Time to start a new soap opera: As Maricopa County Turns

I was feeling generous when I named this post - it was almost "Search for Competence."

But I didn't go there. :)

MAGA Republican Justin Heap won the R primary for Maricopa County Recorder in 2024, deposing competent incumbent Stephen Richer.

The MAGA types who make up the majority of the R electorate got what they wished for - a pure ideologue in a job that requires simple competence.

Sometimes he's falsely telling voters that they will be removed from the list of active voters and be unable to vote.

Sometimes he's suing the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) not delegating control of elections to him.

Before he went the litigation route, Heap tried lying to and about members of the MCBOS.

From Votebeat Arizona, written by Jen Fifield -

Text messages show how Maricopa County recorder pressured supervisors for control of elections

Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap privately pleaded with two county supervisors to support his bid for more power over the county’s elections, text messages obtained by Votebeat show.

The messages, which county supervisors provided to Votebeat in response to a public-records request, include previously unreported behind-the-scenes conversations and confrontations as Heap negotiated with the supervisors board early this year over how to divide election duties in the closely watched swing county.

“I really thought you guys would come through for me,” Heap wrote to Supervisor Mark Stewart, a fellow Republican, in March after a counterproposal from the supervisors. “This was the last straw for me, Mark.”

[snip]

Texts provided by Stewart and Lesko, both Republicans, show how Heap pressured them to go around Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin, the Republican leading the negotiations with Heap, and instead work with the lone Democrat on the board, Steve Gallardo, to approve the elections agreement he wanted.

According to the texts, Heap said he had gained Gallardo’s support for the deal, known as a shared services agreement, or SSA.

[snip]

Gallardo told Votebeat that he never agreed to support Heap’s proposal, and called the claim “total lies.” He said he has met with or spoken with Heap and his staff only once in an introductory meeting after Heap took office, and they did not discuss the shared services agreement.

Gallardo went a step further. 

Also from Votebeat and written by Fifield -

Democratic Maricopa County supervisor calls for corruption investigation into recorder

Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo is calling for a public-corruption investigation into the Republican county recorder, Justin Heap, citing a claim Heap made about him in text messages while privately lobbying supervisors to give him more control over elections.

In the texts, which the supervisors released to Votebeat after a public-records request, Heap asserted that he had secured Gallardo’s vote on his proposal for a shared services agreement, or SSA, outlining a new division of election duties. Gallardo, the lone Democrat on the supervisors board, says that didn’t happen.

In a statement Wednesday, Gallardo said he wants Attorney General Kris Mayes to “get to the bottom of this outrageously false claim.”

Whoever has the popcorn concession at MCBOS meetings will get rich.

Q2 reports are in! Redux.

Last week, I published a post about the campaign reports for federal candidates.

Today, it's the turn for state-level candidates.

Some caveats:

It's still very early, so this only includes candidates who formed committees with the AZSOS before the Q2 2025 deadline (6/30/2025).  Candidates who haven't yet formed a committee or formed one in Q3 aren't covered here.  This also isn't comprehensive - I included only people who I believed are legitimate candidates.  That may...OK, *will*…change as the cycle goes on.

This isn't meant to predict who will actually be on a ballot.

Nor is it meant to predict who will win any primary.

Some definitions:

COH = Cash on Hand

SOI = Statement of Interest

NA = "No activity" report filed

Some of this is interesting -

In the hotly-contested R primary for governor, Karrin Taylor Robson wildly out raised her main opponent in Q2, Andy Biggs.  Apparently.  However, she loaned her campaign the majority of the funds she raised.  While her overall number is more than $2 million greater than Biggs', her funds raised from non-candidate sources was a little less than $150K more than Biggs.

Another red flag for Robson?  Her loans greatly exceed her cash on hand.  She looks like she is trying to buy the nomination.

In the race for the soon-to-be-vacant Arizona State Treasurer slot (incumbent Kimberly Yee is termed out), R candidate Elijah Norton (formerly the treasurer for the Arizona Republican Party and a 2022 candidate in AZCD1) loaned his campaign his ENTIRE Q2 fundraising take.  

Like Robson, he appears to trying to buy the election.

Legislative schedule - week starting 7/27/2025

There's no legislative activity scheduled to take place at the Capitol, but there is one committee meeting scheduled in Payson.

Can you say "Taxpayer-funded road trip"?!?

On Monday, 7/28 - nada.

