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Maria Rodriquez-Salazar began her career as a nurse 15 years ago, and since then has never stopped caring for people. A mom, a driven community organizer, a national leader of Latin American citizens, and a recent political sparkplug who helped new Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt win by rallying Hispanic voters, Maria is a candidate for these troubled times.

The National Vice-President of the Northwest Region of LULAC (the League of United Latin American Citizens – the largest and one of the most esteemed Hispanic organizations in America), Maria is a community organizer to the core. She started organizing in her own Catholic church, making sure marginalized groups such as underprivileged youth and Spanish-speaking families had access to basic services, like food, health care, transportation to work and housing opportunities. She has never run for office previously, but was prompted to run by the many people in the community and throughout the state who witnessed her ability to lead and improve the lives of others. Maria can deliver where others will just disappoint.

Maria wants voters in the Third Congressional District to know that she gets things done.

“People want new leadership that will touch their lives — a representative who lives like them, works like them and acts like them. The politicians we have now are driving them crazy. Middle class people are working harder and harder; health care is getting more expensive; and our kids’ education is questionable at best. We need a Congress that understands real people’s concerns,” Maria said. “Did you know that only 4% of Congress are women raising a child under the age of 13, yet 70 percent of mothers with school-age children have jobs outside the home? And our nation’s fastest-growing population, Hispanic voters, only make-up 4% of Congress and women only 17%.”

There just aren’t many people in Congress like Maria. She’s a non-political politician. “As the National Vice-President of LULAC for the Northwest Region, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming, I have had to work on non-partisan and multi-partisan issues for many years.”  Maria is a proud Democrat who’s not afraid to work with – or trust Republicans – if it means solving a problem.

Having come from a poor Hispanic family and experienced firsthand how difficult it is to break the cycle of poverty, Maria attributes her success to the power of community and to a cadre of unsung heroes who believed in her and helped her succeed. “I made it thanks to the people who stood by me from my neighborhood to my church to other fine women and some great men. They helped me make a better life for myself. I know how important it is to give back,” Maria explains.

A nurse who was drawn into health care administration to get more people served, Maria is right for the Third Congressional District. The District will have an open seat in the August primary due to Rep. Brian Baird’s decision to retire. “This District has always valued women candidates: from Julia Butler Hanson to Jolene Unsoeld on the Democratic side, and Linda Smith on the Republican side. “And these women,” Maria says, “have proven to be decisive and instrumental in making lives better.”