Former Arizona Democratic Party vice chair arrested on felony burglary charge in Phoenix

Brianna Westbrook, a former vice chair of the Arizona Democratic Party who ran for Congress in 2018, was arrested on a burglary charge.

Westbrook, 41, was taken into custody on July 10 after officers responded to a disturbance near Indian School Road and 19th Avenue, according to the Phoenix Police Department.

An adult female at the home told officers her ex-partner had forcibly entered the residence while carrying a knife, police said.

Brianna Westbrook is a onetime congressional candidate and Democratic Party leader

A transgender rights activist and political organizer, Westbrook was the first openly transgender person elected as vice chair of a state Democratic Party.

She ran as a Justice Democrat in the 2018 special election primary for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District following the resignation of then-Rep. Trent Franks, losing to physician Hiral Tipirneni.

She ran again for the Arizona House in 2022 and was twice nominated by Democratic precinct committee members to fill legislative vacancies, though the board selected other candidates.

Westbrook was also a national surrogate for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign and helped organize the 2019 Women’s March in Phoenix.

During her initial court appearance, Westbrook told the judge she had never been arrested before, though she wrote a 2018 blog post about being arrested.

Bond was set at $15,000.

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