Republican Precinct Committeemen in Legislative District 13 have determined which three names will be submitted to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, fulfilling their role in the appointment of a replacement for State Representative Liz Harris, who was expelled from the State House for a number of violations, including her failure to provide honest testimony to the Ethics Committee that was investigating her.
In spite of her expulsion, Harris continues to enjoy some support in the district, as her name was one of the three names submitted for appointment. The other two are Julie Willoughby, who narrowly lost to Harris in last November’s election, and Steve Steele.
Most political observers expect Willoughby to be chosen since Harris would presumably be “a non-starter” for Supervisors looking to move on from the drama surrounding Harris. “Willoughby is the safe choice because she’s a solid conservative, she almost won the last time, and she’d be a good candidate for re-election in 2024,” said one Republican who was watching the proceeding.
The County Supervisors are expected to conduct candidate interviews with most or all of the nominees before selecting the winner. While the process can take longer in ordinary times, it is expected to be done by the end of this week since the legislature is in session and Republicans only have thirty votes with the seat vacant – one less than they need to pass legislation.