sievers |first=Caitlin |date=2023-03-14 |title=Sweeping bill to address Arizona's housing crisis shot down |url=https://www.azmirror.com/2023/03/14/sweeping-bill-to-address-arizonas-housing-crisis-shot-down/ |website=Arizona Mirror |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.azleg.gov/senate-member/?legislature=55&session=125&legislator=2080 Profile] at the Arizona Senate
- [https://raquelteran.com/ Campaign website]
{{CongLinks|votesmart=141306}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Felecia Rotellini}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party|years=2021–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Yolanda Bejarano}}
|-
{{s-par|us-az-sen}}
{{s-bef|before=Rebecca Rios}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Arizona Senate|years=2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Mitzi Epstein}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teran, Raquel}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Arizona Democratic Party chairs
Category:Democratic Party Arizona state senators
Category:Democratic Party members of the Arizona House of Representatives
Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Arizona
Category:Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
Category:People from Douglas, Arizona
Category:Women state legislators in Arizona
Category:21st-century members of the Arizona State Legislature
Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections