Democratic activists in Legislative District 20 voted last month to formally rebuke state Rep. Alma Hernandez, citing more than 150 votes she cast alongside Republicans over the past four years.

On May 18, members of the Legislative District 20 Democratic Committee voted 23 to 15 to issue a Statement of Concern and Request for Action to Hernandez.

Hernandez was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2018. She is term-limited out of the House after four terms and is running for the LD20 Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales, who is also termed out.

Hernandez is facing former Tucson City Council member Rocque Perez in the July 21 primary. With no Republican in the race, the seat will be decided in the primary.

"This action taken by my legislative district is politically motivated, and was another attempt for a political stunt, plain and simple," Hernandez told Tucson Spotlight in an email. "Those pushing it are supporting my opponent, and they are doing this solely to generate negative attention ahead of the primary."

Hernandez said those leading the process repeatedly misrepresented her record and on multiple occasions confused her with another Latina colleague who shares her last name, which she called racist.

Committee members have criticized Hernandez's willingness to vote with Republicans on 39 occasions this year, saying that from 2023 to 2026, Hernandez has voted with Republican colleagues 151 times.

The topics on which she sided with Republicans included restrictions on First Amendment rights, measures restricting LGBTQ+ educational content, limitations on local government budget authority and support for an Article V Constitutional Convention through HCR2043.

"This pattern reflects a departure from the Democratic Party platform and the expressed values and priorities of constituents within Legislative District 20," the committee said in a statement.

Committee member Matthew Capalby brought the situation to the committee's attention, saying their action is about accountability.

"The issue before us is not one disagreement or one difficult vote," Capalby said in a news release. "Representative Hernandez's documented pattern of conduct has increasingly aligned with Republican priorities while undermining the objectives of Democratic leadership, caucus strategy, and the values of the district."

Capalby said Hernandez is still the duly elected representative for LD20, and that her actions should align with the voters who elected her.

"Action like this was long overdue and didn't occur in isolation," Perez told Tucson Spotlight. "Representative Hernandez sided with Republicans more than 150 times in the last four years. Action like this was long overdue and deserving of harsher words given Arizona's Democratic Party censured former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema for less."

LD2 Sen. Gonzales spoke during the committee meeting, claiming that during a previous election, other candidates were given the debate questions ahead of time.

Gonzales said she and Hernandez were not provided with the questions, adding that she had refused to attend committee meetings until now for that reason.

"It was the kind of bullying we've seen from her at the State Capitol," Perez said of Gonzales' behavior during the meeting. "Her inability to work with colleagues to put our party's best foot forward in service to Tucson is exactly why we need new representation."

The document was amended to softer wording before the final vote, stopping short of a formal censure.

"They did not have the votes to pass a censure because the majority believed this was not the appropriate way to handle this situation," Hernandez said. "Rather than hold open forums where I can have discussions of my legislative record and be examined on the merits, the committee opted for a rushed, accusatory process built on falsehoods and steeped in racial bias designed to skirt LD20 bylaws."

Committee member Shanna Leonard said Hernandez has always been invited to attend open meetings.

"I don't recall her ever coming," said Leonard, who has worked with the committee since 2021 and said she has personally requested Hernandez join them for their regular meetings, along with other Democratic legislators. "It's kind of disrespectful. I wish she would just come and talk to us."

Quentin Agnello is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist in Tucson. Contact him at qsagnello@gmail.com.

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