Phoenix (3TV/CBS 5) — Current Chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Republican clint hickman, will not seek re-election. According to a statement he issued early Thursday morning.
Hickman, who represents District 4, took over the post from Supervisor Bill Gates in early 2023 after Gates faced intense scrutiny over his handling of the November 2022 election. Hickman previously served as chair in 2020, leading the county during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 presidential election. In a January 2023 interview with his family in Arizona, he prioritized homelessness, the fentanyl crisis, and affordable housing as important issues in the community.
But now, he says, it's time to focus on his family. “I have decided to focus all my energy on my wife, children, family, work, and friends. I couldn't be more excited,” Hickman said in a statement.
The news was first reported before the statement was released. washington post. The outlet previously reported that Hickman had been subpoenaed in Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into former President Donald Trump.
The announcement comes months after fellow Republican Supervisor Bill Gates also said he would not run again. Gates was one of the conservatives in particular who faced death threats from the far right who rejected the election results. Gates has previously told multiple media outlets that he was diagnosed with PTSD as a result of constant harassment and violent threats.
For four years now, the Republican-led commission has been the target of constant harassment and death threats after President Joe Biden certified his victory in the state's most populous county. The five-member board, made up of four Republicans and one Democrat, certified the results despite loud protests from Trump supporters who allege baseless conspiracy theories that the election was stolen.
One of the most outrageous conspiracies involved a claim that ballots were destroyed in a fire at Hickman's egg farm in the West Valley. Maricopa County became a hub for President Trump's efforts to overturn the election results, ultimately leading to an audit of more than 1 million votes cast in the county. Two Republicans have announced their intention to run for Hickman's office representing the West Valley, according to the Maricopa County Recorder's Office.
After Hickman's announcement, Gates briefly wrote on social media: “Maricopa County is losing a great public servant in Clint Hickman, and I hope he enjoys whatever adventure he has next.” Shared your comment.
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