House - AZ 6th - Hiral Tipirneni

Democrat challenging incumbent Republican David Schweikert in Northeastern suburbs of Phoenix, including Scottsdale

Dr. Hiral Tipirneni has dedicated her life to serving her community. She’s a problem solver who wants to improve lives. For more than 20 years, she has served the Phoenix area as an emergency room doctor and cancer research advocate. She sits on the board of directors of the Maricopa Health Foundation, which supports the county’s public health care delivery system.

Dr. Tipirneni came to the U.S. from India when she was 3 years old. Her parents believed that in America people who worked hard and lived by the rules could be successful, no matter where they came from. They lived in Ohio, where her father was a structural engineer and her mother was a social worker. Hiral often went with her mother to deliver food for Meals on Wheels (her mother organized the local chapter), which is where Hiral learned that small acts of kindness could have an important impact on another person.

A childhood illness inspired Hiral to learn about medicine. She completed her education in public schools and earned her M.D. at Northeast Ohio Medical University. She chose emergency medicine because it allowed her to be the first point of contact for patients. Working on a team in the ER appealed to her because of the wide variety of challenges and opportunities to help people.

Hiral met her husband Kishore in med school. After they completed their training, the couple looked for a place to live that reflected the Midwest values they both grew up with. They chose Phoenix, where Hiral practiced emergency medicine and Kishore practiced orthopedic surgery—all while raising their three children. In addition to her frontline job in medicine, Hiral has served on nonprofit boards and led teams of researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates in the fight to cure breast cancer, prostate cancer, and childhood leukemia.

Hiral is running for Congress to continue her pragmatic approach to getting results for her constituents and all Americans. Chief among her priorities are expanding healthcare coverage and driving down related costs. EMILY’s List, End Citizens United, and Planned Parenthood have all endorsed her.

Hiral says: “I believe in solving problems and improving lives, which is all about people, not partisanship. That’s what I did in the emergency room, and I’m running for Congress to do the same . . . I believe there’s never been a moment where it’s been more critical for us to have physicians and scientists at the table.” Her statement about the coronavirus pandemic strengthens the argument: “. . . Each of us must do our part to ‘flatten the curve.’ This collective strategy will prevent spread, save lives, and help to ensure we have enough medical resources to care for those who are ill. What we all do today can definitively alter what happens tomorrow.”

Her opponent is incumbent Republican David Schweikert, who is in his 5th term. On July 31, 2020, the House of Representatives voted unanimously to formally sanction Schweikert for violating campaign finance rules and improperly using official resources for his reelection efforts. In a rare reprimand of one of its own, the House fined him $50,000 for the violations. Schweikert admitted to all 11 counts of misconduct outlined by the House Ethics Committee. The report by the Committee noted undisclosed loans and campaign contributions; misuse of campaign funds for personal purposes; improper spending by his office; and an environment where office staffers were pressured to do political work. The Committee stated that Schweikert had “displayed a lack of candor” throughout the two-year investigation. The Arizona Republic reported: “As investigators looked deeper into Schweikert's personal, congressional and campaign finances, they found years of false information and troubling behavior beginning in 2010 and stretching to 2018.”

Schweikert has voted with Trump 91% of the time, including voting for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act multiple times. Schweikert also supports the administration’s current lawsuit against the ACA. Schweikert has a long record of voting for deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Schweikert has an NRA rating of 93%; a League of Conservation Voters rating of only 14%; and a 0% rating by both NARAL Pro-Choice America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

Hiral can win this race based on her credentials, commitment, and character. Her opponent’s admission to all charges brought against him by Congress is serious. The district went for Trump by 3%, but Kyrsten Sinema beat Martha McSally in this district when she won the Senate seat in 2018.

If successful, Hiral would be the first woman of color elected to the House from Arizona. She needs our help to achieve victory and flip this seat.