William Sanchez (Florida)
William Sanchez (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Florida. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 23, 2022.
Sanchez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
William Sanchez was born in Manhattan, New York. Sanchez received a bachelor's degree from the University of Miami in 1982 and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986. His career experience includes founding two microfinance institutions, and working as special counsel for the Department of Justice and as an immigration lawyer. He has been affiliated with the Haitian Refugee Center, Partners for Self Employment, Grameen Village Bank for the Poor, the National Congregation of Latino Ministers and Pastors, Temple Beth Am, City Kids Inc., American Immigration Lawyers, and the local YMCA basketball team.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: United States Senate election in Florida, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. Senate Florida
The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. Senate Florida on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Marco Rubio (R) | 57.7 | 4,474,847 |
 | Val Demings (D) | 41.3 | 3,201,522 | |
 | Dennis Misigoy (L)  | 0.4 | 32,177 | |
 | Steven B. Grant (No Party Affiliation) | 0.4 | 31,816 | |
 | Tuan Nguyen (No Party Affiliation) | 0.2 | 17,385 | |
 | Edward A. Gray (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 190 | |
 | Uloma Ekpete Kama (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 42 | |
 | Moses Quiles (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 33 | |
 | Howard Knepper (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 2 | |
| Total votes: 7,758,014 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jason Holic (No Party Affiliation)
- Carlos Barberena (No Party Affiliation)
- Shantele Bennett (No Party Affiliation)
- Ahmad Saide (No Party Affiliation)
- Timothy Devine (No Party Affiliation)
- Grace Granda (No Party Affiliation)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Florida
Val Demings defeated Brian Rush, William Sanchez, and Ricardo De La Fuente in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Florida on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Val Demings | 84.3 | 1,263,706 |
 | Brian Rush | 6.3 | 94,185 | |
 | William Sanchez | 5.6 | 84,576 | |
 | Ricardo De La Fuente | 3.8 | 56,749 | |
| Total votes: 1,499,216 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Allen Ellison (D)
- Edward Abud (D)
- Joshua Weil (D)
- Alan Grayson (D)
- Allek Pastrana (D)
- Ken Russell (D)
- Coleman Watson (D)
- Albert Fox (D)
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Marco Rubio advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Florida.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Calvin Driggers (R)
- Angela Marie Walls-Windhauser (R)
- Jake Loubriel (R)
- Luis Miguel (R)
- Josue Larose (R)
- Ervan Katari Miller (R)
- Earl Yearicks IV (R)
- Kevin DePuy (R)
Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Dennis Misigoy advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Florida.
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
William Sanchez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sanchez's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Since 1989, William has run an immigration-rights law firm in Miami with his wife, Irene. In 2004, the US Senate unanimously confirmed William’s appointment by President George W. Bush as Special Counsel for the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Special Counsel, Unfair Employment Practices. While working for the DOJ, William helped establish a new program to fund non-profit communities around the US and spoke regularly at the White House on behalf of the Administration’s immigration policies.
Willam’s story reflects the promise of the American Dream: The son of Cuban immigrants who ran a bodega in New York City, William grew up to attend the University of Miami, obtain his Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center, and serve his country as a Presidentially-appointed public servant. Today, William and his wife Irene own their own business and have three grown children and a beautiful granddaughter.
William is running for US Senate to champion policies that will ensure the American Dream is attainable for all. With strong ties on both sides of the aisle, William has the skills and the know-how to bring real-world solutions to DC on behalf of Florida.
- Our immigration system is in dire need of reform. Based on my 30 years of experience, I will advocate for humane and comprehensive immigration reform, including: establishing an earned pathway to citizenship for DACA dreamers; expanding refugee camps; and de-escalating efforts by ICE.
- As we all recover from the collective trauma of the pandemic, it’s more clear than ever that we need to invest in the health of our citizenry, including our mental health. No American should be forced to choose between paying for food and paying for life-saving care. As Senator, I will work to lower prescription drug costs, expand access to veteran and mental health care, and guarantee coverage. Every American, regardless of income, employment or identity deserves access to high-quality, low-cost health care.
- Over 15 million Floridians live along the coast--we must dedicate ourselves as a nation and a state to remediating the human-made causes of climate change. This includes making corporations pay a price for carbon emissions and creating government jobs generating renewable energy through solar panels and wind farms. I believe tackling climate change is the moonshot challenge of the 21st century and we must treat it with the same sense of urgency.