On Tuesday, 7/29 

-

Fire Preparedness Committee House Ad Hoc meets at 10 a.m. at Gila Community College - 201 N. Mud Springs Rd, Payson, AZ 85541.  On the agenda: presentations from the Department of Forestry and Fire Management and SRP.  

In AZ, old politicians don't go away, the just swap seats

From Arizona Agenda, written by Nicole Ludden and Hank Stephenson

Chandler’s Freaky Friday

As we continue to reel from the 2024 elections, Arizona’s politicians are already eyeing their 2026 prospects.

While most of Arizona’s lawmakers are running for reelection, the three spots opening up in one district have turned into a game of musical chairs.

In fact, by the time 2027 rolls around, none of the state legislators representing the Chandler-based Legislative District 13 will hold their current offices.

Instead, Republican Rep. Jeff Weninger is running to be the next Chandler mayor. Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke is running for Weninger's seat at the Capitol. And LD13’s other legislators are leaving the office or switching chambers.

As of this writing, neither Hartke (with the AZSOS) nor Weninger (with the City of Chandler) have formed committees for their run, however, Hartke has filed a Statement of Interest with the AZSOS for a run at LD13 State Representative -

Actually, the only person who has formed a committee for LD13 State Rep is Democratic candidate Raquel Armstrong.

It's still very early, though.

LD13 is considered to be "competitive" but leaning R - the district's current legislative delegation is all R.

The concept of swapping seat is not new, but is usually limited to changing chambers at the lege to avoid running afoul of term limits and to extend their time at the Capitol.

For instance, John Kavanagh, a Republican from Fountain Hills and member of the Arizona State Senate, is on his third district at the lege (LDs 8, 23, and 3), even though he hasn't actually moved.  He's been in both the house and the senate representing north Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and Rio Verde since 2007.

Legislative schedule - week starting 7/20/2025

Now that the legislature has adjourned, there isn't much going on down there, but there a little bit going on this week.

OK, just a little bit. :)

On Monday, 7/21 

-

At 9 a.m. Joint Legislative Audit Committee meets in HHR1.  On the agenda: three presentations, one of which involves ESAs (school voucher scam).  One portion will be given by the state's office of the Auditor General (controlled by the ESA enablers in the legislature) and the other portion will be given by the Arizona Department of Education (headed by ESA apologist Tom Horne).

It doesn't seem to be unreasonable to expect an ESA propaganda session.

Q2 reports are in!

At least they are for federal candidates, candidates for AZ offices have an extra week to file reports.

Some caveats:

It's still very early, so this only includes candidates who formed committees with the FEC before the Q1 2025 deadline (6/30/2025).  Candidates who haven't yet formed a committee or formed one in Q2 aren't covered here.

This isn't meant to predict who will actually be on a ballot.

Nor is it meant to predict who will win any primary.

Listed dates of formation are from the FEC.

Some definitions:

COH = Cash on Hand

SOI = Statement of Interest

CD7 will be ignored until Q4 2025 as they just completed a special primary election and are going into a special general election.  This is about 2026.

Adelita Grijalva laps the field in AZ CD7

Note: The final numbers may change as votes are counted but the results won't.

All numbers are from the website of the Arizona Secretary of State.

Grijalva received 33,528 votes. The next closest Democratic candidate was Deja Foxx with 11,463 votes. A total of 54,159 votes in the Democratic primary.

Not only did Grijalva receive well more than half of the votes cast in the D primary, she received more two times votes in the D primary than were cast in the entire R primary - 16,359.

Yes, CD7 is a fairly safe D district. :)

In my previous post, I made three predictions.

It turns out my prognostication abilities are less than stellar. :)

"The winner of the Democratic primary will be the candidate the one with the best ground game."

I don't know; it's not my district.

"The candidates who come in 2nd and 3rd in combination will garner more votes than the actual winner."

Completely wrong.  It wasn't even close.

"One of them will mount a primary challenge in 2026."

It may still happen, but given the results of yesterday's election, it may not.  I do believe she'll face a primary credible primary challenge next year, as most first termers do, regardless of partisan affiliation.

AZCD7 has a special election tomorrow. Vote!

OK, most people have already voted by mail or early, but tomorrow is the final day for primary voting.

On the ballot:

Five Democratic candidates

Three Republican candidates

There are also:

One Libertarian write-in candidate

Two Green write-in candidates

One No Labels write-in candidate

However, they aren't actually on the ballot.

No predictions here - I'm not going to hazard a guess as to who is going to win any of the primary battles (it's not my district) nor will I even speculate whether one (or more) of the write-in candidates will receive enough votes to appear on the general election ballot.

