Arizona Democratic Party chair decides not to seek reelection
Nov 13, 2020, 11:33 AM | Updated: 9:28 pm
Felecia Rotellini (AP File Photo/Matt York)
(AP File Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX – Arizona Democratic Party Chair Felecia Rotellini, fresh off historic victories in the state’s U.S. Senate and presidential races, announced Friday she will not run for reelection.
“I am so proud of the work of the Arizona Democratic Party and the coalition we have built of supporters and volunteers who have worked so hard these last few years to turn Arizona blue,” Rotellini, who is coming to the end of her second term, said in a statement.
Democratic Party Executive Director Herschel Fink said a new chair will be elected in January.
The 2020 election saw Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win Arizona’s presidential election since 1996 and Mark Kelly’s victory give the state two Democratic senators for the first time since 1953.
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However, the party came up short in its quest to take power in the Legislature. Republicans lost one seat in the Senate but held a 16-14 majority, while the 31-29 split in the GOP’s favor remained unchanged.
The party leadership at the Arizona Capitol is also changing, with Sen. Rebecca Rios and Rep. Reginald Bolding heading up their caucuses in the 2021 session.
Rios and Bolding were selected to succeed Sen. David Bradley, who hit his term limit, and Rep. Charlene Fernandez, who chose not to pursue the role of House minority leader again.