-Immigration reform
-Access to mental healthcare as part of high-quality, affordable healthcare
-Workers’ rights and a livable wage
-Environmental preservation
-Protecting social security for our elders
-Common sense gun safety
My father was my greatest role model. He was a brave and outspoken dissent in Cuba before relocating to America to provide for our family. He was a hardworking man of integrity who cared for his family and his entire community. He treated everyone equally no matter their background or upbringing.
I am fully committed to truth, justice, and hard work, and dedicated to applying my experience to help solve Florida's and the country’s most pressing problems.
Any elected representative must do exactly that: represent the people. You must show up every day ready to listen, learn and serve the community through consensus-building and with honesty.
I’d like to be remembered as someone with integrity, compassion, and a bias for action defined by my commitment to family, friends, country, and the environment.
My first job was working in my dad’s grocery store in New York when I was 9 helping to stock the shelves!
The last song stuck in my head was Valerie by Amy Winehouse
My clients come to me because they need help navigating the immigration system and need a voice to advocate their cause. Losing a case--any case--is devastating and a challenge every time.
The two greatest challenges for both America and the entire world are combating global climate change and protecting democracy from the threat of authoritarian influences and attempts to prevent people from voting.
I think motive is the most important qualifier for office. Are you doing it to serve the public, or enrich yourself? Although I have past experience serving in the Department of Justice, I believe my greatest qualification is that I know who I want to help; marginalized Floridians and the working-poor who are too often forgotten in our state.
The filibuster is undemocratic and preventing the Senate from doing its one job: legislating. We must end the filibuster and move our country forward.
I’d be interested in serving on the Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety Subcommittee due to my over 30 years of immigration-rights work.
The late Edward Kennedy consistently advocated on behalf of the poorest and most forgotten in our country. Kennedy, The Lion of the Senate, successfully delivered and pushed the conversation on the expansion of voting rights, fair housing, and healthcare.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Sanchez's campaign website stated the following:
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GREEN NEW DEAL Climate change is not only America’s greatest challenge but the world’s. If we want to ensure the protection of our children and preserve a safe environment for them to enjoy, we must start taking serious action to curtail both carbon emissions and pollution. With the melting of the polar ice caps, Florida’s coastal cities are continuously threatened by rising sea levels, and hurricanes are becoming more severe as our waters grow warmer. Climate change hurts Florida directly, which is why Will believes in establishing a Green New Deal. To effectively mitigate climate change disasters, the United States must transform itself into a sustainable, green future. As Senator, William supports the federal building of green infrastructure and renewable sources of energy to efficiently reduce America’s dependence on the fossil fuels that damage our environment. Doing this will create millions of good-paying jobs all over the country. Right here in Florida, there is colossal potential for the building of wind farms on the coast and solar panels inland that would generate enough energy to successfully transition the state, and the country, to a brighter future. In our transition, William knows that we must protect the workers who operate in oil fields and coal mines. As Senator, he will ensure that these people are financially taken care of and that they are the first to have a green job waiting for them. We cannot allow the United States to be followers in the struggle to preserve our planet. Let’s create millions of jobs, boost the economy, and be leaders in this fight – just as America always has led. Let’s believe in a better tomorrow through a Green New Deal.
Reducing our carbon footprint Living in Miami, William knows the immense threat of climate change and the importance of the fight against climate change. He also knows that the production of carbon with the simultaneous deforestation of our environment leads to the inevitable corroding of our ozone layer. William believes in America’s continued participation in the Paris Climate Agreement for the international reduction of carbon emissions. Additionally, as Senator, Will is prepared to take bold action to reduce our carbon footprint. He believes that those most responsible for carbon emissions – large corporations – should bear the burden of climate change, not the everyday consumer. That’s why, as Florida’s Senator, he will support legislation for a carbon tax on America’s biggest emitters. All over the world, common-sense legislation, like carbon taxes, is already implemented to reduce emissions. It works, so we must do the same.
Water Warriors We wouldn’t let our neighbors dump their garbage into our backyard, so why do we allow corporations to do the same? Deregulatory policies have weakened the efforts of the EPA and allowed toxins to seep into our streams, rivers, and beautiful Florida coasts. We must strengthen the efforts of the EPA and effectively enforce and create regulations that keep our waters safe from pollutants and toxins.
