Aaron Lieberman resigned from the Arizona House of Representatives on Monday to focus on running for governor.
The Phoenix Democrat wasn’t required to resign to run for higher office. But in a letter to House Speaker Rusty Bowers, Lieberman wrote that both the Legislature and the campaign deserved his full attention.
“The simple truth is that running for governor and serving in the legislature are two incredibly important jobs that demand near full-time service,” he wrote. “My full focus will now be on the race for Arizona governor.”
Lieberman is the fourth lawmaker to announce his resignation this summer. Democratic Sen. Kirsten Engel resigned to focus on a congressional campaign two weeks ago.
That same week, GOP Rep. Bret Roberts announced his pending resignation, effective at the end of the month, for personal reasons.
Democrat Tony Navarette resigned from the Senate in August after he was arrested and charged with molesting minors.
Lieberman’s resignation leaves two vacancies in the House, soon to be three once Roberts steps down. Former Rep. Raquel Terán was appointed to the Arizona Senate, to fill the seat vacated by Navarette, leaving her own House seat vacant in the process.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors must appoint another Democrat to replace Lieberman in Legislative District 28, a Phoenix swing district that’s recently been swept by Democratic candidates.
