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Who is Kesha Hodge Washington, the new Phoenix City Council member for District 8?

Kesha Hodge Washington delivers her victory speech during her election watch party at Warehouse 215 in Phoenix on March 14, 2023.
Kesha Hodge Washington delivers her victory speech during her election watch party at Warehouse 215 in Phoenix on March 14, 2023.

An attorney from Laveen beat out an incumbent and former immigrants' rights activist to become the District 8 Phoenix City Council representative.

Kesha Hodge Washington defeated Carlos Garcia in the March 14 runoff election by a significant margin. Council incumbents rarely lose re-election in Phoenix, but Hodge Washington's candidacy was boosted by a flood of endorsements from well-known politicians, including Mayor Kate Gallego, U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Terry Goddard, who has served as mayor and Arizona's attorney general.

Garcia posted his concession on social media Thursday evening after the city clerk released a third batch of election results.

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"Serving Phoenix has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am proud of this community and our accomplishments. I just spoke with Kesha and wished her all the best. My commitment to our residents will continue. District 8, thank you for everything," Garcia wrote on Twitter.

Lajuane Pleasant, Kesha Hodge Washington, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Rep. Greg Stanton pose for a photo during Hodge Washington’s election watch party at Warehouse 215 in Phoenix on March 14, 2023.
Lajuane Pleasant, Kesha Hodge Washington, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Rep. Greg Stanton pose for a photo during Hodge Washington’s election watch party at Warehouse 215 in Phoenix on March 14, 2023.

Historic moment for City Council

Hodge Washington is the first Black woman elected to the City Council and, starting April 17, when she and District 6 Councilmember-elect Kevin Robinson are seated, the council will for the first time have two Black members.

Hodge Washington's victory also represents a win for Black organizers in south Phoenix who for decades successfully pipelined candidates to the District 8 seat. Their playbook fell apart, however, in 2013, when Kate Gallego, now the mayor, defeated Warren Stewart Sr. for the spot, and again in 2019, when Garcia defeated Michael Johnson.

Johnson, a former three-term Phoenix City Council member from District 8, celebrated Hodge Washington's victory at her election party. Hodge Washington thanked him for his guidance. "I know I stand on the shoulders of a lot of people that came before me," she said.

Behind the scenes: Kevin Robinson, Kesha Hodge Washington celebrate Phoenix City Council runoff election results

Planning to gather neighborhood groups and listen

Hodge Washington said she'll launch her term representing District 8 with a listening tour she's calling "Energize Eight."

"I want to get all the neighborhood associations together and figure out what their priorities are because I know they're different throughout the district. ... I have great ideas, but I want to make sure I hear from the community and their ideas," Hodge Washington said.

On the campaign trail, Hodge Washington said her experience as an attorney would elevate her ability to listen to constituents, understand what they want and deliver results.

Campaigning: Phoenix District 8 candidates spar over policing, endorsements at debate

She contrasted herself with Garcia by proposing targeted problem-solving. Garcia believes some systems, like policing, need radical rethinking.

"You have to look at what part of the system has failed us, not necessarily throw out the entire system," Hodge Washington told voters at a debate in February.

Campaign focused on quality of life issues

Hodge Washington's campaign messaging focused on combatting housing insecurity and advancing District 8 residents' quality of life.

She has repeatedly emphasized the economic opportunities that the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company factories being built in north Phoenix present for south Phoenix. She has proposed partnerships with local community colleges to provide career training for District 8 residents.

How Hodge Washington became a candidate: Inside the effort to bring Black representation back to Phoenix City Council

To combat homelessness, she said Phoenix should create designated encampment areas where individuals can receive services, shelter and a shower. Hodge Washington also said Phoenix should incentivize developers to build affordable housing on city-owned property and place shelters throughout the city as proportionately needed, as opposed to clustering shelters in the city's south side.

Regarding police funding, brutality and accountability, Hodge Washington has said she is neither pro- nor anti-police. She is not interested in defunding the police, she told voters at a February debate. There are "misguided individuals" in the police department who need to be made aware the city won't protect bad actors, she told residents. Nonetheless, she said, she does not "believe that every officer is engaged in police brutality."

"I know that all police officers are not necessarily biased or racist," she said. To discourage police misconduct, Hodge Washington said Phoenix should consider paying legal settlements out of police pensions.

Early in her campaign: Kesha Hodge Washington wants to represent south Phoenix. Here's her pitch

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who is Kesha Hodge Washington, the new Phoenix City Council member?