Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08), who recently announced she will retire from the U.S. Congress at the end of her term, is now reportedly seeking election to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
Multiple reports reveal Lesko announced her candidacy for the District 4 seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors within hours of the Thursday announcement when Supervisor Clint Hickman confirmed he will not seek another term in office.
The following day, Lesko expressed her gratitude for Hickman in a post to X.
“Thank you Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman for your service to the great people in the West Valley and Maricopa County,” wrote Lesko. She added, “Your work for the people in the West Valley will be remembered.”
Thank you Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman for your service to the great people in the West Valley and Maricopa County! I wish you and your family many blessings in your future endeavors. Your work for the people in the West Valley will be remembered.
— Debbie Lesko (@DebbieLesko) February 16, 2024
Currently finishing her second term in Congress, Lesko announced her decision not to seek reelection in October, citing her desire “to spend more time with my husband, my 94-year-old mother, my three children, and my five grandchildren.”
After noting the amount of time U.S. House members must spend at the nation’s capital, Lesko declared, “Right now, Washington, D.C. is broken; it is hard to get anything done. Please know that I will continue my work to improve Congress and to help my constituents and the American people. We must all work toward that end.”
Lesko also clarified she did not intend to leave Congress until the end of her term in January 2025.
A statement from Congresswoman Debbie Lesko ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ziBheGVDbz
— Debbie Lesko (@DebbieLesko) October 17, 2023
Though at least one media report indicated Lesko’s odds of winning the primary are high, another candidate seeking the same office questioned why she would run for the seat after declaring she wanted to spend more time with loved ones when announcing her decision to leave Congress.
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors candidate Robert Canterbury questioned the sincerity of Lesko’s decision to leave Congress to spend time with family, and suggested she will not adequately meet with constituents throughout the West Valley.
“Either Congresswoman Lesko is going to go home everyday after her shift ends in downtown Phoenix and spend time with her family and not meet her constituents,” Canterbury claimed, “or she will meet with her constituents” and “ignore her family.” He added, “being a politician doesn’t come in shifts.”
My personal opinion on @DebbieLesko jumping into the Maricopa County Supervisor race. @JessieJaneDuff @Rach_IC @KimWexlerMAJD @JenWEsq pic.twitter.com/JQmNiDpDKL
— Rob Canterbury (@Rec4MCBOS) February 18, 2024
Lesko has remained active in the 2024 political cycle despite announcing her decision to leave Congress in January.
Last November, she endorsed Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) in his bid to replace her in the U.S. House, and announced her support for Toma less than 20 minutes after he announced his candidacy. Both former Arizona Attorney General candidate Abe Hamadeh and former U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters are also running for the seat.
In December, Lesko went on to endorse former President Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential election, citing Trump’s “proven track record of success.”
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Image “Debbie Lesko” by Debbie Lesko.
