Swearing-in new members of the Arizona Legislature has become a seemingly routine event this year, but for Arizona State Sen. Shawnna Bolick it was anything but mundane. It brought her, and others, to tears.
Bolick was sworn in on Friday by her husband Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick.
“Sweetheart, you never cease to amaze me, and I am enormously proud of you,” began Justice Bolick as he prepared to swear his wife into office. “As you know, we’re in different branches of government; when you’re a candidate I can’t campaign for you, I can’t endorse you. In the Legislature, I can’t give you any advice, but there are three things I can do. First of all, is to commend you for being one of the most amazing public servants I’ve ever known, and I mean that in the literal and best sense of the word. The second is I can swear you in, and the third is, after I swear you in, I can kiss you and I don’t normally do that when I swear people in.”
What a special moment!
Senator @ShawnnaLMBolick was sworn in by her husband, Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick. pic.twitter.com/t1BSxsE85t
— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) July 21, 2023
Bolick was unanimously appointed by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to serve as the next Senator for Legislative District 2 last week.
Bolick’s appointment was made to fill the vacancy created when former Senator Steve Kaiser resigned from his seat back in June, after serving at the Legislature for several years.
Bolick served at the Legislature from 2019 to 2022 before leaving office to run in the crowded Republican primary race for Secretary of State. During that time, she was an advocate of election integrity and strengthening Arizona’s education system.