‘Bluenami’ at polls looms over Gilbert

Come January, the Arizona Legislature will be something it hasn’t been since 1966 – dominated by Democrats in both chambers.

And the Gilbert delegation could reflect that domination as five Democrats could be part of the six-member delegation from the town’s two legislative districts, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.

Meanwhile, Gilbert Public Schools officials were holding their breath last week over the outcome of their $136 million bond election, where “yes” votes outnumbered the opposition by less than a percentage point.

And while GPS had no election for its two Governing Board seats because only two candidates had thrown their hats into the ring, Higley’s board apparently will see a change after incumbent Anna Van Hoek lost her bid for a second term.

‘Bluenami’ looming

While LD13 saw an unprecedented “bluenami” that put the senate and both house seats in the “D” column, LD14 may be witnessing its own unprecedented tilt as engineer Stephanie Walsh appeared to have taken the open Senate seat and Mary Rose, a retired corporate human resources executive and community volunteer, appeared to take one of two House seats, ousting former Gilbert Council member Laurin Hendrix.

Because Rose was the only Democrat seeking a House seat in LD14, political newcomer Tyler Andrew Farnsworth could be Gilbert’s only Republican in the Legislature for the next two years

He won’t have much company from his party.

Democrats will control of both houses of the state Legislature for the first time since 1966.

And it’s not close. Based on unofficial returns, it appears there will be 20 Democrats and 10 Republicans in the Senate, and 37 Democrats and 23 Republicans in the House.

The Democratic sweep of all state offices also left another Gilbert legislative Republican in the dust. Senate President Warren Petersen left his LD14 Senate seat to run for attorney general, only to lose to incumbent Democrat Kris Mayes by 10 points.

In the LD14 Senate race, Walsh was leading Mylie Biggs 50.98% to 48.953 – a margin of less than 2,000 votes – as of tSunday, Nov. 8. Biggs’ father, Republican Congressman Andy Biggs, was thumped by Gov. Katie Hobbs in the gubernatorial election 55.38% to 42.75%, according to the latest unofficial results.

In the LD14 House race, Rose led the three-way race for two seats with 34.18% of the vote to Farnsworth’s 33.33% and Hendrix’s 32.15%.

In some ways, the GOP loss was more stunning in LD13, which represents western Gilbert as well as South Chandler and Sun Lakes.

There, Democratic newcomers apprently defeated three candidates with high name recognition.

In the LD13 Senate race, Kristie O’Brien thwarted Rep. Julie Willoughby’s attempt to succeed her Republican colleague J.D. Mesnard with nearly 55% of the vote to Willoughby’s 45%.

Mesnard, a longtime legislator, suffered his own loss in his bid for Justice of the Peace in San Marcos Court, losing to incumbent Democrat Jennifer Jermaine.

In the LD13 House race, Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke and longtime Chandler business owner Janet Weninger found that name recognition meant little as Democrats Racquel “Rockee” Armstrong and Jacob Weinberg handily defeated them, according to unofficial results.

Armstrong garnered 27.25% and Weinberg 26.94% to defeat Hartke (23.75%) and Weninger (22.1%).

Hartke was termed out of office and had served Chandler city government as a council member and mayor for the last 16 years. Weninger’s husband, Jeff Weninger, was a longtime legislator who ran unsuccessfully for Chandler mayor earlier this year.

O’Brien wrote on Facebook, “I’m honored to have the opportunity to represent the community where I grew up and am raising my family. I ran because I believe Arizona families need leaders who are willing to listen, work across differences, and focus on the issues that actually affect people’s lives.”

Weinberg said, “My years in the Army taught me that leadership is about putting the mission and the people you serve ahead of yourself, and that’s the approach I’ll bring to the legislature,” Weinberg said.

“I’m ready to work across differences, tackle the challenges facing our district, and deliver for the people who call LD13 home.”

Armstrong said, “We have officially secured a seat in the Arizona state House and flipped this seat from Red to Blue.

“We are a Majority Maker!,” Armstrong continued. “If that was not enough, we become the first Black elected to represent this area at the state level and the ninth in Arizona’s history to serve, building upon hard fought legacies in our community.”

GPS bond

With no school board race because incumbent Chad Thompson and newcomer Whitney Pitt were the only two candidates for the two seats up for election this year, Gilbert Public Schools’ primary ballot measure is a $136 million bond that officials hope to spread over five years.

It earmarks $65 million for critical facility upgrades, $20 million for extracurricular spaces and career technical education needs and $12 million for safety upgrades such as securing entryways.

Another $33 million would be set aside for technology improvements and $6 million would be spent on buses and vans.

The outcome of the bond vote remained a nail-biter by this newspaper’s Friday deadline, according to unofficial results that had “yes” votes outnumbering “no” votes 50.89%, or 36,651, to 49.11%, or 35,364.

GPS last had a bond measure on the ballot in 2023 for $100 million and that went down in defeat.

Voters last week approved the other ballot measure GPS put before them. They approved, 68.8% to 31.1%, a measure allowing a district to sell, exchange or lease the old Pioneer Elementary school site, a 11.86-acre parcel on the southeast corner of Baseline and Greenfield roads.

District officials said they have no plans to do anything with the site right now, but it doesn’t matter, as the apparent approval of the bond measure sets no time limit on a decision for the property.

Higley and Chandler boards

In Higley Unified, Hoek appeared to have lost her bid for a second term after board President Amanda Wade, with 35.53% of the 28,694 votes cast, and challenger Michelle Morris, with 33.35%, topped her 31.12%.

But the race to complete the remaining two years of Scott Glover's term. remained unsettled. Glover resigned in July.

No candidate’s names were on the ballot and voters had to write in the name of their choice.

The county schools superintendent wanted to appoint someone, but a Superior Court judge ordered an election – thought too late for any candidate to collect ballot petitions after several parents and one candidate filed suit.

That candidate, Travis White, appeared to be in the driver’s seat in early returns, according to unofficial results.They showed White with 1,420 votes –nearly 50% of all qualified votes cast – to Kurt Brooks’ 487 votes (24.38%) and Kathleen Richards’ 270 (9.38%).

Chandler Unified’s election was canceled months ago because incumbent Kurt Rohrs and newcomer Zeyna Pruzhanovsky were the only candidates who filed.

CUSD Board President Patti Serrano opted not to run.

Rohrs and Pruzhanovsky are slated to take their oath of office in January.

Meanwhile, the Blue Wave that swept Democrats into all state offices also appeared to have defeated a statewide proposition that alarmed many school districts.

Proposition 320 would have required school districts to put 60% of their operating revenue into direct classroom instruction – leaving the state Auditor General to decide what that meant.

Districts contended that the measure would have forced them to take away money from personnel and spending that contribute to a student’s overall education – including positions like teacher aides and school resource officers as well as libraries and possibly technology.

Also doomed last week was the architect of Proposition 320, Republican Rep. Matt Gress of Phoenix, who was defeated in his run for another term.

‘Bluenami’ at polls looms over Gilbert

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