Mexicans do arrive by airplane sometimes, and there’s no real reason to presume that somebody in Wisconsin knows which states border Mexico just because her parents were Mexican.
I’d think that somebody who’s proud of her Latina heritage, if her family was from Mexico (looks like she’s at least 2nd generation), would have some basic knowledge of the geography of the country, including which states it borders.
I say this as someone who was born in Milwaukee, grew up here, still lives here, and was one of a tiny handful of non-Hispanic kids in my entire K-8 gradeschool.
Knowing which states border Mexico is not part of basic knowledge of Mexican geography. It’s basic knowledge of American geography. Most Americans couldn’t find Canada on a map, so I find it unsurprising that she can’t find Arizona on one.
Believe what you like. I’d still find it funny.
Oh, yes. It’s very funny, at least insofar as her making public statements about it.
Quick, how many people can name which Canadian provinces border on the US without looking? I can name two or three, but not all of them.
Still, if you’re a politician, you need to wiki this kind of thing before you spout.
It is funny because she was basing her vote on her “knowledge” that Arizona is a “ways removed” from the border, unlike Texas.
Collar of shame.
Fuck if I know. But if I were someone who was proud to be a Canadian-American, in politics, and making statements about my political position based on what provinces and states comprised the border, I’d damn well better be able to name all of them.
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia.
I think. How’d I do?
No Googling was involved in the writing of this post.
I suppose the real question here is whether she changed her position once somebody stopped chuckling long enough to tell her.
North North Dakota, Upper Maine, Greater Northern Seattle and Niagara: The other side. That’s four. If I get elected to public office I’ll look up the rest.
Minnesota. That’s in Canada, isn’t it? Oh, and Alaska.
The equivalent would be to ask which US States border Canada.
Most Americans probably couldn’t even name one Mexican State if they even knew that Mexico had states.
That would be the equivalent if you were Canadian, which Dio isn’t. Oh, wait, he’s from Minnesota, so he is. 
You got all but the Yukon, which borders Alaska.
ETA: Oh, and I don’t think Nova Scotia has a land border, but I’m not sure, and Google Maps is vague.
I can name one without Googling: Quintana Roo.
A quick Googling shows that I should have recognized Yucatan and Baja California as well.
I would have thought that Chiapas would spring to mind first - seems it’s the only Mexican state I recall hearing about frequently on American news.
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
And the Yukon territory borders on Alaska, though it’s not a province.
This is pretty easy for me though, since aside from the maritimes EVERY province has a US border.
(Hoping not to be proved wrong…)
Personally, I just enjoy saying Chiapas.
Chiapas, Chiapas, Chiapas.
Yeah, I wasn’t sure about Nova Scotia, but then I vaguely recalled that the Bay of Fundy is in both Nova Scotia and Maine, so I figured there must be a land border. Am I making this up? My brain does that sometimes.
BTW, I have family in Mexico and have been there, let’s see, maybe seven? times, so I’m well aware of the fact that Mexico has states. My aunt and uncle don’t live in one, though, they live in DF.