Bernadette Greene Placentia, a veteran long-haul truck driver with over 26 years of experience, officially announced her candidacy for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District, offering a unique perspective and a commitment to represent the people’s voices. Greene Placentia’s career encompasses more than 3.5 million miles across the United States, and as the owner of a small trucking company, it has provided her with an exceptional understanding of the impact of federal legislation on local communities.
She emphasizes, “My life outside the political bubble has given me a bird’s eye view of the challenges and concerns that many voters in our district face. I’ve also seen what works and what’s possible. I intend to bring that experience and those solutions back to help all Arizonans.”
Unlike career politicians, Greene Placentia is a strong advocate for representative democracy, highlighting the need for elected officials who truly reflect the diversity of the population. She states, “Over 50% of congresspeople were multimillionaires before being elected, while less than 2% of the population is. Two-thirds of the Supreme Court, and over 25% of the Senate, attended schools that only .04% of the population is even accepted into. The need for more inclusive representation is clear.”
Born in Illinois and raised primarily in Alliance, Nebraska, Greene Placentia was a four sport varsity athlete, award-winning AHS theater actor, Speech and Debate Team Member, co-editor of the high school newspaper, a four time “Who’s Who Among American High School Students” honoree, represented Alliance in Lincoln at the Nebraska Scholar’s Institute, and also represented Nebraska as a Congressional Youth Scholar, traveling to Washington, D.C., in 1990.
Her late father, William “Joe” Greene was employed by BNSF for over 24 years, and used to run most of the NRA competitive shooting matches in the region; her late mother, Magda Greene, worked for Box Butte General Hospital, Dayco Corp, and was the Director of Nursing at the Good Samaritan facility until retiring in 1991, when the family moved to Benson, AZ, where the candidate graduated High School in 1992.
Greene Placentia was awarded both Army and Air Force full-ride ROTC Scholarships and chose the former, however her career trajectory was altered by a car accident. She obtained her Commercial Driver’s License in 1997. As a female in a predominantly male-dominated industry, she stands out as a driver and owner responsible for all aspects of being a carrier, from regulatory compliance to route planning and customer service.
Greene Placentia’s family history has played a significant role in shaping her journey. Her late mother fled to America at the age of ten to escape a country invaded by Russia. Her father-in-law was involved in the labor movement alongside Cesar Chavez, and her father was a Union Railroader. She is also the proud niece of the late Dr. Laszlo Nemeth, who helped establish the Sacramento AIDS Foundation. In 2007, she traveled alone to China to adopt her daughter, and she has a foster son who served ten years as a Marine.
Greene Placentia’s campaign takes on added significance with the recent announcement of Debbie Lesko’s decision not to seek re-election. “I am running for Congress to restore the Rights of ALL my fellow Americans, combat extremism, and bring common-sense solutions to the real problems facing my District, my State, and my Country. I believe in America and her People,” she concluded.
As part of her campaign, Greene Placentia is committed to various important issues, including term limits, comprehensive immigration reform, securing Arizona’s water supply, and trucking issues.
“I promise no one will work harder on behalf of everyday Arizonans and Americans because I am one of them. The People deserve to have a seat at the table and to have their voices heard,” she states.