State Rep. Walt Blackman (R-LD7) has endorsed Republican Bradley “Brad” Bettencourt in the three-candidate race for two Arizona House seats in Legislative District 9.
Blackman is a retired U.S. Army combat veteran who served for 21 years and received the Bronze Star Medal for combat actions in Iraq. He currently serves as chairman of the House Government Committee.
“I’m proud to endorse Brad Bettencourt for the Arizona House in Legislative District 9,” Blackman said. “Brad is a businessman and community leader who has already shown he can step up, fix real problems, and get the numbers to add up. That is the kind of common-sense leadership Arizona families need. He will work hard, respect taxpayers, and be a strong voice for Mesa and Tempe. I encourage LD9 voters to support him.”
Blackman, a 21-year U.S. Army combat veteran and chairman of the House Government Committee, had the following to say.
“I’m proud to endorse Brad Bettencourt for the Arizona House in Legislative District 9,” Blackman said. “Brad is a businessman and community leader who has… pic.twitter.com/HhYahtjhwi
Bettencourt welcomed the endorsement and cited Blackman’s military and legislative service.
“Rep. Blackman’s endorsement means a great deal,” Bettencourt said. “He has served this country in uniform and this state in the Legislature. He knows the difference between talk and results. I will take that same standard to the House: fiscal responsibility, safe communities, parents in charge of their children’s education, and a state budget that works for the people who live here.”
Bettencourt will face Democratic Rep. Lorena Austin and Democratic candidate Jacob Martinez in the general election.
The official statewide primary canvass recorded 10,441 votes for Bettencourt in the Republican primary. Austin received 11,252 votes, and Martinez received 9,290 votes in the Democratic primary.
Austin currently represents LD9 alongside Democratic Rep. Seth Blattman. Blattman announced in December that he would not seek reelection in 2026.
Bettencourt is president of the Dobson Association, the homeowners’ association serving Dobson Ranch in Mesa. His campaign biography says he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Arizona State University, previously worked as a credit analyst and credit officer, and operates a real estate investment business.
Bettencourt has cited his work at Dobson Ranch as evidence of his approach to government finances. His campaign says the community, which includes approximately 5,000 homes and condominiums, uncovered more than $1.5 million in budget errors before he helped bring its finances back into order.
Bettencourt has made fiscal responsibility, housing affordability, water security, public safety, school choice, and government spending central issues in his campaign.
The Legislative District 9 Republican Committee endorsed Bettencourt in February. The committee’s resolution cited his service as an elected Republican precinct committeeman, his Dobson Ranch leadership, and his business experience.
One Republican is competing against two Democrats for two seats in the highly competitive Arizona House of Representatives race in Legislative District 9.
Bradley (Brad) Bettencourt is facing off against Democratic incumbent Lorena Austin and Democratic newcomer Jacob Martinez. Bettencourt fell right in the middle of the pack for voter turnout in the primary election. Austin received about 11,200 votes, Martinez received about 9,300 votes, and Bettencourt received about 10,400 votes.
Bettencourt believes his banking career and budgeting prowess — which he says are evidenced by his role in fixing over $1.5 million in budget errors at his Dobson Ranch community — can bring the Arizona budget off life support and onto the path of recovery.
“I’m running because the numbers have to add up: for our state budget and for the families who live here,” said Bettencourt in a recent news release. “I stepped up when my own community of 5,000 homes discovered more than a million and a half dollars in budget errors and helped get the finances back on track. Arizona families are dealing with rising prices while paychecks struggle to keep up. They deserve a representative who will bring practical solutions, not games or extremes.”
Along with the budget, Bettencourt has his eye on strengthening approaches to the biggest issues facing the state today: water security, housing affordability, educational outcomes and choice, legal immigration, and border security.
Bettencourt generally advises more aggressive government action on Colorado River negotiations, cuts to bureaucratic red tape that impact housing, border security, legal immigration pathways, first responder funding, increased penalties on certain crimes like fentanyl distribution, regular infrastructure improvements, and tax cuts to incentivize family growth.
As for the other priorities, Bettencourt proposed government actions that support the individual freedom to act, like protecting educational choice and increasing educational outcomes through competitive teacher pay and expansions of career preparation pathways for students, and opposing new restrictions or burdens on lawful gun ownership.
Bettencourt is an Arizona native that resided in other states and traveled through Latin America before returning to the Valley. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Arizona State University, and has previously resided in southern Arizona, where he worked for a bank in Yuma and Nogales.
So far, Bettencourt has been outraised by his Democratic opponents.
His campaign has raised more than $64,000, out of which $29,000 has come from himself.
The other top single donors to his campaign are the Freedom Club PAC, which gave $2,500; Michelle Masters, who gave $2,000; Gary Golka, who gave $1,000; the NFIB Arizona PAC, which gave $1,000; Veronica Law, who gave $1,000; and Don Tapia, who gave $1,000.
Austin has raised more than $104,000. Her top 10 donors are:
AFSCME People, $11,000
Elizabeth Simons, $5,500
Western States Regional Council of Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee, $5,500
The Next 50 PAC, $5,500
Ross Boucher, $5,400
Jane Fonda Climate PAC, $5,000
Peter Francis, $3,000
Climate Cabinet PAC, $2,500
Int’l Ass’n of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers Local 359 PAC, or SMART PAC, $2,500
Arizona Education Association Fund for Public Education, formerly AZ PAC, $2,000
Martinez has also raised a similar amount at more than $100,000. His top 10 donors are very similar to Austin’s top 10:
AFSCME People, $11,000
Western States Regional Council of Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee, $5,500
Joseph Rich, $5,500
The Next 50 PAC, $5,500
Jane Fonda Climate PAC, $5,000
Ross Boucher, $3,500
Int’l Ass’n of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers Local 359 PAC, or SMART PAC, $2,500
Climate Cabinet PAC, $2,500
Ironworkers Local 75 PAC, $2,000
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 99 PAC, $2,000
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The three Democratic candidates for the recently vacated State Senate seat for District 9 answered a brief questionnaire on misconduct, antisemitism, housing, and elections.
