Republican politics in Yavapai County just got a lot more interesting with the announcement that Matthew Tucciarone has entered the race for one of Legislative District 1’s two seats in the Arizona legislature. Tucciarone is not yet widely known in the Prescott area, but he seems to have made a name for himself in Republican circles as a conservative activist and former candidate for Mayor of Sedona. Reportedly, his campaign as a pro Trump, America First candidate in one of Yavapai County’s most liberal enclaves caught the eye of GOP talent spotters who encouraged him to run. As a candidate for the state legislature, Tucciarone is expected to mount a challenge from the right against LD1’s two entrenched incumbents in the state House of Representatives.
In response to Ms. Wildman’s announcement, Matt Tucciarone said he welcomed her entry into the race. “Ousting entrenched incumbents is never easy,” Tucciarone stated, “especially when they can tap into lobbyist and special interest money in Phoenix and even out of state.” He went on to say that he appreciated the help of another candidate in getting the word out about the incumbents’ poor standing among their conservative colleagues in the legislature. “Neither of them have been accepted by the Freedom Caucus”, Tucciarone noted, a reference to the caucus of conservative Republican legislators who have worked together in opposition to Governor Hobb’s liberal agenda. Tucciarone observed that Rep Quang Nguyen, in particular, has strayed from America First orthodoxy by opposing President’s Trump’s immigration policies on birth right citizenship and chain migration. He has also opposed Congressman Paul Gosar’s proposal for an immigration moratorium.
Get on the HOUSE VIP LIST!
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.