Last week, Legislative District 10 in Mesa formally censured Mayor John Giles for endorsing Democratic candidates. The censure stated, “It calls on the voters in Mesa to heed this vote of no confidence, cease recognition of Mayor Giles as a Republican in good standing, and cease support for John Giles in any elected or appointed capacity.” This formal disapproval highlights the district’s discontent with Giles’ public support of Democrats while representing Mesa as a Republican.

LD10 is the largest district in Mesa. An elected official in that district told The Globe, “As the largest district in Mesa, the members of our district who are elected to represent their precincts find his behavior appalling and believe that this censure is appropriate at this time.”

Tyler Boyer, Mesa resident and former Republican National Committeeman, said, “John Giles has been dishonest about his Republicanism. He has had zero contact or involvement with the Party and has been actively involved in the Democrat Party. If he’s willing to lie to people about that, what else has he lied about as Mayor?”

Mesa Mayor John Giles has notably crossed party lines in several key elections, supporting Democratic candidates despite being a lifelong Republican. Recently, one of the most high-profile endorsements was when Giles backed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, citing his belief that a second Trump term would be detrimental to his city and the country as a whole. Giles emphasized that while he does not align with all of Harris’s policies, he trusts her leadership and prioritization of the country’s best interests over partisan loyalty.

At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Mesa Mayor John Giles delivered a significant speech endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president. He stated, “I feel a little out of place tonight, but I feel more at home here than in today’s Republican Party.” Giles criticized the GOP, saying it had devolved into a “cult of Donald Trump.”

Giles also endorsed Democratic Senator Mark Kelly during his re-election campaign in 2022 and supported Governor Katie Hobbs in her successful gubernatorial bid. These moves have sparked criticism from within his own Party for years.

In addition to these endorsements, Giles co-chairs the “Republicans for Harris” initiative alongside former state Rep. Robin Shaw. He has also thrown his support behind Ruben Gallego, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, in his race against Kari Lake.