The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected former Arizona House of Representative member Republican Shawnna Bolick on Wednesday to fill a seat in the State Senate for Legislative District 2, which represents areas of north Phoenix.
This follows former Republican Senator Steve Kaiser resigning last month to run a nonprofit policy group he founded to support the Republican majority at the Arizona Legislature.
The Arizona Republican Party proposed three candidates to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to fill the vacant position upon Kaiser’s resignation. The three proposed candidates were Shawnna Bolick, former congressional candidate Josh Barnett, and Paul Carver, the district’s Republican Party chair. Upon review, the board of supervisors selected Shawnna Bolick (pictured above) to fill the Senate seat.
Shawnna Bolick, who is married to Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick, previously served two terms in the state House. During that time, she advocated strengthening Arizona’s education system, limiting government, building a better business climate, protecting free market principles, supporting public safety, and securing the border. She ran for secretary of state in 2022, finishing third in the Republican primary.
According to Shawnna Bolick, she is thankful that the board of supervisors selected her to fill the vacant Senate seat, and she will advocate for freedom and liberty in her new position.
“Thank you to the elected precinct committeemen of Legislative District 2 for placing me on a list of three names sent to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors last month to fill Senator Steve Kaiser’s vacancy. This morning, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected me to fill the remainder of Senator Kaiser’s term, and I will do so honorably. Thank you to everyone who contacted the precinct committeemen and the Board of Supervisors on my behalf. I very much look forward to getting to work for the people in Arizona as I demonstrated in my previous tenure in the House. I will always be one of the strongest advocates for freedom and liberty,” Shawnna Bolick said.
According to Senate President Warren Petersen, Shawnna Bolick will be an incredible asset in the Senate.
“We believe Ms. Bolick will be an incredible asset to her constituents, Maricopa County, and the state as a whole. Her experience in working with lawmakers of all backgrounds for the common good of our citizens will be a valuable resource to our Caucus as we continue our mission to keep Arizona a free state from the heavy hand of excessive government control,” Petersen said.
State Senator Quang Nguyen (R-Prescott) praised the Board selection, saying he is “looking forward” to working with Shawnna Bolick again.
State Representative David Marshall (R-Snowflake) also applauded the selection giving his “congratulations.”
Bolick is scheduled to be sworn in as Senator on Friday afternoon.
The Arizona Sun Times contacted Shawnna Bolick for comment but did not receive one before press time.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
