Arizona mother critiques Biden’s economic, border policies at Republican National Convention

PHOENIX — A single mother who works two jobs to support her family spoke at the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Sara Workman supported Donald Trump in her three-minute speech on Monday, praising his economic policies and critiquing President Joe Biden.

“I know Americans can relate when I say that, every time I fill up my gas tank, go to the grocery store and try to pay the bills, I think, ‘Who doesn’t miss the Trump days?'” Workman told the crowd at Fiserv Forum.

Workman was the first of three Arizonans selected to speak at this week’s convention as “everyday Americans.” She’ll be followed by rancher Jim Chilton and businessman David Lara.

Single mother from Arizona critiques Biden on economy, culture

She said President Joe Biden’s economic policies have caused problems for families across the U.S. — not just in Arizona.

However, that wasn’t her only grievance with the 46th president.

“It’s not just the economic pain we’re all feeling under Joe Biden,” Workman said. “It’s how they’re destroying the American spirit. Everywhere we look, there’s pain, chaos and crisis.”

Her speech came two days after an assassination attempt at a Republican campaign rally in Pennsylvania. A 20-year-old shooter wounded Trump’s ear, killed a former fire chief and critically injured two others.

Workman accused Democrats of systematically spreading negativity in the U.S.

“Open borders, woke indoctrination in our schools, violence in our cities and unjust rulings in our courts. All of it is eroding one of America’s greatest strengths: optimism,” Workman said. “While the left is trying to divide us with identity politics, we are here tonight because we believe that America is always, and should be, one nation, under God.”

RNC 2024 Arizona speaker says drugs from border ruined family

On top of accusing Biden of hurting the economy and American culture, Workman also took aim at the president’s immigration policies.

“In addition to the economic pain, the Democrats’ open-border policies have shattered my family,” she said. “With drugs so readily available, my husband fell victim to the drug epidemic. It tore our family apart and now I raise our son alone.”

Her concerns over the border mirrored thoughts held by many other Americans. A February 2024 report from the Pew Research Center found 80% of Americans thought the U.S. government wasn’t effectively handling the migrant influx at the border with Mexico. Three percent of respondents said they were concerned about drug issues related to the migrant influx.

However, most drugs that flow over the border are brought by American citizens — not undocumented migrants, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Specifically, American citizens made up 89% of convicted fentanyl drug traffickers in 2022. This number was 12 times higher than the amount of undocumented migrants convicted of trafficking fentanyl.

Workman wrapped up her speech by quoting the Bible and urging Republicans to make the country great again.

“I know there is hope. That is what this election represents for all of us that have been forgotten over the last four years,” she said. “If you’re watching tonight and you hear your own story in mine, Donald Trump put me on this stage to show that he sees us, he hears us, and we are forgotten no more.”

Biden campaign responds to Arizona woman’s speech at RNC 2024

Kevin Munoz, a spokesperson with the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign, sent KTAR News 92.3 FM a response to Workman’s statements around 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

“The American people demand solutions to fix our broken immigration system, but at every step of the way, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have made clear they only want chaos and partisan politics as usual,” Munoz said in the written statement.

He also disagreed with Workman’s comments on immigration, citing the bipartisan border bill that Republicans struck down earlier this year.

“Every American should know that Trump proudly killed the strongest bipartisan border bill in a generation – siding with fentanyl traffickers over the Border Patrol and our security,” Munoz said. “President Biden knows being president is not about theater — it’s about taking action on the issues our communities care most about. Despite Trump and his loyalists’ inaction, President Biden is taking action today.”