The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected Julie Willoughby, an emergency room trauma nurse, to fill the vacant LD 13 House seat formerly occupied by ousted State Representative Liz Harris (R-Chandler). The vote was 4-1, with the lone Democrat Steve Gallardo dissenting. The law required Republican precinct committeemen in the district to choose three candidates to send to the supervisors. The other two candidates they selected were Harris, who received the most support from the PCs, and Steven Steele, a retired natural-gas worker and motorcycle-operator trainer.
On Wednesday, Maricopa County Vice Chair Jack Sellers (R) interviewed the nominees privately, asking them about Prop 400, homeless, water, and elections. A source told The Washington Post that Willoughby aligned the most with the board’s priorities. The board also scrutinized their social media posts. Sellers made the motion to appoint Willoughby to the vacant LD 13 House seat. Because most of LD 13 is in Sellers’ district, it was tradition for him to make the decision on who to appoint.
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