American politician (born 1964)
Catherine Miranda (born October 5, 1964) is an American politician and member of the Arizona Senate for the 11th legislative district, serving since 2023.
Miranda previously served in the Arizona Senate, representing the 27th electoral district from 2015 to 2019. She was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. In 2018, Miranda ran in the Democratic primary for Arizona's 7th congressional district in 2018, challenging incumbent Democrat Ruben Gallego, but lost the nomination.[1] In 2020, she was defeated in her attempt to return to the Arizona House of Representatives by challenging the incumbents, Reginald Bolding and Diego Rodriguez, in the Democratic primary.[2][3]
Miranda was first elected in the 16th district, the same seat that her late husband, Ben Miranda, had held.[4] She was then redistricted to the 27th district. Miranda served on the Roosevelt Elementary School District #66 Governing Board from 2008 until her election to the state House of Representatives [5] and cites education cuts as the reason she ran for a seat in the state legislature.[6]
Early life
Catherine Miranda was born Catherine Hernandez in south Phoenix, Arizona to parents Robert Hernandez and Ysabel Santana Hernandez. She lived in Arizona her entire life, attending Middle school at Lassen and High School at East High. When she went off to college, she attended Arizona State University to obtain her bachelor's degree and then she attended Northern Arizona University where she obtained her master's degree. She worked as teacher in Roosevelt Elementary School District in Arizona and went on to be a School Administrator in the Roosevelt/Cartwright/Washington districts. After that she served as a Governing Board member in the Roosevelt Elementary School District before moving into politics.[7]
Political positions
One of Catherine Miranda's top priorities is on education in Arizona. She supports state governments providing college students with financial aid and allowing immigrants who graduate from Arizona high schools to be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities. She also believes that there needs to be an increase in government spending for K-12 education and a slight increase in spending for post-secondary education.[20] Miranda voted against expanding school vouchers in Arizona.[21]
Miranda supports the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA as well as a pathway to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers. She also believes that the issue of border security needs to framed in terms economic impact.[20]
In her time in the Arizona Legislature, Miranda has crossed party lines to vote with Republicans on several occasions. During the primary election for the US House of Representatives for the Arizona 7th District, incumbent Rep. Ruben Gallego accused her of being a Republican stating "there is a Republican running - it's Catherine Miranda".[22] She also made headlines when she endorsed Republican Doug Ducey for Governor in 2014,[23] despite previously endorsing the Democratic candidate, Fred DuVal.[24] Additionally, she endorsed Republican Michele Reagan for Arizona Secretary of State over the Democratic contender, Terry Goddard.[25]
On fiscal issues, she opposes deregulation of the private sector and supports expanding unemployment benefits.[26] In 2016, the fiscally conservative Americans for Prosperity gave her a rating of 30% and the fiscally conservative Goldwater Institute gave her a 39% score in 2013.[27]
Miranda supports enhancing background checks and regulations when it comes to gun ownership. She does not support arming teachers and instead focused on the problem of third party arms dealers.[20]
Catherine Miranda described herself as pro-life in 2010 and is against abortion due to her religious beliefs, being classified as "anti-choice" by NARAL Pro-Choice Arizona.[28] She was endorsed by Arizona Right to Life in her 2016 election.[29] She is one of a few pro-life Democrats and she sometimes crosses the aisle to vote with Republicans regarding abortion. In 2018, she was the only Democrat to break with her party and vote with Republicans to increase reporting requirements for abortion providers as well as to allow stored embryos to be used by one partner even after a divorce.[30] She also voted to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.[27] However, she voted against allowing employers to refuse to provide birth control and contraception health care coverage to employees.[31]
In 2014, Planned Parenthood, which supports legal access to abortion, gave Miranda a rating of 67% for voting in line with their positions and she received a 40% rating in 2016; conversely, the Center for Arizona Policy, which opposes legal abortion, gave Miranda a 2017 score of 20% and a 2016 score of 50% based on their positions.[32]
In 2010, Miranda responded to a questionnaire answering that she is opposed to same-sex marriage, but also responded that she supports civil unions.[26] She also answered questions saying that she supports non-discrimination protections for LGBT persons including by adding gender identity and sexual orientation to Arizona's anti-discrimination laws.[26] Stonewall Democrats of Arizona, a partisan Democratic group in support of same-sex marriage and other gay rights, gave Miranda a rating of 50% in 2014[32]
Family
Miranda's husband, Roberto Sanchez, ran for a state House seat in the 27th legislative district in 2018.
She has two children and was formerly married to Ben Miranda who died in 2013.
Miranda's nephew, Cipriano-Gabriel Miranda, ran for Miranda's open state Senate seat in 2018.
Miranda's brother-in-law, Richard Miranda, was elected to the state house in 1998 and served until 2012.
Parents
Her father, Robert Hernandez was a Korean War Veteran and worked in construction. While working in construction he helped to build what is now known as the KROC center.
Her mother, Ysabel Hernandez worked at AirResearch, and Aerospace technology company. She died from breast cancer when Catherine Miranda was only 17 years old.
