State Sen. Raquel Terán enters Democratic race for U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego's seat

State Sen. Raquel Terán announced Wednesday that she is running for Congress in Arizona's 3rd Congressional District.

Terán, D-Phoenix, is joining what may potentially be a crowded Democratic primary field seeking to fill the U.S. House seat that will be vacated by U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2024. The district heavily favors Democratic demographics in such a way that the primary will be the most competitive part of the race, instead of the general election.

The announcement comes after Terán relinquished her leadership post in the Arizona Senate in late February to consider a run for Congress.

"I'm a working-class mom, so I understand just how hard it is to make ends meet in this economy," Terán said in a statement and launch video: "That is why I’m running for Congress — to ensure my son grows up in the best community possible, where hard-working families are paid their fair share."

Terán was elected last year to represent Legislative District 26 in the Arizona Senate. She joined the upper body of the state Legislature in September 2021 after she was selected to fill the rest of former Sen. Tony Navarrete's two-year term when he stepped down. Prior to that, Terán served for a little over two and half years in the Arizona House of Representatives.

Immigration is a major issue for Terán. She is originally from Douglas and was brought up on a street that separates the United States from Mexico.

Terán was one of the organizers against Senate Bill 1070, a controversial 2010 Arizona law that was sponsored by former state Senate President Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, and supported by former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

What to know about Arizona's SB 1070: What it did, what's still in effect and what were the consequences

Terán was part of the successful effort to increase the minimum wage from $12.80 to $13.85 and give employees paid time off when sick.

Other policy issues important to Terán include affordable housing, universal health care and abortion rights. She previously worked for Planned Parenthood.

In an acknowledgment of a likely crowded primary field, the Rev. Quantá Crews, who is listed as an associate minister at the Tanner Chapel AME Church in Phoenix, said in Terán's launch video: "For Congress in District 3, there is only one candidate: Raquel."

Terán is the second candidate to announce her campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 3rd Congressional District.

Phoenix Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari announced Tuesday she is running.

Other Democrats interested in the race include: State Sen. Catherine Miranda; former state Rep. Cesar Chavez; and Phoenix City Councilperson Laura Pastor. Pastor's father, the late U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., represented the area in Congress for years prior to Gallego.

The 3rd district includes sections of Phoenix, such as south Phoenix, Laveen and Maryvale, and parts of Glendale. The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, which was responsible for redrawing Arizona's congressional districts last year, said the district leans Democratic but is considered "outside of competitive range." Thus the winner of the Democratic primary is likely to be victorious on election day next November.

Gallego is giving up his House seat to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. Sinema has not officially announced if she is running for reelection.

Tara Kavaler is a politics reporter at The Arizona Republic. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @kavalertara.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: State Sen. Raquel Terán announces run for 3rd Congressional District