Gov. Katie Hobbs taps former elections director as top aide as her chief of staff steps down

Gov. Katie Hobbs has appointed Kori Lorick as Arizona’s new chief of staff after Chad Campbell stepped down from the position, her office announced Thursday.

Campbell became Hobbs’ chief of staff in June 2023 and served through most of her first term. The two previously represented the same legislative district. He’ll stay on through the end of the month.

“Serving Gov. Hobbs and the people of Arizona as chief of staff has been the absolute honor of my career,” Campbell said in the news release. “I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together, and I leave knowing the Governor’s office is in exceptional hands with Kori.”

Hobbs added, “Chad has been an invaluable partner throughout my first term in office, and I am deeply grateful for his steady leadership and dedication to public service.”

Lorick takes over when Campbell leaves.

Lorick has been Hobbs’ co-chief legal officer. Before that, she was state elections director when Hobbs was secretary of state, helping run the 2022 election.

“I am honored by Gov. Hobbs’ trust and ready to lead this incredibly talented team into our next phase of work,” Lorick said. “We remain laser-focused on tackling the real issues facing Arizonans, and I look forward to executing the Governor’s vision to lower costs, secure our water future, grow our economy and invest in our public schools.”

The chief of staff transition comes just after Hobbs won reelection as governor after beating Andy Biggs by roughly 13% of votes in November’s midterm election.

“Kori is a proven public servant who knows exactly how to navigate complex challenges and deliver real results. She has the grit and the vision to lead this team, and I am confident in her ability to keep the administration moving forward,” Hobbs said.

Subscribe to the KTAR Political Brief newsletter to get our top political stories, exclusive guest interviews and more to your email inbox.

Related

Race for 1 Arizona state House seat is heading for an automatic recountElijah Norton sues Kimberly Yee, claims false rumors sparked costly primaryMCAO dismisses Kimberly Yee’s campaign complaint against Teresa Leyba RuizRep.-elect Mark Lamb says Democratic Congress will make it harder to lock in border gainsRepublican Mark Lamb addresses Tennessee ranch speculation after winning Congressional seat in ArizonaDemocrats bring a new agenda to the Arizona Legislature, starting with school vouchers and abortion defense