Hobbs Continues to Build a Governing Team; Lake Keeps Losing in Court

As former Yankee Great Yogi Berra once said, “it’s Deja Vu all over again.”

While Governor-Elect Katie Hobbs continues to build a governing team that will be ready to move the people’s business the first week in January, her vanquished Trump Republican Gubernatorial opponent, Kari Lake keeps taking her rubbish voting fraud claims to court and…wait for it…losing.

This has been a similar pattern for both teams over the last several weeks.

Yesterday, the Governor-Elect’s transition team announced a new series of hires for policy-making decisions. From a December 23 press release, these include:

“Jennifer Loredo, Director of Community Engagement

Jennifer Loredo has 22 years of legislative and community organizing experience and was most recently the Arizona Education Association’s External Affairs Director.   Jennifer is an Arizona native from Yuma and has one son in third grade.  She is skilled in running state-level campaigns, grant programs, and coalition building, and has a background in various policy areas.   Jennifer is a graduate from Arizona State University and has a Masters in Management.

Rebecca Beebe, Deputy Director of Public Affairs & Legislative Director   

Rebecca Beebe has spent the last nine years of her career focused on state-level policy and lobbying legislators at the Arizona capitol. Some of her areas of expertise include k-12 education, healthcare, county government issues, and human services. In her previous role, Rebecca represented school district superintendents and the interests of Arizona’s public schools at the state capitol. She gained a reputation as one of the foremost experts in k-12 education policy. She was recently nominated by the Arizona Capitol Times for the 2021 Toughest Lobbyist to Go Against award.

 

Sophia Solis, Deputy Director of Communications 

Sophia Solis has served as the deputy communications director for the Arizona Secretary of State since 2019. Prior to this role, she was the public information officer for the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office. Sophia received her B.A. from the University of California, Irvine, and her M.A. from Arizona State University.

Whitney Walker, Deputy Director of Policy & Civil Rights Policy Advisor 

Whitney has spent her career advocating for sustainable policy solutions on behalf of Arizona’s most vulnerable populations. Most recently, Whitney served as the Vice President of Arizona’s largest reproductive healthcare organization. She also served on the Impact of Domestic Violence and the Courts Committee for the state of Arizona and the Human Relations Commission for the City of Phoenix. Whitney is a proud HBCU graduate holding a Bachelor’s in Political Science degree and a law degree.”

Commenting on these appointments, Governor-Elect Hobbs relayed:

“I’m thrilled to add these Arizona leaders to my administration. I have every confidence in this team and their ability to take on challenges and opportunities as we get to work making Arizona the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

Meanwhile, in a courtroom not far away, the Lake camp is continuing the trend of Trumpist Republican candidates losing election fraud case after election fraud case.

Earlier today (December 24, 2022,) Maricopa County Judge Peter Thompson threw out, after a two-day trial, the Lake team’s assertion that voters were denied their right to vote and officials at Maricopa County deliberately sought to thwart the Trumpist Republican’s Gubernatorial election. The Judge repeatedly noted in his ten-page ruling that the Lake’s legal representation and witnesses continually failed to provide “compelling evidence” of fraud or ill intent.

In response to the court ruling, the Hobbs team posted on social media:

A statement from our campaign manager Nicole DeMont on today's lawsuit dismissal.

Governor-Elect Hobbs is ready to get to work improving Arizonans' everyday lives and moving our state forward. pic.twitter.com/rYLoaE6z5z

— Katie Hobbs (@katiehobbs) December 24, 2022

Unfortunately for Arizonans, Lake, like Mark Finchem after losing his case, will probably appeal this ruling and, like their MAGA master at Mara Largo, drag this political drama as far as they can no matter what reality is.

Fortunately, Grand Canyon state residents will have a competent and ready administration helmed by Governor-Elect Katie Hobbs ready to lead Arizona the first week in January.