Election canvass chance for Chamber to assess candidate endorsements, wins

The official canvass of the 2022 election is today, giving the business community, including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the opportunity to reflect on the performance of their endorsed candidates. Chamber-endorsed candidates at the statewide, congressional, legislative, and county levels all won their races.

U.S. Congress

In his race for the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican Juan Ciscomani will be the new representative for District 6, which covers parts of Tucson and much of southeastern Arizona. Ciscomani will bring a pro-business voice to Capitol Hill. 

“Anyone who has gotten the opportunity to know Juan knows he is going to be an outstanding member of Congress,” Arizona Chamber President and CEO Danny Seiden said. “We’re proud to have endorsed him and we look forward to working with him to advance policies that encourage job growth and economic competitiveness.”

Incumbents Rep. David Schweikert and Rep. Debbie Lesko, both endorsed by the Chamber, won re-election. 

Treasurer

Kimberly Yee, the Chamber-endorsed Republican, scored a huge victory to retain her spot as state treasurer. 

Following her double-digit victory, Yee posted, “As a native Arizonan, from a family of small business owners, my grandparents came to this great country back in the 1930’s and worked hard to attain freedom, opportunity and prosperity.”

Writing about her campaign in The Arizona Republic, Yee said, “Our campaign earned the highest number of votes of any contested candidate for statewide office − a double digit win,” which she attributed to her commitment to sharing her belief in the free enterprise system to all Arizonans, not just Republicans. 

State Legislature

In Arizona’s Legislature, Republicans will hold one-vote majorities in both the House and Senate. 

Chamber-backed candidates Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, will serve as the next Senate president and Ben Toma, R-Peoria, will be the next House speaker. 

Chamber endorsed candidates pulled through, several of whom were in tough races, ensuring support for pro-business legislation.

“The year ahead will require hard work by legislators in both parties to maintain Arizona’s growth and its reputation as one of the best states in the country for business,” Seiden says. “We anticipate that Chamber-endorsed legislators will play an important role in determining the direction of the state.”

Maricopa County Attorney

For the first time in its history, the Chamber endorsed a candidate in the Maricopa County Attorney’s race. 

The Chamber endorsed Rachel Mitchell, who won with a strong show of support across the county.

Mitchell has vowed to work closely with law enforcement to “Ensure dangerous criminals are held accountable.”

“The Chamber’s endorsement of Rachel Mitchell speaks to how crime is emerging as a major issue for the business community,” Seiden said. “Her years of prosecutorial experience and her willingness to meet with job creators and hear our concerns about issues like organized retail theft made her the right choice to earn the Chamber’s endorsement.”