Arizona State Rep. Jen Longdon Resigns from House

“I take pride in the collaborative efforts that transcended party lines, resulting in meaningful bipartisan accomplishments,” Longdon wrote in her resignation letter. “I remain humbled by the trust placed in me by the Office of the Speaker in naming me as Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable Adults. I am proud of the accomplishments we have been able to achieve thus far.”

House Democratic leadership thanked Longdon for her time in office, as she has been in the House since 2019 representing part of the Phoenix area.

“Representative Longdon has been one of Arizona’s most effective and compassionate leaders, both inside and outside the Legislature. On the issues of gun violence prevention and advocating for the rights of those living with disabilities, there is no stronger voice,” they said in a statement. “On behalf of our caucus and the constituents she has served so well, we are grateful for her work and the lives she has impacted. We will miss her presence but we also know that her work will continue and that great things lie ahead.”

Longdon made a name for herself in the legislature for advocating for people with disabilities and victims of gun violence. According to her website, she uses a wheelchair after she was paralyzed from a shooting in 2004.

In terms of a replacement, Legislative District 5’s Democratic precinct committee members will need to select three names to bring to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The board will ultimately decide which of the three will then fill the vacancy.

The former state representative will be pursuing a job in the health policy world, The Arizona Republic reported.

Longdon is not the only Democrat to resign recently. Former Rep. Athena Salman resigned in December to become director of Arizona Campaigns for Reproductive Freedom, which is working on getting an abortion access constitutional amendment on the ballot this year. Former House Minority Leader Andrés Cano resigned at the end of the 2023 legislative session to pursue a master’s in public administration from Harvard University.