Our healthcare industry is very clearly in need of a major change. Medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy in this country. For being residents of the supposed richest country in the world, patients in the United States are too often put in unrecoverable medical debt. They’re cured by the hospital, but at the cost of spending the rest of their lives paying thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, for the cost of treatment because they don’t have insurance. William believes that this is unacceptable; healthcare is a human right. Florida has nearly 3 million uninsured people – one of the highest rates in a country with 30 million uninsured individuals. As Senator, William will fight to achieve universal healthcare coverage for everyone through Medicare for All. Regardless of income, regardless of pre-existing conditions, William will support legislation so that Medicare is eligible to every single American. Through a single-payer system, we will effectively save billions of dollars and be able to invest in the development of new medications and technologies. William believes that if you feel ill, you should be able to go to the doctor without the fear that you’re unable to pay for your visit – no copays, no deductibles, no premiums. While serving Florida, William will push for comprehensive Medicare for All because healthcare is a human right, and it’s time we start acting like it.
We all know that our educational system needs serious improvement. William knows this as well – which is why he has a reform plan. Science has shown that a child’s first years of socialization and education are vital for their long-term development. William believes that every child, regardless of income, must have access to high-quality preschool education. To William, the implementation of universal child care is a must. It would be immensely beneficial to all communities by opening up good-paying jobs and improving the future employability of our children. Additionally, William won’t forget the value of our teachers while in office. It’s estimated that up to 94% of public school teachers spend their own money on school supplies, and when teacher’s salaries are already too low, that’s not good for either our educators or our students. As Senator, William will choose to invest in our future through educators by raising their wages and funding out-of-pocket expenses for classroom materials. William believes that in 2021, a large portion of our youth, if not a majority, require a college degree to get ahead in their intended field of work. People should not be punished by mountains of debt because they can’t afford the ever-more expensive university tuition and fees. William will legislate to have America’s public universities operate tuition-free. However, William’s bold vision for education will not leave behind the millions of Americans who are currently struggling with student debt. He signs off on Senator Warren’s plan to cancel up to $50,000 worth of federal student loan debt for 95% of borrowers. This would be funded through a 2% tax on families in the U.S. who have at least $50 million in net worth. That 95% equates to over 42 million Americans having the burden of crushing student loan debt being lifted from their shoulders, allowing increased economic mobility. Senator Sanchez will get it done.
Take it from Will’s 30 years of experience as an immigration rights lawyer – our immigration system is in dire need of reform. He has seen firsthand how painful and inhumane the system can be, and he is committed to changing it for the better. Throughout the Trump presidency, immigrants were demonized by a racist, xenophobic, and nativist rhetoric espoused by right-wing extremists. In reality, the United States is a country of various indigenous Native American populations and immigrants from every continent. William knows that America’s undocumented population overwhelmingly consists of millions of families who are simply looking for a better life. As an immigration rights lawyer, William has consistently defended immigrants against nativist sentiment. In 2010, he fought against Arizona’s SB1070 in court – a law that allowed police to profile and interrogate residents regarding their immigration status. Will plans to carry that same compassion for immigrants that he’s implemented into his work as a lawyer all the way to D.C. when he joins the U.S. Senate. That’s why Senator Sanchez will fight for immigration reform that provides pathways to citizenship for the undocumented, enshrined protection for the nearly 700,000 DACA Dreamers in the United States, an expansion of refugee camps, and a breaking up of ICE, returning their responsibilities to the Department of Justice – as it had been since before 2003. William will always fight for the representation of immigrants, documented and undocumented alike, in our Florida communities and throughout the country.
For many American families, housing will be the greatest expense of their lifetimes. However, although rent has increased in nearly every state in the country since 2001, the federal government has consistently reduced investments in creating affordable housing. In the United States, 23 million low-income renters pay more than half of their income for housing. And while the costs of living have gone up everywhere, including Florida, wages have increasingly stagnated. William believes in an America where millions of people are not forced to go unhoused as a result of increasing rental costs. That’s why, as Florida’s Senator, William will fight in the legislature for investments in public housing to accommodate low-income families and effectively lower rental costs. As explained by Senator Warren, the root cause of the growing cost of rent is a serious lack of supply of low-income housing. To properly address this issue, we must federally invest in public housing. As Senator, William will support the American Housing and Economic Mobility (AHEM) Act, a bill that would create 3 million new housing units for low-income families and that is estimated to bring down housing costs by 10%. To defend tenants against unfair and arbitrary rent increases, Senator Sanchez will expand states’ abilities to institute common-sense rent control standards to combat the potential exploitation of tenants. Additionally, William believes in the expansion of tenants’ rights so renters are not unjustifiably or arbitrarily evicted from their homes, as well as providing tenants with the right to counsel when facing eviction, situations where landlords shut off necessities (such as heat and water), and when they violate leases and housing codes. Simultaneously, Senator Sanchez will always fight for affordable housing in the legislature to encourage the success of all Americans.
