Mikel Weisser has experienced many of the hardships faced daily by people in our most vulnerable communities, making him uniquely qualified to advocate for those whose voices are traditionally excluded from politics. Born and raised in rural south Texas near the Rio Grande border, Mikel worked a variety of labor jobs alongside illegal immigrants and saw the way these hardworking laborers were exploited.
He lived in poverty and experienced homelessness. And he encountered the equalizing power of education when, at 30, he returned to college to acquire an MA from the University of Illinois at Springfield followed by an M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University. Mikel taught middle school in Western Arizona before becoming a full-time activist in 2012.
He is currently the State Director of NORML, where he advocates for marijuana reform. This is his third bid for Congress.
THE DISTRICT
District Four spans more than 33,000 square miles—99% of which are rural. The district covers nearly the entire western border of the state, beginning at the northern border in Mohave County moving down through La Paz and into Yuma County. It winds toward the center of the state through Yavapai and Gila counties, arching around the Phoenix metro in Maricopa and Pinal counties. In all, CD4 covers parts of seven counties and nine legislative districts.