Except for three rather non-specific predictions - 

The winner of the Democratic primary will be the candidate the one with the best ground game.

The candidates who come in 2nd and 3rd in combination will garner more votes than the actual winner.

One of them will mount a primary challenge in 2026.

Andy Biggs, doing AZ proud. Again.

The man who would be governor getting his hate on both for brown people and the judicial branch at the same time.

Maybe it's an attempt to show R primary voters that he's capable of multitasking.

From a post on Bluesky (because I refuse to link to Faux News if another option is available) -

Know what the greatest crime is in any religious sect/cult? Apostasy.

And that belief has come to AZ politics.

From Collins Dictionary -

If someone is accused of apostasy, they are accused of abandoning their religious faith, political loyalties, or principles.

In Mesa, there's going to be recall election targeting Julie Spilsbury, the District 2 member of the Mesa City Council.

From KJZZ, written by Camryn Sanchez -

Mesa sets Nov. 4 date for Turning Point-backed City Council recall election

Mesa will hold a recall election for Councilmember Julie Spilsbury on Nov. 4. New candidates can start filing for the seat in August.

Spilsbury was first elected in 2020 and represents District 2.

Mesa resident JoAnne Robbins filed a recall petition against Spilsbury in January for her votes on three issues. One allowed temporary homeless housing in a hotel. The others raised council salaries and utility rates and passed unanimously.

Recall elections are usually reserved for elected officials who are corrupt, otherwise engaged in criminal activity, or who are simply embarrassments to their constituents (that last doesn't happen often, so many electeds are somewhat brazen in their acts).

Spilsbury's "offense"?

Not worshipping at the altar of Dear Leader in 2024.

From later in the same story -

The recall effort is backed by the political arm of conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA.

“Stand with us for a stronger, more conservative Mesa!” said a Turning Point Action flier urging for Spilsbury’s recall.

Spilsbury is a Republican, and although city council is a nonpartisan office, she’s faced criticism for supporting former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Spilsbury sat down with Mark Curtis of KPNX (Phoenix Channel 12) to talk about the recall.

Normally, at this point, I would advise people to get out their popcorn, because I think that Republicans eating their owned is very entertaining, in a popcorn-riffic way.

However, there is something I like more - elected officials who do their jobs.

And Spilsbury does hers.

Legislative schedule - week starting 7/13/2025

Again, nothing on the schedule this week -

Legislative schedule - week starting 7/6/2025

Not much to report this week, as the lege is out of session and many members are still on vacation.

Actually, nothing is scheduled for this week - no interim, ad hoc, or "special" committees.

Measles comes to AZ

From the website of Navajo County -

First Confirmed Cases of Measles in Arizona for 2025 Identified in Navajo County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 9, 2025
First Confirmed Cases of Measles in Arizona for 2025 Identified in Navajo County

Navajo County, AZ — The Navajo County Public Health Services District (NCPHSD), in coordination with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), has confirmed four cases of measles within Navajo County. The individuals were not immunized and have a recent history of international travel. All individuals were exposed through a single source. These mark the first confirmed measles cases in both Navajo County and the state of Arizona in 2025.

Public health officials are actively working to identify locations where potential exposure may have occurred and are in the process of notifying individuals who may have been exposed. Those identified will be advised to monitor for symptoms for 21 days following the exposure period and to consider avoiding public spaces or high-risk environments during that time.

Potential exposure dates: May 17–28, 2025

Unvaccinated individuals, particularly those who may have been exposed, are urged to be vigilant in monitoring for early symptoms of measles, which typically appear 7–14 days after exposure.

Navajo County is a relatively remote county in NE Arizona but people in Maricopa County (and elsewhere) have to worry, too.

From the website of the Arizona Emergency Information Network -

Public Health Confirms Measles Exposure at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

Individuals who were at the airport during exposure timeframe should know and watch for symptoms

Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has confirmed that a person infectious with measles traveled through Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. MCDPH is working with federal, state, and airport officials to protect travelers who may have been exposed.

“MCDPH is coordinating with other agencies to notify people who may have been exposed so they can watch for symptoms and get care if any develop,” said Dr. Nick Staab, Chief Medical Officer for MCDPH. “With a virus as highly infectious as measles, it’s a reminder that we all should stay up-to-date on our vaccines to keep ourselves and those around us safe.”