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin submitted the questionnaire to the candidates and released their responses on Monday.
Below were the questions provided to the candidates:
1. In recent years, state legislators of both political parties have been accused, investigated, condemned, censured, or found guilty of the following acts while serving at the State Capitol: Sexually molesting a minor; Praising a white nationalist, Holocaust denier; Sexually harassing fellow legislators and staffers; Making threatening statements; Refusing to cooperate with an Ethics committee investigation over prior sex crime charges; Making a death threat against a city’s employee and misusing an elected position to prevent execution of a legal court order in a private custodial matter; Sexually harassing a lobbyist by sending explicit photos and text messages, and propositions for sexual encounters. The list above is not exhaustive. How can you assure the Board of Supervisors that, if appointed, you will not engage in disorderly behavior but will conduct yourself in a manner consistent with a proper code of ethics?
2. If you have served in elected office before, please detail any ethical or disciplinary actions related to your term in office. Please provide context on the events that led to those actions and what the outcome was regarding those proceedings.
3. Since the October 7th, 2023, Hamas attacks, there continues to be a dramatic increase in anti-Semitism, around the world and in Arizona. The disturbing rise of anti-Semitism can be found in all segments of society, on both ends of the political spectrum. These attacks are waged on the internet or are further acts of physical violence. Many Jews in Arizona are fearful, including college students who have been subject to abuse and vitriol. What will you do to combat and condemn anti Semitism in our community?
4. The housing crisis is an important issue in Arizona, and in LD 9. There have been recent attempts at the legislature to overhaul zoning laws. What reforms do you think the legislature can get passed to address the housing issue?
5. Maricopa County, like all 15 counties, is responsible for carrying out the administration of elections. In recent cycles, election volunteers were under considerable pressure because of state election laws that drag out ballot processing and tabulating for up to two weeks after election day. Reform is sorely needed. What reforms do you think are essential to speed up the tabulation of votes by election night?
Metcalfe lost the Maricopa County Superintendent’s race last year, and sits on the East Valley Institute of Technology District’s board. Metcalfe has earned endorsements from the pro-abortion organization Arizona List, gun control group Moms Demand Action, and Save Our Schools Arizona.
Sears lost last year’s race for Maricopa County Justice Court’s North Mesa Precinct judgeship, and previously lost a race for the Arizona Corporation Commission. In last year’s race, Sears campaigned on key progressive initiatives on abortion, LGBTQ+, climate change, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Sears served on the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board and presided over the East Valley NAACP. Sears is the assistant director of Arizona State University’s Faith Based Outreach and Community Partnerships. Sears also earned an Arizona List endorsement.
Winkle lost last year’s mayoral race for the city of Mesa. Previously, Winkle served briefly on the Mesa City Council; he was voted off the council in 2017 following a DUI — his second in a decade. Winkle is the part-time executive director of the Arizona Fair Housing Center and runs the search engine optimization company, Max Search Visibility Pro. Contrary to his questionnaire answers on anti-Semitism, Winkle advocates for a “Free Palestine.”
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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.
Some swing-district Arizona Democrats received an eye-raising endorsement for their reelection bids.
Earlier this month, the Arizona Working Families Party issued its endorsements for state legislative races, giving support to Democrats across the state. Two of the candidates the party endorsed, Mariana Sandoval (LD 23) and Lorena Austin (LD 9), are from competitive districts in the state.
According to its website, the Working Families Party boasts of “building our own party on top of the two-party system in the United States – and it’s working. We organize outside the two parties, and then we recruit and train people-powered candidates up and down the ballot and run them to win.”
The website adds, “Sometimes we run candidates through Democratic Party primaries, and other times we run candidates on our own. We take on elections from city council to U.S. Senate — wherever there’s a path to win, and where winning will advance a people’s agenda, elevate visionary candidates, and help build the multiracial movement we need to win the America we deserve.”
State Representative Lorena Austin is running for reelection in Arizona Legislative District 9, which covers the city of Mesa. According to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, the district is likely one of the most competitive in the state, with a 2.6% vote spread in the Commission’s nine focus elections. Democrats are slightly favored in the district, having won in five of those nine focus elections.
Despite her district being more moderate in its political makeup, Austin has demonstrated a propensity to become one of the most extreme leftist members of the Arizona Legislature on almost every issue.
Mariana Sandoval is running for reelection to the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 23. According to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, Legislative District 23 has a competitive vote spread of 16.9% between Democrats and Republicans over the past nine state elections. Out of those elections, Democrats have won all nine contests.
The full list of Arizona endorsements from the Arizona Working Families Party are as follows:
Sarah Ligouri
Arizona State House, District 5
Brian Garcia
Arizona State House, District 8
Juan Mendez
Arizona State House, District 8
Junelle Cavero
Arizona State House, District 11
Oscar De Los Santos
Arizona State House, District 11
Stephanie Stahl-Hamilton
Arizona State House, District 21
Mariana Sandoval
Arizona State House, District 23
Cesar Aguilar
Arizona State House, District 26
Quanta Crews
Arizona State House, District 26
Lauren Kuby
Arizona State Senate, District 8
Analise Ortiz
Arizona State Senate, District 24
Jennifer Allen
Pima County Supervisor, District 3
Raquel Terán
U.S. House, State of Arizona, District 3
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
