TL/DR –
Arizona Republican officials have voted to retain their leader, Gina Swoboda, for another year. Swoboda, an election lawyer endorsed by President Donald Trump, won the vote against former state Rep. Cory McGarr by a count of 978 to 758. The meeting followed one of the biggest victories for Republicans in Arizona in a decade, including Trump’s win in the state and an expanded GOP majority in the state Legislature.
Arizona GOP Re-elects Gina Swoboda as Chair, Overcoming Challenge from Cory McGarr
Arizona Republican officials voted to retain Gina Swoboda, an election lawyer endorsed by President Donald Trump, as their leader at the state GOP’s annual meeting on Saturday. Swoboda overcame a challenge from former state Rep. Cory McGarr, securing her position with a vote of 978 to 758.
The meeting was attended by nearly 2,000 Republican state committee members who voted for top officers, members at large, and suggested bylaw proposals or changes. This followed significant victories for Republicans in Arizona, including Trump winning the state and the expansion of the GOP’s majority in the state Legislature.
McGarr’s supporters, including some from the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, were critical of Swoboda’s close ties to Trump’s pick for Arizona governor in 2026: Karrin Taylor Robson. Many of them support U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who announced last week he was considering a run for governor.
Who is Gina Swoboda?
Swoboda is a former elections coordinator for Trump and adviser to Kari Lake’s unsuccessful 2022 gubernatorial campaign. She’s currently the executive director of the Voter Reference Foundation, a subsidiary of the nonprofit Restoration Action Inc., a project promoting election reform.
Swoboda previously worked in the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office under both Republican Michele Reagan and Democrat Katie Hobbs. Senate president Warren Petersen approved her hiring as the chamber’s election adviser this year.
Election Issues Drove McGarr Supporters
McGarr, a pesticide company manager from Marana, served one term as a state lawmaker in Legislative District 17. State committee member Carrie Heikkala of Tempe supported McGarr because of his desire to eliminate mail-in ballots and have elections and their results occur in a single day.
Swoboda cancelled contracts with both Turning Point and a company run by Arizona Freedom Caucus leader Jake Hoffman, a Republican state senator from Queen Creek. McGarr believes Swoboda’s leadership led to the loss of conservative school board members around the state and the retention of three Democratic lawmakers in a competitive west Mesa.
McGarr’s primary goal was to fix “broken elections,” he said, proposing “one day, one vote, in person, with ID, no machines, (and) hand-counting,” which garnered considerable applause from the crowd.
—
Read More US Media News