Committees update...

While redistricting is still a bit of a mess, with Arizona's Republican elected officials still trying to hijack the independent redistricting process, more and more candidates are stepping up.
Note:  when district designations are used, they are for the current designation and used for reference only.  They'll change after the new district maps are finalized.


...Republican John Lervold of Sierra Vista has started a committee for a run at a Congressional seat.  Don't know anything about him.

...Republican State Senator Ron Gould of Lake Havasu City has formed an exploratory committee for a Congressional run.  He's term-limited in the state senate, so the "exploratory" part of the committee is just pro forma.  He's running.  Period.

...Republican John Lyon of Glendale has formed a committee for a run at US Senate.  Tea party type.

...Democrat Amanda Aguirre of Yuma, a former state senator, has announced that she is exploring a challenge to incumbent Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva.  I couldn't find the paperwork on the FEC's website, but will post it when it is available.

...Republican Peter Eidsness of Bullhead City has formed a committee for a run at an LD3 state representative

...Democrat Carol Lokare of Peoria has formed a committee for a run at the LD9 seat in the state senate.

...No new committees have been formed in Scottsdale or Tempe for municipal offices.  However, since Tempe's elections are on a March/May schedule, candidates are already turning in signatures.  Four of them have been certified for the March ballot -

Mark Mitchell and Michael Monti for mayor
Kolby Granville and Dick Foreman for council

...In Maricopa County news, Republican state representative Cecil Ash  (LD18) has formed a committee for a run at the North Mesa Justice of the Peace office currently held by Lester Pearce, brother of the recently recalled former state senator Russell Pearce.

...Far and away, the race with the most candidates is one that most people haven't heard of - the governing boards of the Salt River Project (SRP).  I'm not going to list them all, but so far I've found at least 17 candidates, most of whom seem to be incumbents of one sort or another.  SRP's summary of its governance is here.

My summary:  1.  Only landowners in SRP's area vote in the election.  2.  The highest paid elected official in the state isn't the governor (~$120K) or the state's members of Congress (~$175K), but the president of SRP (~$180K)


Later...