After announcing a run for Congress, Gina Swoboda says she will not immediately resign as chair of the Arizona Republican Party — but she did open the door for party members to replace her at the AZ GOP’s annual meeting in January.
Shortly after entering the congressional race, Swoboda sent a note to members of the party’s state committee telling them that, while state Republican party rules don’t require her to step down, she believes the party’s State Committee should make that decision.
“Therefore, I am requesting that members of the State Committee report to their county chairs whether they wish to make a change in the office of the Chair as our regularly scheduled mandatory meeting in January,” Swoboda wrote.
That’s an annual meeting where grassroots Republicans from across the state gather to discuss party business and vote on new leaders and changes to the party’s bylaws.
But some party members think Swoboda should step down before that meeting happens.
“It’s about the role of the chair and the role of any candidate running in a primary. It is very difficult to serve two masters. Both jobs are full time,” said Bill Beard, a former chair of the Pima County Republican Party.
At the last state meeting, the committee re-elected Swoboda to a two-year term as chair that was scheduled to end in 2027.
According to the party’s bylaws, if Swoboda resigns within 90 days of the next scheduled meeting on Jan. 24, 2026, First Vice Chair Gina Maloney would take over until the committee selects a new leader at the meeting.
Those bylaws don’t explicitly bar the state chair from remaining in that position while simultaneously running for office, though the rules do state the “Republican Party of Arizona shall treat all Republican candidates fairly during the primary irrespective of whether the party has aided in the recruitment of such candidate or any other factor.”
So far, eight Republicans have expressed official interest in running in the primary in CD 1, a competitive congressional district that features an open seat after Congressman David Schweikert announced he is running for governor. And several more prominent candidates could still enter the race, which could impact Republican efforts to retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, chairs are charged with leading state Republicans during the election cycle, and Swoboda was lauded for spearheading a largely successful 2024 cycle that saw Republicans win two competitive congressional races — including CD 1 — and increase their majorities in the state Legislature.
Beard said he has nothing against Swoboda personally but feels those responsibilities conflict with a candidate’s priorities.
“Trying to do both does not serve the purposes of either her role as chair or her role as a candidate running for a very competitive district, both in a primary and a general election,” he said.
In response to that criticism, Swoboda doubled down on her promise to let the state committee decide whether she remains at the helm of the Arizona Republican Party.
“It's totally up to the State Committee, I serve at their pleasure,” she said.
In the letter to the state committee, she also said the party “implemented a firewall and governance agreement in order to ensure full compliance with all applicable laws.”
But she did not respond to requests to provide specific details about those arrangements.
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