Former Arizona Republican Party treasurer Elijah Norton is the first candidate to enter the state treasurer’s race.
Norton is a business owner and unsuccessfully challenged Republican Congressman David Schweikert in 2022.
Norton said he’s well qualified for the job, especially considering how well the GOP did financially under his leadership in the last election cycle.
“I think I’ve proven that I’ve been a good steward of, you know, the party’s financial resources again a very successful 2024 election cycle,” Norton said.
Norton said he stabilized the GOP’s finances, helped get President Donald Trump reelected and conducted a much needed audit of the party’s books.
“The treasurer's race, I think, is about who's the most qualified person for the job, and I would implore anyone to find anyone in this state who is more qualified than me,” he said.
Current Republican Treasurer Kimberly Yee is termed out and can’t seek reelection.
Norton said he thinks Yee has run the office well.
He said one thing he would like to implement as treasurer is oversight of the state’s auditing office. With the treasurer overseeing the auditor general, Norton said the office can run better and more independently of the Legislature.
“There’ve been a lot of issues that have surfaced with the auditor general’s office not finding something. … Part of the problem with that is Arizona is one of the few states which doesn’t have an elected auditor,” Norton said.
One big issue the treasurer will weigh in on is the extension of Proposition 123 - a measure to fund Arizona education using money from the state land trust, which lawmakers will have to send to the ballot.
Yee has opposed the plans put forward so far from lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs that would pull more money out of the state land trust.
“I’m going to trust Kimberly Yee,” Norton said. He said he favors her more conservative plan and believes there's too much waste in Arizona’s education system.
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