With the last few ballots being tabulated in Arizona, one of the many races that has been settled is for the two State House seats in Legislative District 13. The largely Chandler-based district elected Democrat incumbent Jennifer Pawlik and Republican newcomer Liz Harris. Harris ran in 2020 coming up short, but fared better in 2022, winning the second seat by a very small margin over fellow Republican Julie Willoughby.
Harris, who spent much of 2021 trying to identify cases of voter fraud in Arizona, is upset at the 2022 election process and believes that fraud was again widespread, and she has chosen a unique form of protest against the election.
In a public statement, Harris pledged to not vote for or against any bills, no matter how good or bad they are, unless and until the entire statewide election is redone.
Harris’ statement reads “Although I stand to win my Legislative District race, it has become obvious that we need to hold a new election immediately. There are clear signs of foul play from machine malfunctions, chain of custody issues and just blatant mathematical impossibilities. How can a Republican State Treasurer receive more votes than a Republican gubernatorial or Senate candidate? I call on all state legislators to join me in demanding a new election. I will now be withholding my vote on any bills in this session without this new election in protest to what is clearly a potential fraudulent election.”
Harris’ statement was greeted with surprise, bewilderment, and at least one accusation of hypocrisy.
“Harris hasn’t even officially been declared the winner and because she thinks Democrats cheated and stole the election, she’s going to reward them by giving them effective control of the State House?” asked one lobbyist. The House is expected to feature the bare minimum 31 Republicans required for control, meaning the loss of a single Republican vote deadlocks the State House.
“Honest to God, it is obvious she hasn’t even remotely thought this through,” one GOP precinct committeeman told ADI, adding “there isn’t any way in the law to force a new election, so she’s asking for the impossible and is holding the entire state of Arizona hostage. The worst part is she looks like a complete hypocrite, because on one hand she’s saying the election is corrupt, and on the other she’s keeping the seat she won in that corrupt election. So, is it all an act?”