Arizona Corporation Commissioner Jeff Hatch-Miller formally ended his campaign for the Republican nomination in Arizona’s 5^th Congressional District on Monday. My initial post in this blog and an expanded story in the Tribune about his plans appeared last week. 

In a letter to friends and supporters that Hatch-Miller posted on his Web site, he expanded on the theme that his campaign lost a key staffer with the unexpected death of his friend Betsey Rodiles, a marathon runner who suffered a brain aneurism. Her death occurred just as Hatch-Miller planned to ramp up his campaign in the crowded Republican field.

“This unexpected loss is a stark reminder of how short, fragile and precious life can be. Anita and I will miss her greatly. Our hearts are broken for her husband and beautiful daughter,” Hatch-Miller wrote in the letter.

Furthermore, Dean Miller, his chief of staff at the ACC resigned in order to take a higher-paying position in the private sector. To make matters more difficult on that front, the ACC has a hiring freeze in place.

Hatch-Miller will be termed out of the ACC in January 2009, but he intends to remain involved in GOP politics. In the short term, he plans to take an active role in John McCain’s presidential campaign in Arizona and other states.

In future election cycles, he’ll consider running again for Congress, or perhaps for governor or secretary of state, a job that’s just a heartbeat, political appointment or indictment away from the governorship. “I’m pretty much addicted to running for office. Once I’m out of the commission, I’ll have tremendous freedom,” he told me.

The remaining GOP candidates in the 5th District race are state Rep. Mark Anderson, former state Rep. Laura Knaperek, former congressional aide Jim Ogsbury, and former Maricopa County treasurer Dave Schweikert. Former Scottsdale City Councilwoman Susan Bitter Smith also is considering a run.

The seat is held by first-term Democrat Harry Mitchell, who is seeking re-election. The district takes in Scottsdale, Tempe, Fountain Hills, Ahwatukee Foothills and west Mesa.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 at 2:33 pm and is filed under CD 5 race, Harry Mitchell, Jeff Hatch-Miller, Jim Ogsbury, John McCain, Laura Knaperek, Mark Anderson, Susan Bitter Smith. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.