Details of the public exposure are:

• Location: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Terminal 4, beyond security checkpoints, Concourses C and D
• Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
• Time: 5PM to midnight

Routinely, anyone who was on the same flight as a person with a confirmed case of measles will be notified directly by their local public health department.

Measles can linger in the air for up to two hours after the infectious person leaves, and the stated exposure window includes that time.

Measles spreads by direct contact with an infected person or through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. A person with measles can give the disease to other people even before they feel sick. Measles can cause serious illness, especially in young children, pregnant women and people with depressed immune systems.

Approximately 90% of unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to measles will become infected. Measles is preventable with two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, typically given during childhood. Adults need at least one dose of MMR vaccine given after the age of one. Individuals born before 1957 or who had measles as a child are considered immune.

Navajo County isn't *quite* the epicenter of anti-vaxxer sentiment in AZ (Yavapai County is), but it's pretty bad there.

From the Arizona Department of Health Services -

Note: This table shows vaccination rates in Kindergarten (since measles is supposed to be a childhood disease, it seems appropriate) in the 2022-2023 school year (the most recent for which a report was available).

More recent data is available here.

While Texas has been the hardest hit state, it's hardly the only state hit by a measles outbreak (notwithstanding the subject of this post).

From the CDC -

It's not just cases of measles that are on the rise in AZ.

From AZFamily, written by Alaina Kwan, dated 5/30/2025 -

Whooping cough cases up 80% from last year in Arizona

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is on the rise in Arizona this year.

Cases have been surging nationwide; however, Arizona has seen an 80% increase compared to the same time last year, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Whooping cough is an airborne respiratory illness. Banner Health intensive care pediatrician Dr. Rahul Chawla said it can be dangerous for babies and young kids.

Since this is a political blog, I'll make the 2nd to last item a little political.

Also from the CDC -

The number of measles case nationally, 1267, are only exceeded by the number in 2019, 1274.

Cheeto was POTUS in both years.  Probably not a coincidence.

Oh, and the "1274" number is 2019 is thru the full year while this year's 1267 is only thru 7/1.

It'll get worse.

Before getting the disease, or even being being exposed to it, get vaccinated.  It'll protect you and any people around you.

If you have, or suspect you have, measles (or another communicable disease, self isolate and if you have to seek treatment, call your healthcare provider's office before you visit them, and follow their instructions before doing so (from an advisory from Coconino County Health and Human Services).

The 2026 electoral scams have already started

As in 2024, some Republicans are running as Green Party candidates, not intending to win, but perhaps in an attempt to siphon votes from Democratic candidates in races that night be close.

Caveat: this isn't meant to dissuade legitimate members of the Green Party from seeking office.  I do, however, advise all Democratic candidates and orgs, and Green Party voters, to do their due diligence when seeing a Green Party candidate on the ballot.  Know that candidate's background.

Caveat2: It's early still, and because of that, I haven't looked at legislative of federal races.

For example, one candidate for AZ Governor (who has filed both a Statement of Interest [SOI] and formed a committee with the Arizona Secretary of State) is Risa Lombardo.

Her SOI filing lists her party as Green -

Her committee filing doesn't list a party -

However, she's got an interesting background.

From the website of UltraGrassRoots, a MAGA Republican group -

Betrayal - it may hurt Eli Crane the most

Yesterday, I wrote a post about how AZ's delegation voted on Cheeto's budget bill, crafted to devastate society by taking from the poor and giving to the wealthy.

Summary: the R members supported the scheme; the Ds opposed it.

Today, I compared district size (based on number of registered voters) and the number of AHCCCS enrollees in that district (AHCCCS is the acronym for "Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System", which is what Medicaid is called in AZ) -

Voter registration figures are as of January 2025 and courtesy the Arizona Secretary of State.

AHCCCS enrollee figures are as of January 2025 and courtesy AHCCCS.

(Pic below)

I wanted to include district median household income figures from the US Census Bureau, but while they indicate their data was from a couple of their 2023 surveys, they didn't put an actual date on the data, so I didn't use it here.

Member with the most registered voters in their district?  Eli Crane of CD2.

Member with the most AHCCCS enrollees in their district?  Yassamin Ansari of CD3.

Note: AHCCCS enrollees may NOT be registered voters.  Many are too young to vote.

Member with the highest ratio of AHCCCS enrollees to registered voters in their district?  Ansari.

Member with the lowest ratio?  Andy Biggs of CD5.

Democrat with the highest ratio?  Ansari.

Republican with highest ratio?  Crane.

As promised, the pic from the AHCCCS report -