Today, millions of disenfranchised Americans from our minority and low-income communities do not have adequate access to bank services and lending, regardless of if they are simple loans or mortgages. William knows this reality and believes that its consequences must be combatted. As we’ve seen throughout history, predatory lending by large banks leads to an inability of consumers to pay their debts, leading to a total economic collapse. It’s what happened in 2008, and if we’re not careful enough, it will happen again. As Senator of Florida, William will use his legislative powers to curb the threat of predatory lending; as Senator, William will ensure the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) maintains its oversight over lending practices and consumer complaints, remains funded by the Federal Reserve, and properly mandates that lenders comply with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Our large banking institutions too often leave too many Americans behind. William will invest in and encourage the development of microfinance institutions throughout the country. He has already demonstrated the success of his plan through the building of his institutions in both South Florida and the Philippines. The establishment of these microfinance institutions ensures that everyone, including historically disadvantaged minority communities, canreceive fair lending from banks that translate into mobility for finding work, opening businesses, and caring for urgent family needs.
The power of unions in this country has been systematically destroyed since the 70s and 80s with the rise of right-wing economic policy. Unions are extremely successful at giving workers better working conditions and higher wages. It was the strength of union organizers that fought for the privileges that workers can enjoy today; privileges like the 8-hour workday, the weekend, and a living wage are all thanks to the work of unions. Large business owners and corporations are known to be vehemently against the organization of workers into unions. It’s not out of concern for their workers, though – it’s out of fear they won’t be able to make record-level profits while their workers struggle to make ends meet. William supports the proposed PRO ACT in Congress. He believes it to be the most significant pro-worker piece of legislation in decades; it applies stricter monetary penalties on companies that violate labor laws, increases the funding of unions in right-to-work states (like Florida), protects workers from being fired based on immigration status, and gives independent contractors the ability to unionize. Additionally, William believes that workers must not be mandated to attend anti-union conferences. When unions thrive, the working class thrives. William Sanchez will always fight for the interest of and be on the side of the workers against corporate giants.
William will fight tooth and nail to protect both social security and Medicare benefits for our residents in Florida and throughout the entire country. Right now in our state, 1 in 5 residents receive social security benefits and 4.6 million are on Medicare. The beneficiaries of these programs are our senior citizens and those with disabilities, who must always be protected. William is dedicated to fighting against the threats of cutting funding for these essential programs and attempts to privatize social security and Medicare. As your Senator, William will represent the beneficiaries of social security and Medicare and put forward legislation to ensure the continued funding of the programs. Our senior citizens and disabled people in our communities deserve it and need it. Representing Florida, William will support the expansion of Medicare to cover hearing aids, dental, and vision. Our elders in Florida and across the United States too often need this care and are not adequately covered. In the richest country on Earth, we can afford to take care of our seniors.
In the United States, gun safety has unfortunately become a partisan issue. In America, there are more mass shootings than there are days in a year. We shouldn’t have to accept that reality, and Florida knows it worst. As Senator, William is prepared to take immediate action to address the surge of gun violence in Florida and throughout the country. Senator Sanchez believes in the establishment of universal background checks, which would ensure that those with a violent history are not able to purchase firearms. It would also eliminate the gun show loophole that allows individuals to buy guns without a background check. William also believes in the overall reduction of assault weapons. He will propose legislation to institute a buyback program as a means to encourage getting assault weapons off America’s streets. To defend the safety of Americans, William will also put forward legislation so that domestic abusers do not have access to guns through the establishment of red flag laws. William recognizes that gun safety is also a mental health issue. In Florida, 63% of gun deaths are suicides. Nationally, that percentage is 60%. Senator Sanchez will invest in America’s mental health by proposing legislation to federally fund mental health facilities, suicide prevention services, and addiction services throughout the United States – especially in under-funded rural communities. Senator of Florida, William Sanchez, will take on the gun lobby, not take a dime from the NRA, and fight for a safer future for everyone.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community must never be forced to live in fear or hesitation. This year alone, we have seen a concerning rise in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment as state legislatures continue to attack the expression of transgender youth. Socially, we continue to see the heartbreaking struggle faced by millions in the LGBTQ+ community against bigotry. An individual’s sex, sexual identity, and gender expression must always be protected. William knows it. As Florida’s Senator, he’s prepared to take on the challenge to fight for equality in the legislature. While 400,000 children are in foster care, Republican leadership still denies same-sex couples the ability to adopt kids. Senator Sanchez will support the Every Child Deserves a Family Act to end this discrimination. Additionally, stigmatizing donation policies have kept gay and bisexual men from being able to properly engage in donating blood for decades. During COVID-19, a rise in demand for blood transfusions called for more donations, but these discriminatory restrictions remained. As Senator, William will end this practice so that gay and bisexual men will be able to donate blood to the estimated 4.5 million Americans who will need it each year. William believes that it’s also time to pass the Equality Act so that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is amended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Furthermore, William is prepared to defend the LGBTQ+ youth in our schools. As Senator, he will vote to pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act to promote school safety and protect LGBTQ+ youth from the bullying and harassment that too often leads to self-harm and suicide – especially for transgender youth. Finally, William believes in the federal creation of a third gender category on government-issued documents to properly recognize non-binary individuals. With concrete action, William has a plan to defend America’s LGBTQ+ communities from hate and fight for equality.
