Lorena AustinLorena Austin

EMILYs List recruits, trains and supports Democratic pro-choice women candidates at every level of the ballot. By helping to elect these women to office in 2025 and 2026, we’re not only building a foundation for the future, but we’re also putting strong women in charge of decisions that affect women and families every day — from the legislators who write laws to the attorneys general who defend and enforce them to the secretaries of state who ensure access to the ballot.

Lorena Austin is running for re-election to the Arizona State House in District 9. They were unopposed in the Democratic primary on July 21. Raised by a family committed to community service, they learned the value of hard work and compassion early on. Austin has fought tirelessly for access to abortion, funding Pre-K-20 public schools, preserving our water supply, expanding affordable housing options, and championing LGBTQ+ rights. In their first term, Austin was able to secure $40 million dollars for the Arizona Promise Program, which helps fund college education for Arizona students. Their fearlessness in confronting injustice and amplifying marginalized voices embodies her relentless pursuit of a fair and inclusive society. Austin is religiously unaffiliated.

Representative Lorena Austin is a fifth-generation Arizonan whose family has been rooted in their district for over 100 years. As the grandchild of farmworkers and child of civil rights activists, they proudly graduated from Mesa Community College, received a degree in Immigration Policy from Arizona State University, and completed a fellowship in State and Local Executive Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Their diverse career spans public, private, and non-profit sectors. A committed community volunteer, Rep. Austin helped provide COVID-19 relief to their district and the Navajo Nation. As a legislator, they secured $40 million for the Arizona Promise Program, which provides college scholarships for low income students, and $3M to expand the United Food Bank. They currently serve on the Appropriations and Public Safety committees and as the Ranking Democrat on the International Trade committee.