Something More For "Hizzoner" John Giles To Grapple With > 2 Potential Emerging Challengers Have Expressed An Interest To Challenge Him

This time it's for filing 'expressions of interest' by not one but two well-known persons in the new election campaign for the office of mayor when Giles ran un-opposed for his first elected term. Personal Injury/Accident Law attorney John Giles was propelled back into public service after 14 years in private practice as "the hand-picked successor" to fill the vacancy left by former Mayor Scott Smith in 2014, who resigned to seek a higher office as the Governor of the State of Arizona. Unfortunately, those plans were dashed by fellow Republican Doug Ducey who declared at his 2020 State of The State Address "NO MORE TAXES - NOT ON MY WATCH!" 
Residents of Mesa and people who read this blog now know that Mayor John Giles wants to raise your taxes and increase fees-and-charges for sales transaction and utility use
The former personal injury/accidental law attorney got a new mission and a new job in 2014 - Giles is  no longer "an ambulance-chaser".
He considers himself as the chief cheerleader and salesman for the City of Mesa. What he makes 'on-the-side" we don't know until the required Financial Disclosure paperwork gets filed with the City Clerk.
__________________________________________________________

Here's the story from East Valley Tribune
(note the choice of words: "chief nemesis" to describe Jeremy Whittaker), and the choice of words "also gunning for Giles' job" attached to Verl Farnsworth)
Storm clouds are gathering in the Mesa mayor race             

By Jim Walsh, Tribune Staff Writer

Jan 26, 2020 3 hrs ago

SM

"Mesa City Councilman Jeremy Whittaker has expressed interest in mounting a potential mayoral bid – elevating himself from Mayor John Giles’ chief nemesis to a 2020 election opponent.

Irked by the emergence of a Giles ally as a possible challenger in his council district, Whittaker filed a statement of interest for mayor job.

The statements of interest, required by a new state law, qualify candidates to collect the signatures of registered voters to get their names on the ballot.

Also gunning for Giles’ job, is Verl Farnsworth, an outspoken council critic who failed in 2018 to unseat council member Dave Luna, a frequent Giles ally. He too filed a statement of interest for the mayoral position. . ."

Jeremy Whittaker

EVT File PhotoWalsh goes on to write,

"Giles is already flexing his muscles for the upcoming Aug. 4 primary election.

In a press release, his campaign highlighted his fundraising prowess."

NO LINK IN WALSH'S STORY TO THE ACTUAL PRESSER
NO LINK TO THE MESA CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
_________________________________________________________

 WALSH ATTACHES THESE PHRASES TO GILES"

"flexing his muscles"

fundraising "prowess"

He said an inherent part of his job is to serve as the city’s cheerleader and a salesman. 

Among the businesses Mesa has recruited are an Apple data center and plans for a Google data center, in the Elliot Road Technology Corridor."

____________________________________________

OK. Did Giles do that? 
Or did Governor Ducey's Arizona Commerce Authority?

___________________________________________________
BLOGGER NOTE: Whatever to former Mesa City Council member Chris Glover's plans to get elected as Mayor 2020??

11 December 2018

On-Your-Mark > Get-Set! See Who's Ready (or NOT) For This

Looks like 'Slow-Jammin' John Giles - former track star and ambulance-chaser in his private personal injury/accident law firm - has gotten a jump start in the race to succeed himself as the incumbent and 40th mayor to hold elected office.
Last time around, after getting appointed by former Mayor Scott Smith to fill-in an interim void, Giles won his seat inside City Hall in a hands-down no-contest race. 
However, 2-term District 4 Mesa City Councilmember Chris Glover has already taken the first steps months ago to declare his own intentions to gain the highest elected office here in Mesa in 2020.
Glover For Mayor 2020A CAMPAIGN TO RUN FOR MAYOR IN 2020

________and a Fund-Raiser for John Giles_______________
Here's a Fund-Raiser put on by The Mesa Chamber of Commerce and a group called Arizona Strategies 
NOTE THE RSVP    NOTE THE HOST COMMITTEE

___________________________________________________
Back to the story from EVT Jim Walsh --

"Giles did not mention Whittaker as a potential 
challenger, but he said he did not think his campaign contributions would translate into an uncontested election. He faced only write-in candidates in 2016.

“I think when you do things in this job, some people will take issue with it. I am expecting a contested election,’’ Giles said."

____________________________________________________

"Whittaker said it was Giles’ recruitment of Julie Spilsbury, a Mesa mother and volunteer in the Mesa Public Schools, to run against him in his district which prompted him to consider a mayoral campaign.

“Julie is just a puppet for the mayor and the establishment,’’

Whittaker said, describing Spilsbury as well-connected with the upper echelon of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints even if she is a political novice.

“If I have to run, I mind as well run against the mayor,’’ Whittaker said, rather than running against a Giles surrogate.

Whittaker said he will decide at a later date if he is running for mayor or a second term in his present position. . ."

____________________________________________

NOTE:

District Three, in west Mesa, may also feature a contested election in 2020, with incumbent Francisco Heredia potentially running against Jacob Martinez and Christopher Bown, who have both filled out a statement of interest. 

Bown ran unsuccessfully against Heredia in 2018 to fill out the final two years of former council member Ryan Winkle’s term. Mesa council members and mayors normally serve a four-year term.