ARIZONA NEWS

Arizona Democrat leaves state House early to take new government job

Jul 1, 2024, 2:09 PM | Updated: Aug 12, 2024, 12:57 pm

Laura Terech stands next to a stack of papers in the Arizona House of Representatives. The Democrat...

June 30, 2024, was Democrat Laura Terech's last day as a member of the Arizona House. (X Photo/@lauraforAZ)

(X Photo/@lauraforAZ)

PHOENIX – With just a few months left in her term, Democratic state Rep. Laura Terech stepped down from the Legislature to take a new government job.

Terech said in a June 24 statement she was accepting “a role that will see me serve our great state in another capacity.”

“More information will be coming next week, but for now I would like to express my profound gratitude to everyone who has been a part of this journey,” she added.

On Monday, Terech revealed she was joining the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office to work on special projects.

She’d already said she wasn’t seeking reelection, so she would have left the House early next year if she hadn’t resigned early. And the Legislature’s work is mostly done this year after it passed a state budget and adjourned in mid-June.

“Rep. Terech brought the heart, soul and tireless work ethic of an educator to our caucus, and her unwavering defense of our public schools and democracy made our state a better place. We will miss her as part of our caucus family but wish her much success in her next chapter,” House Democratic Leader Lupe Contreras said in a statement Monday.

Arizona Democratic lawmaker joins parade of departures

Terech is just the latest Democratic lawmaker to leave the House this session, following Athena Salman, Jennifer Longdon, Leezah Sun, Amish Shah, Jevin Hodge and Marcelino Quiñonez out the door.

Four candidates, two from each party, are running for the two House seats in District 4, a swing district the covers parts of north and east Phoenix, Paradise Valley and central Scottsdale.

Incumbent Rep. Matt Gress is looking to retain his seat, facing challenges from fellow Republican Pamela Carter and Democrats Kelli Butler and Karen Gresham.

It’s considered one of the few districts where Democrats have a chance to pick up a seat in their effort to capture the House majority.

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Arizona Democrat leaves state House early to take new government job