Mesa City Council member losing to Turning Point-backed candidate in recall election

PHOENIX – A Mesa City Council member who won reelection last year is expected to lose her seat following Tuesday’s recall election.

Turning Point USA-backed challenger Dorean Taylor led incumbent Julie Spilsbury 52.78%-47.22%, a margin of 867 votes (8,219-7,352), in the initial results released on Election Day.

Tuesday’s tally covered 15,897 ballots, representing 32.32% of eligible voters. If Taylor’s lead holds, she’ll serve out the remainder of a term that runs through 2028.

“I didn’t lose to Dorean Taylor. I lost to Turning Point,” a disappointed Spilsbury told 12News during a watch party. “I think a lot of people in Mesa are going to be mad that an outside group came in and told us how to deal with our city.”

Mesa City Council races are nonpartisan, although both Spilsbury and Taylor are Republicans.

Spilsbury was first elected to represent District 2 in Arizona’s third-largest city in 2020. She retained her seat last year, garnering nearly twice as many votes as challenger Melody Whetstone.

Why did Mesa City Council member face a recall election?

However, Spilsbury was soon targeted by Turning Point USA, the Phoenix-based conservative activist group cofounded by the late Charlie Kirk, reportedly because she endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris over Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

The New York Times reported that the recall effort was one of the last campaigns launched by Turning Point before Kirk was killed by a gunman in Utah in September.

The recall campaign submitted a petition application on Jan. 30. The city called a special election after 3,858 signatures were verified, over the required minimum of 3,070.

The recall petition and eventual ballot question didn’t mention Spilsbury’s endorsements. Instead, it accused her of using her office “to advance private interests,” citing three council votes, one of which took place in 2023 and two from late 2024, after she won reelection.

Spilsbury defended her votes in a response to the recall effort that was printed on the ballot.

“Two of those votes were approved unanimously (7–0), including support from Mayor Mark Freeman. The third vote funded emergency shelter for homeless domestic violence survivors, children and veterans. I will always support Mesa’s most vulnerable,” the response said.

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