The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Quanta Cruz as representative of Legislative District 26 to fill a vacancy in the state House of Representatives.
The board appointed Crew on Monday after being recommended by county superintendent Steve Gallardo. Mr. Gallardo represents the region, including LD26 of the county, and his nomination was unanimously approved by the board.
“I look forward to working with Congress and Gov. Katie Hobbs and her staff to move Arizona forward because that’s what we do here: work for the people,” Cruz said. said after the appointment.
On May 12, the LD26 district committee elected three candidates considered by the board: Crew, former state congressman Christian Sorollio, and committee treasurer Veronica Monge.
Cruz, the second vice chairman of the committee, was also one of the candidates for the LD26 Senate vacancy. Former Senate minority leader Raquel Terran resigned in April to focus on congressional campaigns, and Phoenix Democratic Senator Flavio Bravo was transferred from the House to the Senate.
When Mr. Bravo was appointed to the Senate, Mr. Gallardo said he expected Mr. Cruz to emerge as a candidate for Mr. Bravo’s House seat.
“These are by no means easy choices,” Gallardo said on Monday. “In this particular case, and in most cases, he has three eligible candidates, but we are in a position where he has to pick one.”
Earlier in the session, Gallardo voted against appointing Rep. Julie Willoughby (R-Chandler) to fill the vacant LD13 House seat for expelled Rep. Liz Harris. He said he could not choose any of the three LD13 Republican nominees, including Harris, because none of them expressed confidence in the 2022 and 2020 elections.
He didn’t have the same problem with the LD26 candidates. Gallardo said he had spoken with three candidates about the county’s water issues, including the continuation of the county sales tax (Prop 400) that funds transportation projects, state elections and the Rio Verde foothills crisis.
Another factor in Mr. Gallardo’s recommendation was Mr. Cruz’s work history. According to her LinkedIn account, Cruz has a background in real estate appraisals and has worked for the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office as a real estate and personal property appraiser for four years. He also said Cruz would bring more diversity to Congress, which he feels is currently lacking.
“(Crew) is familiar with the critical issues facing Legislative District 26 and Arizona. I think she will bring great leadership to the Legislature,” Gallardo said.
Board chairman Clint Hickman praised Cruz for attending both the board meeting on Monday and when Bravo was appointed to the Senate. None of the LD13 candidates attended the meeting when Willoughby was appointed in May.
“It’s hard. I don’t know if I’ll be picked, but I was here,” Hickman told Cruise.
When Cruz was nominated for a House vacancy by the LD26 constituency committee on May 12, she told PC housing and education would be her two main focuses as an MP. She said she was motivated to serve in Congress after being shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rent increases she saw in her community.
“It really was. It was seeing the problems that I and my neighbors and people in the community were facing, and they weren’t really being lifted up by some in power. ,” Cruz said on May 12. You have to take responsibility for it. ”
A mother of three, Crewe ran for a seat on the Phoenix Elementary School District Board of Trustees in 2020, but was not elected. She is also a trustee of the Arizona Chapter of the International Association of Assessors and Associate Pastor of the Tanner Chappell African Methodist Episcopal Church in Phoenix.
Cruz has not yet been sworn in, but her appointment will bring the House back to 60 seats a week before it reconvenes on June 12. Arizona House Democrats tweeted that they should “watch” when Mr. Cruz’s oath ceremony will take place. of.
“Rep. Cruz joins the Democratic caucus at a critical time. At a time when she consistently demonstrates how disconnected MAGA Republicans are from everyday life in Arizona, she will continue to support our shared Democratic values. is a strong and well-prepared voice for ,” House Minority Leader Andrés Cano said in a news release Monday afternoon. “While Republicans fuel election conspiracy theories, attack sexual and reproductive rights, and fuel hatred for the LGBTQ+ community, Cruz will prioritize equal rights for people in District 26 and a strong economy. Together, we will work to fully fund and expand our public schools to provide affordable housing and secure the state’s water future. ”
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