Legislative District 14, which covers most of Gilbert, is guaranteed to see some changes in representation after the 2026 election.
With Sen. Warren Petersen seeking election as the state attorney general and one-term Rep. Khyl Powell opting not to run for reelection, at least two of the district’s three legislative seats stand to turn over. Both are Republicans.
Republican Rep. Laurin Hendrix has filed for reelection to a second consecutive term and third overall.
Mylie Biggs, daughter of Congressman Andy Biggs, is running for Petersen’s Senate seat as a Republican.
Hendrix will be joined in the district’s House Republican primary by Jedidiah “Jed” Lyons, an entrepreneur and founder of The Dandy Project, a statewide nonprofit providing essential baby and child supplies to families in need, and Tyler Farnsworth.
Farnsworth wrote on social media he was set to turn in his signatures on Monday before the deadline but his candidacy has yet to be confirmed by the Secretary of State’s office.
Former Arizona Sen. Justine Wadsack also had filed a statement of interest in Powell’s seat earlier this month after Powell announced he would not seek reelection. However, she withdrew four days later and endorsed Farnsworth and called the ticket “impenetrable.”
On the Democratic side, Stephanie Walsh, an engineer, is running for the Senate seat and Mary Rose, who has retired from a career in human resources and purchasing, for a House seat.
Kim Drogosz also filed a statement of interest to run for Senate as a Democrat, but her candidacy also has not been confirmed through the Secretary of State’s office.
The primary election is scheduled for July 21 and the general election Nov. 3.
Correction: This story was change to remove a statement about Legislative District 14 Republicans endorsing candidates in this race. The group has not endorsed anyone except Andy Biggs for governor.
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Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
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