The recount is over and Kris Mayes is the Attorney General-Elect of Arizona.
The incoming Attorney General wasted no time acknowledging the victory, declared by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy Thomason following the recount results, posting on social media:
She also held a Thursday afternoon presser where she said:
“I want to say that I am humbled and grateful to be the next Attorney General of Arizona, your lawyer for the people. ”
After thanking her campaign team and supporters for helping to bring her to victory, Attorney-General-Elect Mayes offered:
“Our race was once again a reminder that every vote matters in our state and that Democracy is truly a team sport. Today, we are looking forward. I am going to return the office of Attorney General to respectability and to integrity by focusing on the issues that matter to Arizonans, not wasteful partisan politics and games…”
Ms. Mayes then outlined some of the issues her office would address when she takes office. These include:
- Protecting the elderly.
- Protecting the water supply.
- Protecting elections officials.
- Combatting the fentanyl drug crisis.
- Restoring reproductive rights.
- Repairing the morale and culture of the Attorney General’s office by increasing transparency and filling vacancies in long-ignored areas like the Child and Family Protective Services Division.
- Bringing the office back to “its core vision which is protecting our most vulnerable Arizonans and working in the public’s best interest.”
The Attorney General-elect finished by stating:
“I have a long list of things I want to accomplish as your next Attorney General and as the lawyer for the people, I want to thank you for your support and I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and get started for the people of Arizona.”
During the question and answer session with the press, Mayes responded to questions about her opponent, Abe Hamadeh’s refusal to concede (the Trumpist wants all the ballots counted by hand now,) acknowledging that the election was a “nail-biter” and saying:
“The recount happened. The process occurred as it was supposed to. We wound up with a 280-vote lead and so that work is done. It is time now to move on. The election has been finalized. The election has been certified by the counties and the Secretary of State’s office and I’m looking forward to raising my right hand and taking the oath of office and most importantly getting down to work for the people of Arizona…”
The Attorney-General-Elect’s Transition team is up and running and is headlined by several well-known public servants and legal minds including:
- Former Phoenix Mayor and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard.
- Phoenix City Councilperson Yassamin Ansari.
- Former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley.
- Legal Scholar and Former Attorney General Candidate Robert McWhirter.
- Arizona Attorney General’s Office as Chief Counsel of the Consumer Protection and Advocacy Section Leslie Kyman Cooper.
- Former Chief Deputy Pima County Attorney Amelia Craig Cramer.
- Corporation Commissioner Sandra Kennedy.
- Former Corporation Commissioner Bill Mundell.
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Thanks for responding. I wasn’t aware Lake and Finchem filed in federal court. To get a stay it would have to be filed by Tuesday, as the swearing in is Wednesday, I believe. Although I heard that they all take office on Monday.
Well, to be clear, they filed in both AZ and the 9th circuit. They are throwing everything at the wall and hoping they get a sympathetic judge.
Still waiting for the Fat Lady to sing. In this the Arizona Supreme Court to say it’s over.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he filed in Federal court, like Lake and Finchem have, hoping to reach a sympathetic US Supreme Court; though I truly can’t imagine what bases they may raise under Federal law. It will be interesting to read their opening briefs in the 9th Circuit. Probably pretty risible, as well.