Monday evening Chandler Republicans will vote to replace Liz Harris, who was expelled from the State Legislature last week.
As many as 168 elected Republican precinct committeemen will choose three candidates, then they will submit their names to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
The supervisors will appoint the person to finish Harris’ term.
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On April 12, more than two-thirds of Harris’ former colleagues in the House of Representatives voted to remove the Chandler lawmaker.
Lawmakers believe Harris lied to them and engaged in disorderly conduct when she orchestrated a February hearing in which a witness spread wild conspiracy theories involving lawmakers and others including the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.
In a text response declining an interview request with ABC15, Harris wrote, “I’m innocent as can be. The truth ALWAYS finds a funny way of emerging.”
The truth, as Harris sees it, has yet to reveal itself. It is unknown what the process to replace her will look like Monday evening.
Joshua Askey is the committeemen for the McQueen precinct, he says “I’m going to spend some time trying to corral. That is just the nature of any effort if you want something to go a certain way.”
He will be one of the committeemen choosing the nominees to replace Harris.
Askey thinks there will be a move to find someone just like Harris. But he doesn’t think that’s a good idea.
“I just don’t think a disrupter is something the legislature really needs at this point in time,” Askey said.
Askey won’t be surprised if it’s a long night for the committeemen.
The three candidates chosen to be submitted to the Board of Supervisors Monday night were Liz Harris, Julie Willoughby, and Steve Steele.
Each nominee must receive at least 50% of the vote. By law, the names must be submitted to the Board of Supervisors by Monday night.