Rachel Mitchell wins Republican primary for Maricopa County Attorney

PHOENIX — Rachel Mitchell overcame Gina Godbehere once again in the Maricopa County Attorney Republican primary on Tuesday, inching a step closer to retaining her current position with the victory.

Mitchell held a 18 percentage point lead over Godbehere and thanked voters on Wednesday morning.

“I am grateful to the voters of Maricopa County for demonstrating their trust in me again for this important role of protecting our community,” Mitchell said in a statement.

Mitchell will face Democrat Tamika Wooten, who ran unopposed, in the Nov. 5 general election.

Who is Rachel Mitchell?

Mitchell was first appointed to the position in 2022, after the resignation of the late Allister Adel, and served as interim county attorney for six months.

She was picked for her past experience when she previously served as acting Maricopa County Attorney in 2019 when Bill Montgomery was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Mitchell then won an election to serve out Adel’s remaining term, defeating Democrat Julie Gunnigle later that year.

Mitchell filed her statement of interest to seek reelection as a Republican nominee in April 2023.

She has portrayed herself as a county attorney who’s tough on retail crime while also pursuing the resumption of the death penalty in Arizona.

Godbehere, former Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Bureau Chief and trial attorney, filed her statement of interest to run to seek the Republican nomination in February.

She participated in in the Republican primary debate on June 5 in which Mitchell did not.

What does the Maricopa County Attorney do?

The Maricopa County Attorney heads the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, one of the nation’s largest prosecutorial agencies.

The office reviews and determines outcomes for felony and misdemeanor charges for unincorporated areas. It also provides legal services for the Board of Supervisors and other agencies.

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