History made with Women Mayors in Flagstaff, Phoenix and Tucson

Over the last 30 years, women in Arizona politics of both political parties have had a big impact on shaping local and state policy.

Arizona has had four Women Governors (Rose Mofford, Jane Hull, Janet Napolitano, and Jan Brewer) since 1988.

In that same time period, Arizona has had six women Secretaries of State. Three of them (Mofford, Hull, and Brewer) ascended to the Governorship.

Since 1975, women have held the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction position 31 of the last 44 years.

Currently, Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally are Arizona’s two United State Senators.

Amy Kirkpatrick and Debbie Lesko currently serve in the House of Representatives.

Over a third of the State Legislature is represented by women. Karen Fann is the Senate President. Charlene Fernandez is the Minority Leader.

Several of Arizona’s towns and cities are run by women. These include the Mayors of Flagstaff, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear,  Peoria, Phoenix, and Sedona.

Starting on December 2, 2019 history in Arizona will be made again as the major centers in Arizona (Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff), with the inauguration of Mayor-Elect Regina Romero, will be helmed by Progressive Women.

Commenting on the historic event, the three Mayors offered their perspectives.

Mayor-Elect Regina Romero stated that:

“I’m proud to stand alongside two other strong, intelligent, and progressive women in leading major cities across the state. Both Mayor Gallego and Mayor Evans have proven themselves to be fierce advocates for their respective cities. I’m excited to continue working with them to bring shared prosperity to our communities and throughout the state.”

Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans wrote that:

“It’s exciting to see the diversity represented among Arizona leaders. When women and people of color are represented in elected positions we bring our experiences, new viewpoints, and ideas.” 

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego commented that:

“It seems very fitting that Arizona has progressive women at the helm of cities across the state as our nation approaches its one-hundredth anniversary of women’s suffrage. Running for office as a woman is ever easy but so much has changed thanks to the many women who came before us and laid the groundwork. We know that women bring diverse perspectives and solutions to the government. Access to childcare, care for elderly family members, workplace flexibility, and reliable transportation are all issues that have been brought to the forefront by women. When the voices of women are lifted and heard—we create communities that offer opportunities for everyone to thrive.”

In recent memory, the people of Arizona, compared to some states that have been just as red or even purple and blue in political orientation, have been very progressive and enlightened with entrusting power to women in important public service positions.

The ascension of Progressive Women to the Mayor’s offices in Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson at the same time is another historic example of that enlightened and forward-thinking perspective.

The people of Arizona should be proud of shaping these events.

Featured Image from The Arizona Democratic Party Facebook Page