On Thursday, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected Buckeye resident Sine Kerr to replace State Sen. Steve Montenegro, who resigned to run for the congressional seat vacated by former Congressman Trent Franks. While Montenegro resigned to run in the CD8 race, fellow State Senator Debbie Lesko has refused to do so in a timely manner.
Montenegro opted to resign to run in order to ensure that his constituents would have representation ready to serve in the Arizona legislative session which begins on January 8. Lesko has stated that she would not resign her seat until January 10. CD8 candidates must file their nomination petitions on January 10.
Remaining in the Legislature beyond the January 8 start date ensures that Lesko will be credited for the entire year for retirement benefit purposes and allows her to stay in power should she fail to secure enough nominating signatures, according to sources. Should she resign on January 10, her constituents will be without representation until her seat is filled.
In December, the Associated Press reported that the “Arizona Legislature’s nonpartisan legal counsel says the state’s “resign to run” law won’t be triggered if sitting lawmakers want to seek the U.S. House seat vacated by Trent Franks.”
Kerr was chosen from a list of three Republicans Kerr, Joanne Osborne and Royce Jenkins, who were voted on by LD13’s GOP committee.
Kerr, a dairy farmer, won the support of LD13 Republicans in the first round of 5 votes.
According to the popular website for Arizona republicans, MCRC Briefs, “In An Endurance Marathon that lasted nearly four hours last Thursday evening, Sine Kerr, Joanne Osborne and Royce Jenkins evolved as LD13’s choice Joanne Osbsorne – goodyear city council of three candidates to forward to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for potential selection to replace LD13 Sen Steve Montenegro, who has resigned to run for the US House of Representatives. Kerr won the first round shortly after the meeting started at 5 pm., but it took five additional rounds of voting before Jenkins was named the third candidate around 8:30 pm.
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