Maricopa County Republican Committee goes Full MAGA

The Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC) has elected a new slate of officers, all of whom are avowed MAGA supporters. Members elected the leaders in a clean sweep on the first ballot at the annual statutory meeting, a rare outcome for the often contentious group. The leadership team posed this thematic question on their website: “Is the County better off now than we were two years ago?”

Elected Officers:

• Chairman: Craig Berland, re-elected to continue his leadership role
• 1st Vice Chairman: Shelby Busch, returning to her position by acclimation
• 2nd Vice Chairman: Julie McIlwain, current chair of LD11
• Treasurer: Lawrence Hudson, re-elected
• Secretary: Michelle Altherr, former chair of LD23

This leadership team closely aligned with both the MAGA movement and the Republican Party’s “far-right” faction. While this dual identification of MAGA and “far-right” may sound redundant, it’s not. Although the other Republican faction also identifies as MAGA, its members are more traditional Republicans. The winning slate is often referred to as “Ultra MAGA.”

Vice-Chair Shelby Busch told the Arizona Globe, “The sweeping victory of our slate was a clear and convincing statement by the body of PCs (Precinct Committeemen) of support for the leadership the last two years. I am both humbled and honored to serve these incredibly passionate and hard-working grassroots Precinct Committeemen. We have big plans for the next 2 years, and I am excited about our two new additions, Michelle Altherr as Secretary and Julie McIlwain as 2nd Vice Chair, and the fresh energy and ideas they bring to our team.”

Although the amendment votes mostly failed, the ongoing saga with Legislative District 3 (LD3) provided most of the day’s drama. LD3 has experienced intense internal disputes over its leadership positions, creating competing factions within the district. These conflicts yielded numerous legal challenges and subsequent court rulings to determine LD3’s rightful leadership. In November 2024, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Frank Moskowitz ruled in favor of former Chairman Bob Gomez by naming interim Chair Michelle Rugloski as LD3’s officially recognized leader.

MCRC WINS COURT CASE OVER RIGHTFUL CHAIRMANSHIP OF LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 3 REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE

“We look forward to seeing all of our fellow LD3 PCs at our upcoming LD3 Statutory Organizational Meeting!” —Michelle Rugloski | LD3 Acting Chair

PDF: https://t.co/wAVzNs9Fej pic.twitter.com/n4bjh1RtrQ

— Maricopa County Republican Committee | MCRC (@MaricopaGOP) November 14, 2024

A political insider informed the Globe that committee members aligned with the losing faction lost their voting rights. The Globe could not confirm the exact number, but we determined that at least three were impacted, including Candace Czarny, Carrie Cox, and Susan Wood, who each lost their voting rights prior to the meeting.

The committee fielded a floor motion to appoint Carrie Cox as MCRC chair. Members spoke in favor of and against the motion, and executive member Jeff Greenspan stated, “Carrie Cox no longer has MCRC rights.” Ultimately, the motion failed, and Cox was disallowed from accessing the meeting. When pressed on the outcome, Cox told the Globe, “I am sorry, but I can’t comment.”

INTERESTING SIDE NOTE:

U.S. Representative David Schweikert (R-CD1) shared with the Globe that he has provided free coffee for the MCRC statutory meeting for many years. He joked (maybe) that he might include this tradition in his will to ensure it continues. In addition to Schweikert’s free coffee, the Arizona Teenage Republican Club, a social and activism club for conservative high-school-aged youth, sells breakfast items at the meeting as well. This year, Schweikert engaged in a lengthy discussion with the youngsters, asking which school they attend and why they were interested in politics. He also encouraged the students to explore mathematics and economic policies. The event is a significant part of the youth’s fundraising efforts. You can learn more about Arizona Teenage Republicans here.