Spilsbury concedes in Mesa City Council recall election
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Mesa City Councilmember Julie Spilsbury conceded defeat in a recall election that pitted the Kamala Harris-endorsing Republican against an opponent backed by the conservative activist group Turning Point.
The big picture: The race has largely revolved around national political flashpoints, including support for President Trump and transgender policy issues.
Driving the news: Challenger Dorean Taylor leads Spilsbury by about 5.5 percentage points — 867 votes out of more than 15,000 ballots cast — in the head-to-head race.
- The results released Tuesday night, which represent the majority of all ballots cast, include mail ballots received and processed as of midday Monday.
- Maricopa County will publish additional results Wednesday.
- Spilsbury's campaign told Axios it estimates there are around 2,000 ballots left to be counted in Mesa's District 2.
What she's saying: In a statement provided by her campaign, Spilsbury said serving the residents of District 2 "has been one of the greatest honors of my life.
- "Though this election didn't end as I hoped, I remain optimistic about Mesa's future. I believe our community is stronger when we listen to each other, work together, and lead with kindness," she said.
Catch up quick: Spilsbury was first elected in 2020 and easily won a second term last year.
- But her Harris endorsement angered many fellow Republicans. She also backed Ruben Gallego, then a Democratic U.S. Senate nominee.
- Recall organizers targeted Spilsbury for her votes to increase utility rates, to raise councilmembers' salaries and approve homeless housing in a Mesa motel.
- Opponents also heavily criticized her for voting for Mesa's nondiscrimination ordinance, which critics say permits transgender women to use women's restrooms,
The intrigue: The political and campaign arms of the conservative activist group Turning Point USA got heavily involved in the campaign, mobilizing their extensive operation, first to collect enough signatures to put Spilsbury on the recall ballot and then to campaign for her defeat.
- Spilsbury has criticized Turning Point throughout the campaign as a "special interest dark money" group.
- Meanwhile, United Mesa Fire Fighters has aided Spilsbury's campaign by putting up signs, distributing campaign literature and knocking on doors.
Between the lines: Recall elections are nonpartisan — there's no primary, ballots don't list candidates' party affiliations and all registered voters can cast ballots.
- Trump won the district by about 14 percentage points last year, per the Washington Examiner.
- Spilsbury told Axios she believed she could win with the support of "reasonable Republicans," Democrats and independents, and she didn't think the far right constituted most of the district.
Yes, but: Turnout is tough to predict in off-cycle elections, and who wins can largely depend on who does a better job of getting their voters to cast ballots.
By the numbers: As of Tuesday night there had been 15,571 ballots counted in the district, compared to 12,320 in last year's primary, when Spilsbury cruised to re-election with nearly 66% of the vote.
The other side: Taylor didn't respond to messages from Axios.
Editor's note: This story was corrected to state that recall election organizers targeted Julie Spilsbury for her vote to increase utility rates, (not her vote for Mesa's nondiscrimination ordinance,) and that Dorean Taylor's lead is about 5.5 percentage points out of more than 15,000 ballots counted.