William believes in and is dedicated to the swift expansion of Medicare to cover hearing, dental, and vision care. Throughout the United States, over 44 million people are covered under Medicare; nearly 90% of beneficiaries are members of our elderly population, aged 65+. Right now in Florida, seniors make up 4 million of the 4.6 million enrolled in Medicare. As the vast majority of beneficiaries of Medicare are currently members of our elderly population, it’s common sense to extend Medicare to cover issues that dominate the community: hearing, dental, and vision. Too many of Florida’s seniors don’t get the care that they need because of the cost of treatment. Too many are afraid they’ll be unable to cover the cost of a hearing aid, a pair of glasses, or a simple visit to the dentist. Our seniors must never have to live in fear; as the richest country in the world we can – and should – take care of our elders. Always. Right now, over 4 million Floridians and 75 million Americans are dependent on Medicaid for coverage. Medicaid covers the poorest and most vulnerable in our population. As Florida’s Senator, William believes in the automatic enrollment of potential beneficiaries to Medicaid. Too often, qualified people end up in the hospital thousands of dollars in debt because they did not go through the complex, bureaucratic process of registering for Medicaid coverage, or because their state simply refuses to expand Medicaid. Right now in Florida, there are 800,000 people without health insurance because Florida Republican leadership refuses to expand Medicaid despite it being readily available to Florida due to past ACA expansions. We must automatically enroll those who qualify for Medicaid to ensure that it never happens again. Senator Sanchez will get it done.
The cost of the same quality insulin in the United States is 8 times higher than it is in countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. One vial of Actimumune in the U.S. is over $4,300; in the U.K., it’s $450. William knows that drug prices in America are out of hand and he has a plan for it. There are already too many instances of people dying as a result of rationing their insulin. Will believes that no one in the United States should go without vital medication because they are unable to pay the immense price, which is why he will put forward comprehensive federal legislation with other members of Congress to cap the price of life-saving drugs. Additionally, William will advocate for and propose legislation for the capping of drug prices to match similar market rates in similar countries, like Canada. Our campaign won’t fold and be bought out by pharmaceutical giants. People must always come before profit.
Police brutality must be pushed back against at every level. Not only by protesting in the streets – demanding justice for the many, many innocent lives taken by police abuse – but also in the legislature. William knows this, and he has the policy plan to transform America’s police to effectively and safely protect our communities. In the United States, federal initiatives like the 1033 program have given the police military-grade weapons, like grenade launchers, that are collectively worth billions of dollars. America’s police don’t have the training nor the responsibility to match those of our military, so why are they given military weapons? Will knows that this makes no sense, which is why he will demilitarize America’s police by ending the 1033 program. William knows the power of police unions must also be combatted to build a safer America. Serving as Senator, he will take on the power of police unions by federally defining misconduct standards and not allowing police unions to change that definition as they can now. The violence and abuse perpetrated by members of America’s police must also be well documented to study and learn from. William supports the creation of a federal database that tracks police use of deadly force. Additionally, too many lives have been lost as a result of police misunderstanding mental illness. Senator Sanchez will propose legislation to train America’s police to effectively identify and safely deal with a mental health crisis. Finally, Will believes that we need to end qualified immunity for officers because no one is above the law – including the police. Like all of us, Senator Sanchez knows America’s police needs reform – and he has a plan for a safer Florida.
