Via Arizona City Independent
ARIZONA CITY — A Pinal County farmer and attorney has announced her candidacy for the Congressional District 1 seat.
Republican Tiffany Shedd of Arizona City told PinalCentral that she believes she’s the best person for the job because she knows the struggles facing rural Arizona and has the plans in place to help bring about change.
“Washington doesn’t understand our Western problems, and particularly, rural districts don’t have a voice,” Shedd said. “I’m an advocate for Arizona, one because I haven’t just read about it — I’ve lived it.”
Shedd moved with her family to the Eloy area in 1976 but had been coming to the area since infancy. She said her father wanted her to grow up in a rural area and said he loved the people in Pinal County.
She met her husband, Rodney, part of a pioneer family in the area, in second grade at Toltec Elementary School when she first moved to the area. The couple was married in 1989.
Together they own Shedd Farms, where the family grows wheat and cotton, and she said it’s this commitment to the rural lifestyle that will set her apart from GOP primary opponents Steve Smith of Maricopa and Kevin Cavanaugh of Apache Junction.
Shedd said she’s seen the effects of bad policy on farmers, ranchers and small business owners, saying that the issues are affecting “real lives.”
“I learned a long time ago, if you’re not saying no, you’re saying yes,” Shedd said. “I can’t sit back while my community and country are slowly losing their property rights and personal liberties.”
A self-proclaimed “Constitution junkie,” Shedd said her message is simple: “Get government out of the way so rural Arizona can prosper.”
Shedd said she believes the federal government should stick to its enumerated powers and legislators shouldn’t just write and pass laws and then expect courts to figure out the legalities.
Shedd holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona. She’s a practicing attorney specializing in agriculture and small business and says her job is best done when no one ever has to enter a courtroom.
The Shedds have three children — Steven, 21; Summer, 17; and Samantha, 10. All of the children were homeschooled and Shedd said the family remains committed to continuing to homeschool throughout the campaign.
In fact, aside from certain time constraints, Shedd said she plans to continue to live her life as she always has, being out in the communities that she’s known and loved her whole life.
“This district has some of the most natural beauty in the state,” she said. “I think part of my job in Congress will be (as) a salesman for rural Arizona. And, honestly, it’s an easy sell.”
She said she plans to visit every part of the district talking to voters and listening to the concerns they have.
The district, which includes most of Pinal County and much of eastern and northern Arizona, is represented by Democrat Tom O’Halleran of Sedona.
Shedd is officially kicking off her campaign Wednesday at the Arizona City Golf Course, of which she and Rodney are part owners. It was important to make the announcement there, not only because she has had a connection with the venue her whole life, but also because it’s a good model of what hope and renovation can do.
“We revitalized it out of love, and it shows a lot more can come back to Arizona,” she said.
Shedd said she believes voters will embrace her message of revitalization for Arizona.
“I think people will vote for the person they know ‘has their back,’” Shedd said. “I’ll do my best to have rural Arizona’s back.”