Democrat Donors Help Fuel Spilsbury’s Fundraising Edge In Mesa Recall Race

Democrat Donors Help Fuel Spilsbury’s Fundraising Edge In Mesa Recall Race

by | Oct 29, 2025 | News

By Matthew Holloway |

Recent filings show Mesa City Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury raising $94,207 for her November 4 recall defense, including several Democratic donors and aligned figures.

Spilsbury, a two-term council member, entered the reporting period with a remaining balance of $1,631 from January filings before piling on over $90k in donations. Her total raised now exceeds her 2023 re-election campaign by nearly $30,000. She has reportedly spent $32,866 during the period, including $28,700 on consultant services.

Among Spilsbury’s donors are Tim Stringham, a Tempe Navy veteran and unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Maricopa County Recorder; Jennifer Pawlik, former Chandler Democratic state representative; and other individuals with Democratic ties.

Stringham contributed an unspecified amount, Pawlik gave $100, and former Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer gave $1,000, as reported by The Mesa Tribune.

Spilsbury also received $1,500 from the John Giles for Mayor Committee. Giles served as Mesa mayor for a decade before leaving office in January 2024 and has vocally supported both former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris in their presidential campaigns.

In addition to the others named, Councilwoman Spilsbury’s donor list includes: Colleen Wheeler, a Mesa healthcare executive ($4,250); Yasser Sanchez, a Gilbert immigration attorney ($3,500); David Johnson, a Mesa real estate broker ($2,500); David Stahle, a Mesa financial consultant ($2,500); Mary “Marcie” Hutchinson, Mesa Public Schools Governing Board member ($1,000); Stan Barnes, Mesa Republican political consultant ($500); Sean Lake, Mesa land-use attorney ($500); Dennis Kavanaugh, former Mesa councilman ($100); Dr. Andi Fourlis, former Mesa Public Schools superintendent ($100); Lacy Chaffee, Mesa Public Schools Governing Board member ($100); and Richard Humpherys, husband of Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board member Jill Humpherys ($50).

The councilwoman also received $17,300 from political action committees, including $6,750 from United Mesa Firefighters, $6,750 from Moms Fed Up, and $2,500 from Country First.

Taylor, a political newcomer, reported expenditures of $5,717, including $4,072 to Mesa Sign Shop and $900 to Moir & Associates for consulting.

Taylor’s donors include: Earl Taylor, a Mesa retiree and founder of Heritage Academy charter school ($3,200); Scott Grainger, a Mesa forensic engineer ($2,000); David Winstanley, a Mesa retiree ($1,042); David Cummard, a Mesa insurance CEO ($1,000); Joseph Hughes, a Gilbert retiree ($1,000); and Melody Whetstone, who ran against Spilsbury in the 2023 primary ($105).

Taylor received $5,500 from PACs, including $5,000 from the Arizona Free Enterprise Club’s Freedom Club and $500 from the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona.

The recall petition, initiated by a resident with assistance from Turning Point USA, gathered 5,235 signatures, of which Maricopa County verified 3,858. The petition accuses Spilsbury of using her office to advance private interests, citing her votes in favor of a temporary homeless shelter in District 2, a council pay raise, and increases in residential and commercial utility rates. The shelter vote passed 4-3; the pay raise and utility rate increases passed unanimously 7-0.

Spilsbury’s support for an anti-discrimination ordinance extending protections to groups, including gender identity, has also been referenced in the recall effort. Taylor has connected Spilsbury’s shelter vote to homelessness issues in Mesa.

In December 2023, residents at a council meeting criticized Spilsbury and former Mayor John Giles for supporting Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democratic candidates in the presidential election. The Republican committees of Legislative Districts 9 and 10 passed resolutions censuring Spilsbury for campaigning on behalf of multiple Democrats.

In the July 2023 primary for District 2, Spilsbury received 8,120 votes, or 65.91%, out of 12,322 total votes cast. District 2 has 49,329 registered voters, according to the Mesa City Clerk.

Spilsbury and her supporters have canvassed neighborhoods every Saturday since early September. Taylor has conducted door-to-door outreach and met with voters in the district.

The city estimates the special election will cost at least $104,577. The winner will take office the day after the vote count. If Spilsbury retains her seat, she will serve through January 2029; if Taylor wins, she will complete the remainder of the term.

Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.

Arizona’s Legacy Media Is Misrepresenting Mesa’s School Board Candidates

Arizona’s Legacy Media Is Misrepresenting Mesa’s School Board Candidates

by | Oct 29, 2024 | Opinion

By Dennis Liles |

School board elections in Arizona are a non-partisan race, by law. In an ideal world, candidates should be focused on the well-being of students, academic achievement, and facilitating as much parental involvement as possible. That’s definitely true in Mesa, where the school board should be comprised of members who want to ensure that students are educated rather than indoctrinated.

But a recent news item by the local NBC affiliate chose to highlight partisan political party affiliation instead of focusing on how each candidate views their role as a potential Mesa school board member.

The story focused on three candidates running for the Mesa School Board as a slate: Courtney Davis, Josh Chilton, and Lacy Chaffee. Courtney Davis, in particular, is a current board member who was appointed by Steve Watson to replace Laura Ellingson in August 2023. The night she was sworn in was the first time she had ever attended a Mesa School Board meeting. The legacy media conveniently left this out. But that’s not all they left out.

In a typical biased move that’s become commonplace for the legacy media, the two opposing candidates—Sharon Benson and Ed Steele—were not offered an opportunity to be interviewed for the story. On top of that, they were given only a few hours to respond before the segment aired.

But here’s the truth about the three slate candidates. Davis, Chilton, and Chaffee have focused their campaign on social issues rather than actual student achievement. All three candidates have endorsements and stated positions that run counter to the values that are expected of elected school board officials. They all support males in female spaces, special transgender rights, Critical Race Theory, and eliminating school choice.

Davis, Chilton, and Chaffee have also been endorsed by Legislative District 9 Democrats, the anti-school choice group “Save Our Schools,” and the teachers’ union, Mesa Education Association.

Digging deeper, the Arizona Education Association endorsed legislative candidate Lorena Austin who promotes drag show fundraisers for her campaign. They have also endorsed Proposition 139, which will allow abortion up to fetal viability and would allow minors to get an abortion without any parental involvement, including notification. 

Right now, the Mesa School District faces some significant headwinds with declining enrollment, reduced funding, and competition for students and teachers from charter and private schools. Shouldn’t that be the top priority rather than radical social issues?

Fixing Mesa’s problems requires new board members like Sharon Benson, who brings both a teaching background and small business expertise, and Ed Steele, who brings a wealth of business expertise and problem-solving ability to tackle the problems facing the Mesa district. Both Sharon and Ed have had children enrolled in the Mesa district and have a vested interest in keeping the district at the forefront of educational excellence.

Their goal is to support academic excellence, parental involvement, fiscal responsibility, teachers, safety, transparency, and accountability.

For this election, voters need to decide what they want: a radically aligned slate that is more interested in indoctrinating rather than educating students, or Sharon Benson and Ed Steele, who have the expertise, conservative values, and vision to keep Mesa Public Schools a leader in public education.

Dennis Liles is a Mesa resident and Precinct Committeeman in Legislative District 10.