PHOENIX — Pima County Health Director Theresa Cullen was rejected Tuesday in her bid to become the state's top health official.
The voice vote in the Senate followed what had been a blistering three-hour confirmation hearing last week where Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, who chaired that panel, repeatedly berated both her and the actions she took as Pima's health chief during the height of the COVID outbreak. That panel voted 3-2, along party lines, to recommend that Cullen not be confirmed.
Tuesday's action also came despite the fact Senate Minority Leader Raquel Teran, D-Phoenix, said Gov. Katie Hobbs had withdrawn Cullen's name from consideration. But Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, said that message had not been received by the Senate secretary and ordered the vote to proceed.
