Arizona Legislative districts 27 and 28 Republican committee executive boards have censured Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat for her endorsement of Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly.
Together, these two executive boards represent all precinct committee members of the Republican Party from the city of Peoria.
Both boards will put the vote to censure the mayor to their full precincts in August.
In two separate statements, the boards called on Peoria Republicans “to immediately cease support of her as a member of the Republican Party for her support for the Democrat Party while representing Peoria ... to heed this vote of no confidence, cease recognition of Mayor Carlat as a Republican in good standing and cease support for Cathy Carlat in any elected capacity or future election for any prospective office.”
Carlat terms out at the end of the year, and she said she hasn’t decided whether she wants to run for another public office.
She added Peoria is a nonpartisan city, and she supports members of the congressional delegation that support the city’s goals and objectives and works for the good of the residents of the city.
This censure is the kind of overreach detrimental to the Republican Party, contributing to a fractured and weakened party, as evidenced by the fact Arizona has two democratic senators for the first time since 1952, Carlat said.
“I have been a Republican my entire adult life and no one, including LDs 27 and 28, has the power or authority to decide if I am good enough to be a Republican. To believe they have such power is truly un-American. It is in fact, completely contrary to the liberties that form the foundation of our great country,” she said.
The censure states Carlat made an “unprecedented” endorsement of a sitting Democrat prior to the Aug. 2 primary election. Republican mayors including John Giles in Mesa and Craig McFarland in Casa Grande also endorsed Kelly. They are among a list of nearly 50 Republicans and independent leaders across Arizona, including elected officials, who have endorsed Kelly in the 2022 election.
It is not uncommon for mayors to consult with the congressional delegation to address issues germane to their municipalities.
Two examples of this are the CHIPS Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, both of which, Carlat said, are critical to the future of Peoria.
The CHIPS Act is bipartisan proposal to provide about $50 billion in subsidies to bolster U.S. computer chip manufacturing, including incentives to lure such companies to cities such as Peoria.
The infrastructure bill, which is also bipartisan, plans to bring billions to fund road repair, major highway projects, drinking and wastewater infrastructure, as well as expand affordable, high-speed internet access, with at least $100 million expected to go to Arizona.
Kelly had a hand in crafting both bills.
Carlat said her conversations with Kelly concerning the infrastructure bill have informed the water and transportation infrastructure needs that will benefit Peoria residents as the city continues to grow.
“The CHIPS Act is a matter of urgent concern for Peoria because we have two committed employers who are waiting for the benefits contained in this legislation to begin construction in Peoria. Sen. Kelly is aware of this and has been keeping me informed as to its status,” she said.
Greater Phoenix Economic Council President and CEO Chris Camacho said such partnerships are not uncommon.
“GPEC community mayors maintain productive relationships with state and federal elected officials on a myriad of issues impacting their communities and often work in a non-partisan manner on key projects concerning economic development and infrastructure when the aligned work benefits their respective community,” he said.
The Republican groups cited this quote on the senator’s website as Carlat’s endorsement: “Sen. Kelly has had an open-door policy for me as I sought support for the passage of bills that would be beneficial to the residents of Peoria, Arizona. I appreciate his knowledge, involvement, and efforts concerning these important issues.”
Eric Morgan, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party Legislative District 27 precinct, said the censure of the “lame duck mayor” is a notice to everyday Republicans that anyone else she may be exploiting her office to endorse may be suspect as well if those voters support the republican platform.
If the mayor is supporting Kelly, she cannot be too keen on supporting the Republican platform since they are nearly polar opposite positions, Morgan said.
“There is no question that Mark Kelly’s record has been a stark contrast to the values that Arizona republicans hold and contrary to the best interests of Arizonans in general,” Morgan said.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
Peoria,
Arizona,
Legislative District 27,
Legislative District 28,
Republicans,
executive board,
censure Mayor Cathy Carlat,
endorsement,
Democrat,
Sen. Mark Kelly
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here