In Arizona, voters worry about rising prices and immigration

As the United States heads toward next November's presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, AFP has measured the mood in key districts in seven swing states.

Inflation, electoral integrity and immigration are motivating voters in Maricopa County, Arizona, where Harris faces an uphill battle to build on Joe Biden's success in 2020.

Here are some Phoenix-area voters who told AFP about the issues most important to them ahead of the November 5 election:

– Mortgage Banker Will Purtill –

On a busy street corner in Phoenix's trendy Roosevelt Row neighborhood, Will Purtill said his biggest concern for the country was “where the economy is going.”

“If you look at the credit reports every day, the credit utilization is higher than ever,” said the 34-year-old director of mortgage banking. “People are short of money and are getting into more and more debt.”

Purtill said he is also concerned about interest rates, which the Federal Reserve has gradually raised over the past two years to reduce inflation in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The resulting increase in mortgage costs has made purchasing a home even more unaffordable for many Americans.

Purtill said he is looking for “the one who has the biggest plan to make the biggest impact and make housing more affordable.”

– Pensioner Roxanne Pazul –

For Roxanne Pazul, a 62-year-old retiree from Tempe and member of the Ahwatukee Republican Women Club, rising prices are a challenge.

In Maricopa, food and housing are more expensive than the national average.

“My biggest problem is that the average American can no longer put food on the table every day and that there are families or even just individuals who are struggling,” Pazul said.

Election integrity is also a major issue in Arizona, where numerous allegations of widespread voter fraud have emerged as a contentious issue following the 2020 and 2022 elections.

Pazul told AFP she wanted to make sure her vote counted and that there were “no problems with it.”

– Teacher Karen Deadrick –

Due to a record increase in border crossings along the southern U.S. border, immigration is another central issue in the presidential campaign – especially in the Phoenix area, which is just over 100 miles from Mexico.

Karen Deadrick, a 69-year-old special education teacher from Chandler, told AFP at the Maricopa County polling center that illegal immigration and “the open border” were among her biggest concerns.

“I just think there are way too many people coming across the border,” she said. “We don't know who's coming in. We know they're well funded.”

Deadrick, another member of the Ahwatukee Republican Women Club, says she is also concerned about the integrity of the election and hopes her vote “will be counted and there will be no problems.”

“I have to say that I personally have never had any problems,” she added.

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