BREAKING NEWS: Jule Spilsbury Ousted in Mesa City Council Recall Election

 

Spilsbury concedes in Mesa City Council recall election

Jeremy Duda

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Mesa City Councilmember Julie Spilsbury conceded defeat in a recall election that pitted the Kamala Harris-endorsing Republican against an opponent backed by the conservative activist group Turning Point.

 

 

Mesa councilwoman concedes defeat in a recall election triggered by Turning Point USA

KJZZ | By Camryn Sanchez

Published November 5, 2025 at 8:52 AM MST

Camryn Sanchez

Republican Dorean Taylor on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. 

Mesa City Councilmember Julie Spilsbury conceded defeat in a recall election to Taylor on Wednesday.

Mesa Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury was defeated Tuesday night in a recall election sparked by conservative activists with Turning Point USA.

Spilsbury conceded defeat in her head-to-head race to challenger Dorean Taylor, a fellow Republican backed by Turning Point activists who accused Spilsbury of not being conservative enough.

The loss marks an early end to Spilsbury’s second term on the nonpartisan Mesa City Council — she overwhelmingly won reelection in 2024.

But Turning Point swiftly gathered signatures to trigger the recall election, citing her endorsement of Democrat Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential race.

Camryn Sanchez

Mesa City Councilmember Julie Spilsbury on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.

Spilsbury has defended her endorsement.

“We do not serve a party; we serve the people of Mesa,” she said at a summer council meeting. “That's how I've approached every vote, every decision and every congregation: with the goal of doing what’s right for our entire community regardless of political affiliation.”

• Spilsbury’s opponents have also criticized several of her votes on the council — including decisions to raise utility rates, increase council members’ salaries and use a hotel for homeless housing.
• But Spilsbury is the only council member that critics sought to recall — even though two of those votes were unanimous.

Spilsbury’s defeat is a flex by Turning Point in Arizona politics, as the movement spearheaded by the organization’s late founder, Charlie Kirk, has sought to expand its influence on local and national races.

“I didn't lose to Dorean Taylor. I lost to Turning Point,” Spilsbury told 12 News after initial Election Night results were posted. “And I think a lot of people in Mesa are going to be mad that an outside group came in and told us how to deal with our city, and that's not OK.”

“The recall would never have been successful without Turning Point’s employees, over 30 of them, out knocking (on) doors, that are not from Mesa,” she added.

Going forward, Spilsbury told 12 News she’s “politically homeless” as a Republican who doesn't support President DonaldTrump.

As for Taylor, the political newcomer said Tuesday afternoon she was grateful for Turning Point’s involvement, and that partisanship does matter in local races.

“I think party affiliation is important when you're running for anything, because everyone will have a bias no matter which party they’re in,” she said. “I think it’s important to tell that to your voters so that if they don't talk to you, they kind of have an idea of which way you're going to vote.”

Taylor added that partisanship shouldn’t be the way to determine votes on certain issues like maintaining roads, but it should be a big factor in matters like tax decisions.