by Cameron Arcand
Arizona House Democrats faced yet another resignation on Thursday with Rep. Marcelino Quiñonez of Phoenix stepping down.
“I have had the fortune of being here for three sessions, and I take so many lessons with me,” the Legislative District 11 Democrat said on the House floor. “Amongst them, we cannot let perfection be the enemy of progress.”
His resignation comes as the caucus has already faced five other resignations this session. While four, including his, were to pursue other opportunities, two faced scandals. Former Rep. Jevin Hodge resigned due to sexual misconduct claims from when he was in college, and former Rep. Leezah Sun resigned in the wake of unfavorable ethics committee findings.
Earlier Thursday morning, Rep. Deborah Nardozzi was sworn in to replace Hodge. Nardozzi is the second appointment this year for the Legislative District 8 seat, as Hodge was the replacement for Rep. Athena Salman.
As for Quiñonez (pictured above), there are reports that he could be pursuing a seat on the Phoenix City Council, KJZZ reported.
“I look to continuing to strengthen my efforts so that we can support my community, my city and my state,” he added.
House Democratic Leader Lupe Contreras thanked the Phoenix politician following the news.
“Representative Quiñonez has served our caucus with class and eloquence, and he has played a vital and impactful role as a member of leadership and a ranking member on the Appropriations Committee,” he said in a statement. “We will miss him, but we will move forward with the business of our state, and we wish him all the best.”
On March 18, Quiñonez already said that he would not run for re-election.
“I’ve spoken to my family, close friends, and supporters and realize this decision is the best one for me,” he said in a letter posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, at the time.
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Cameron Arcand is a staff reporter for The Center Square covering Arizona. A contributor since 2022, Arcand previously worked for Salem Media Group and The Western Journal.
Photo “Marcelino Quiñonez” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 3.0. Background Photo “Arizona Capitol” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.