We as a country must acknowledge and combat not only societal racism but also systemic racism from both past and present institutions. William strongly believes that America’s focus should be purposely investing in communities that have been so fractured by past programs and policies. Many past programs and policies existed for the sole purpose of putting African Americans at a social and economic disadvantage. Slavery, poll taxes, FDR’s refusal to extend the New Deal to African Americans, the building of our highways that destroyed 37,000 urban housing units per year, and voter suppression bills that we’ve seen all over the country all bring Will to the same conclusion: serious steps need to be taken to bring justice to communities of color. Senator Sanchez will fight for the simultaneous social and economic prosperity of Black communities by putting forward legislation for reparations through baby bonds to effectively combat the historical and growing racial wealth gap. William is also dedicated to defending voting rights for all Americans against the wave of anti-Democratic voter suppression laws as instituted by Republican leadership across the United States. He supports the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Additionally, William knows how the War on Drugs has dismantled communities of color throughout the country. To effectively end the War on Drugs, Will believes in the federal decriminalization of marijuana possession, the release of all prisoners convicted on marijuana possession charges, the expunging of marijuana possession charges on criminal records, and the prioritization of rehabilitation over punishment. Finally, Senator Sanchez will advocate for and push legislation to appropriately educate the youth on America’s very well-documented past and current relationship with racism. Through action and education, William will fight for racial justice.
William believes in the fight for and the necessity of a $15 federal minimum wage. The value of American workers throughout the country is not being recognized by our current $7.25/hr – a number that hasn’t changed in over 10 years. As the cost of living rises everywhere, the federal minimum wage must rise as well. Florida recently passed Amendment 2, raising the minimum wage in the state to $15/hr. Unfortunately, this necessity has not been extended throughout the entire country. Raising the minimum wage means a raise for nearly 40 million American workers. It’s the extra dollars that puts food on the table, that pays the rent, and that puts kids through school. William understands this – which is why he’s committed to fighting in the Senate for $15.
Florida has one of the highest veteran populations in the country at 1.5 million. In total, the United States is home to 19 million veterans. Our commitment to the welfare of our veterans must always be honored and never compromised. We have spent billions of dollars on military equipment. Now, William believes that we must invest in those who have served America. That’s why William will never hesitate to appropriately and fully fund the VA, as well as prevent future disastrous privatization efforts. It’s difficult to exaggerate the immense physical and mental fatigue that comes with serving in America’s military; too often, veterans have their PTSD and TBI untreated. William knows that we must improve upon VA benefits by expanding VA’s Caregivers Program as well as mental health services for veterans. As Senator, William will do this by supporting legislation that expands the VA’s resources, like the Strengthening Veterans Healthcare Act of 2017 bill proposed by Senator Sanders.
Although civil rights movements and feminist movements throughout the 20th century bravely struggled for the equality of the genders, women today still experience unjustifiable economic and social disadvantages. William will always commit to the fight for women’s equality. Despite efforts by Republican legislation to strip a woman’s right to choose, William will fight for its defense. Senator Sanchez is committed to the proper funding of Planned Parenthood for increased access to contraception and access to safe and legal abortion. In the Senate, William will support key legislation like the Equality Act, as well as adopt legislation that fights against sexual harassment in the workplace.
Too often, the United States engages in foreign wars that have little to do with defending domestic interests – harming the civilian population in the process – and our bloated military budget only incentivizes it. Worse, we rarely have a clear exit strategy to ensure the safety of our American troops. William knows that diplomacy and cooperation is the most effective way to foster peaceful international relations. That’s why as Senator, William will support the reasonable decrease of our bloated military budget in favor of peaceful association through increasing international aid. By investing in our neighboring nations, we create prosperity not only for their countries, but for ours as well. Senator Sanchez will propose legislation to end America’s war in Afghanistan and support legislation to end American involvement in Yemen’s civil war. Additionally, William knows that America’s sanctioning of Cuba and Venezuela has done little besides increasing the suffering of the people living there. Senator Sanchez will support legislation that ends the sanctions and betters the lives of the Cuban and Venezuelan populations. Senator Sanchez will always commit to the struggle for peace, domestically and abroad.
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| —William Sanchez's campaign website (2022)[3] | ||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 3, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ William Sanchez for U.S. Senate, “Issues,” accessed July 26, 2022
