Normally, the format for these posts is to discuss top of the ballot candidates and then work down. However, since the candidates for Tempe City Council are set while most of the other races are still forming up, we'll start with that one.
- For Tempe City Council:
Incumbents Shana Ellis and Onnie Shekerjian will be joined in the race for the Council's three open seats by Robin Arredondo Savage and Mark Ortiz. AZCentral.com report here. The Tempe City Clerk's announcement here. The Primary election will be held on March 9, 2010 and the General election (if necessary) will be held on May 18, 2010.
Ortiz is an Iraq War vet, community volunteer, and employee of a locksmith business and a lawn care business. His website is here, though it seems to be incomplete at this time.
Ellis is on the Council and is currently serving as Tempe's Vice Mayor. Her 2006 campaign website is here, though I'll update the link when/if a more current one comes online. Before her election to the Council that year, she had been a long-time community activist.
Shekerjian was also elected to the Council in 2006. Her campaign website from that year is here, though as with Ellis, when/if a more current site comes online, I'll update here. She's a conservative Republican who emphasizes her ideology during Council meetings and campaign stops. She's also Mayor Hugh Hallman's last remaining ally on the Council - unlike Mayor Bob Walkup of Tucson, Hallman doesn't ignore partisan affiliations when deciding who to work with on issues facing Tempe.
Arredondo-Savage is perhaps the most interesting candidate. She's the niece of current member (and future state legislator?) Ben Arredondo. She's currently a member of the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board. Unlike Shekerjian, she emphasizes community needs in her speeches and actions. She is a Republican, but in her dedication to the community, she is more like her uncle than Shekerjian (or Hallman.) I couldn't find a campaign website, but when one is set up, I'll link to it here.
- For District 2 on the Governing Board of the Maricopa County Community College District...
...Dana Saar, a member of the Fountain Hills school board, has formed a committee to challenge incumbent Jerry Walker (R-embarassment). AZCentral.com coverage here; Fountain Hills Times coverage here. The race may yet fall by the wayside - a conservative blog (Sonoran Alliance) is reporting that Walker is considering a run for the LD19 seat in the state senate.
- In LD8, a Republican has stepped up to challenge presumed candidate (and fellow Republican) State Rep. Michelle Reagan for the State Senate seat. Michelle Ugenti, a "tea party" brand of Republican, set up a committee on December 3.
Yes, this means that the AZGOP is running against a Reagan from the right.
- Current State Senator Jim Waring is termed out after next year. He has formed an exploratory committee for a run at state treasurer. He will only run *if* current treasurer Dean Martin decides to run for Governor. Phoenix New Times coverage here.
- Tajudeen "Taj" Oladiran has filed to enter the race for the Republican nomination for Attorney General. I couldn't find out much about him, but he seems to be best known for his rather "unique" court filings.
- NRA board member Owen "Buz" Mills has filed for the Republican nomination for Governor next year. And after Jan Brewer said all those nice things about the man at some NRA event last May. I'm shocked. Really. :)
AZBlueMeanie at Blog for Arizona has more complete coverage of candidate committees here.
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