Sen. Mark Kelly visits Somerton auto shop

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) - Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) visited Yuma County Friday, stopping at Yepez Automotive Repair in Somerton to hear directly from a local business owner about the impact tariffs are having on small businesses in the region.

Inside the family-owned auto shop, owner Jose Yepez said rising costs on imported automotive parts are forcing difficult decisions.

"Price increases on automotive parts have gone up, I want to say maybe about 15% or so, plus or minus," Yepez said. "And that cost gets directly passed on to our customers."

Yepez explained that when repair bills increase, some customers choose to delay fixing their vehicles,sometimes for days or weeks. That slowdown can hurt small businesses that already operate on narrow profit margins.

Sen. Kelly said that's the challenge many business owners across Arizona are facing.

"They have to make a decision. Do they pass this on to their customers or not?" Kelly said. "So it either eats into their margin or it makes American families have to pay more."

During the visit, Kelly also addressed his ongoing legal dispute with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after the Pentagon appealed a federal court ruling in his case.

"Well, he lost in court. A federal judge said he was violating my constitutional rights of freedom of speech," Kelly said. "Service members have rights. I'm not backing down. I'm fighting for the rights of retired service members."

Kelly, a former Navy pilot, said the case centers on protecting constitutional rights while continuing to focus on economic issues affecting Arizona families and small businesses.

The investigation into tariffs and their broader economic impact continues as lawmakers debate trade policy in Washington.