22 Candidates Apply For Maricopa County Supervisor Seat

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When County Supervisor Steve Chucri resigned his seat — following the public release of remarks he made that were critical of other county officials opposing the audit of the 2020 election — it began a process that will result in a replacement being named sometime in the next few months. The first step in the process was an open window for aspiring county supervisors to apply for the appointment. In order to apply, applicants needed to be registered Republicans who lived in Chucri’s district. An impressively large number of people, 22 in fact, applied for the position, including quite a few names familiar to political observers.

Former officeholders included former State Representative Adam Kwasman, Mayor Vernon Parker, State Senator Ed Phillips, Councilman Cecil Yates, Councilwoman Lisa Borowsky, Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp, Councilman Christopher Glover, and Corporation Commissioner Doug Little.  Other connected politicos on the list include Ken Strobeck, who was the Executive Director of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns, Shane Wikfors, who is the current director of government and public relations for the County School Superintendent, and Thomas Galvin, an attorney with the well-connected Rose Law Group.

The new County Supervisor will be picked by the current four Supervisors, so while much may be publicly said about credentials and skills the new Supervisor should have, most believe an applicant’s greatest asset will be their willingness to “play ball with” or “go with the flow” as was suggested to ADI by those we spoke with.

“You don’t have to be anti-Trump, but it will help you a lot,” said one observer, who noted that the vacancy was entirely due to Chucri speaking honestly about the election audit, not anything related to his job performance. “If you supported the audit it will be a deal breaker.  If you were critical of the Board fighting against the audit it will be a deal breaker.  And if you will give anything less than 100% in fighting against those who wanted the audit, it will be a deal breaker.”

Candidates like Adam Kwasman, who spoke out against Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign, had reversed course and came out as a passionate pro-Trump supporter during a recent campaign for public office.  But in his most recent comments, he has trashed the election audit and defended the County’s position.  Would the Supervisors trust applicants whose conversions to their position were so recent?

“Probably not, and with 20 people to choose from they won’t have to settle.  There are plenty of career politician types on that list who would gladly play ball in exchange for a return to the public stage.  I mean, Vernon Parker or Suzanne Klapp or some of the others have no shot at getting elected to office anymore, so they’ll make any deal they have to for an appointment,” said an East Valley observer who asked that her name not be used because she knows many of the applicants.

The Supervisors could also avoid former office holders and pick a lower visibility candidate, while still ensuring a loyal voice on the Board.  “I think someone like Shane Wikfors actually could surprise people, because he’s a public anti-Trump voice, he’s already working in the County for Steve Watson where he is the ultimate team player for county policies, and they never have to worry about him going rogue on anything.  Some of that applies to Galvin as well, so I’d keep an eye on the lesser-known names in this process.  They don’t have the enemies or baggage the office holders have,” said one lobbyist who has watched county government for the last ten years.

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