Arizona State Senate President Karen Fann (R-Prescott) on Monday announced that she will retire when her current term ends and will not seek reelection in 2022.
Fann, who was a key supporter of the audit of ballots in Maricopa County, has served 28 years in state and local government positions.
“It has been a privilege to advocate on behalf of Arizona citizens in my twelve years at the State Legislature and the honor of a lifetime to serve as Senate President. I look forward to a successful session in 2022 advancing policies that benefit all Arizonans, and then enjoying the life my husband and I have built for ourselves in retirement with our family,” Fann said in a statement.
In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Fann pointed to the challenges of the last few years as motivation for retirement. Additionally, the redistricting process could alter Fann’s district.
However, Fann denied any connection to the recent audit as cause for her retirement.
Throughout the process, Fann repeatedly defended the audit, taking aim at opponents of the audit that claim the examination of the ballots is strictly “to overturn the election.”
“This is not about overturning the election. This has never been about anything other than election integrity. This is the epitome of what America stands for, and if we do not have confidence in our electoral process, then everything we do in life is jeopardized,” Fann said at the time.
Additionally, the highest ranking Senate Republican argued that lawmakers have a duty to their constituents to honor their concerns.
“Our voters are constituents. [We must] answer those questions and either confirm what they were afraid of or thought or heard, or that we prove that those things were not true so that they could go back to the polls and they could vote with confidence knowing that their ballot is sacred,” she added.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Karen Fann” by Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 2.0.
