Republican state Sen. Wendy Rogers listed a Tempe address on a campaign finance report, renewing questions about whether she actually lives in the rural Arizona district she represents.
Since 2020, Rogers has represented a mostly rural district covering parts of Coconino, Gila, Navajo and Pinal counties. On campaign documents, she says she lives in a Flagstaff retirement community within that district, Legislative District 7.
Last year, the Arizona Capitol Times reported Rogers and her husband purchased a home in Chandler in January 2023 and said they were “currently residing at” a home in Tempe on trust documents they signed as part of that transaction.
Rogers’ campaign again listed the Tempe address on a campaign finance report filed in April.
According to that report, the campaign reimbursed Rogers $19,209 for mileage, lodging and fuel. It lists the Tempe home as Rogers’ address for that reimbursement, even though property records show Rogers and her husband sold that property last year.
Republican activist Tyler Montague said that initial reporting sparked legitimate questions about whether Rogers lives in her district.
“And here she is getting a reimbursement at the address in Tempe, and that's just more fuel for the fire,” Montague said.
Michelle Kuppersmith, executive director of watchdog group Campaign for Accountability, agreed.
“Sen. Rogers' latest campaign finance filing requesting more than $19,000 in travel reimbursements from a Tempe address that she allegedly sold in 2023 seems to indicate that she does not live in Flagstaff which, if true, would disqualify her from representing her current district,” Kuppersmith said, referring to a state law requiring legislative candidates to live within the county in which they are running.
“Further, because the law requires her to live in her district, it may be improper for her to seek reimbursement for travel to a residence outside the district,” Kuppersmith said.
Legislative District 7 includes parts of Coconino, Gila, Navajo and Pinal counties. Tempe and Chandler are both in Maricopa County.
Property records show Rogers and her husband sold the Tempe home to an LLC owned by Ohio resident Vincent Abel in April 2023. The Capitol Times reported Abel also owned a plane that Rogers, who served in the Air Force from 1976 to 1996, owned until November 2017.
Maricopa County property records show that Rogers and her husband also sold the Chandler home to another LLC connected to Abel in October 2023 after purchasing that house earlier that year.
Both LLCs are registered to Abel’s Ohio address, according to Wayne County property records. Abel also served in the Air Force from 1985 to 1992, according to his LinkedIn page.
Michael Abel, an Arizona attorney listed as the agent for both LCCs, did not respond to a request for comment.
Rogers, who did not respond to a request for comment, has repeatedly denied allegations she lives outside of her district, regularly posting photos on social media in Flagstaff.
She also sought a court order to stop a Capitol Times reporter from investigating her residency in 2023, which was ultimately denied by a Flagstaff judge.
