| Meet Speaker-elect Mesnard |
On Wednesday, Arizona House Republicans chose J.D. Mesnard to serve as Speaker of the House, John Allen as Majority Leader, and Kelly Townsend as Majority Whip. Mesnard was nominated by acclimation after Darin Mitchel removed his name from consideration.
Members convened at the Capitol’s copper dome in keeping with tradition.
“It’s an honor and privilege, of course, to be selected by your peers for this critical role,” said Mesnard in a press release. “The task ahead for our State isn’t easy, and will require great sacrifice, creativity, and enthusiasm. The incoming Members of the House are not only up to the task, they intend to set a new standard for open, honest, and civil engagement on behalf of all citizens of Arizona.”
Former Speaker David Gowan had set a very low standard in terms of transparency. The House under Gowan had become a secretive body.
Mesnard, from LD17 (Chandler, Gilbert and Sun Lakes), has become a career politician since he was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2010. He has served on the Ways & Means, Elections, and Judiciary Committees and as Chair of the Commerce Committee. Prior to running for office, J.D. spent 8 years working at the Arizona Senate where he served as a policy advisor.
Elected to the House of Representatives in 2012, Majority Whip Kelly Townsend (R – 16) is a U.S. Navy veteran, mother of three, widow of her husband Dan Townsend, and a specialist in the maternal child health field. She is finishing her Master’s degree at ASU in Infant Family Practice. Townsend is currently chairman of the Federalism and States’ Rights Committee, and also sits on the Children and Family Affairs Committee, as well as the Government and Higher Education Committee.
“It is such a great honor and I am humbled at the thought of serving in this capacity. I look forward to working very hard to make sure we have a strong Republican caucus,” stated Townsend. “I am also very pleased to be able to work together with JD Mesnard as our new Speaker-elect, as well as John Allen as Majority Leader-elect. I am very excited about this next session, and I believe it will be more than fabulous.”
Townsend thanked her challenger for the whip position, Anthony Kern, “for his dignified and honorable run for whip.”
Michael Hunter is taking the House Chief of Staff position. Hunter is presently Vice President for State and Fiscal Affairs at Goldwater Institute.
“The Arizona House will be extremely well served by the wisdom, experience, and reputation of Michael Hunter,” said Mesnard. “Michael is a known-quantity at the highest levels of Arizona policymaking, and is a highly competent and professional staff member with tremendous background in school finance, tax reform, budget, and countless other areas of expertise. His high character, and the respect he enjoys from both sides of the political aisle, will be a tremendous resource and asset for the Members of the House.”