Prescott construction company owner Elise Townsend on Aug. 7 withdrew from the District 1 Senate race to replace Senate President Ken Bennett, citing business and family reasons and personal rumors.
“I have a business — a young business that’s seven years old — and I have young children,” said the Republican, who announced her candidacy in January at a Capitol news conference. “I found that the campaign didn’t allow enough time for those two things.”
Ms. Townsend said “personal” rumors also caused her withdrawal from the primary race, which leaves Rep. Tom O’Halleran of Sedona and William “Will” Stoll, a Camp Verde pastor and owner of a development company, as contestants for the Republican nomination.
“I underestimated the personal things,” she said. “I was ready for a campaign with issues and facts, not of rumors and those types of things, and when it turned to that, it just was not worth it to me. It got very personal.”
The Daily Courier in Prescott reported the race became personal with rumors that Ms. Townsend’s business, Townsend Construction, is facing bankruptcy.
“That is the farthest thing from the truth,” she told the newspaper, adding her company is a statewide, multi-million dollar business. The source of the rumors was unknown.
Mr. O’Halleran told Arizona Capitol Times he had heard the rumor and asked around about it, but did not insinuate the rumor was fact with anyone he spoke to.
Mr. Stoll says Ms. Townsend’s withdrawal will help his campaign, which reportedly has momentum because he has visited as many as 7,000 homes in the district and has sizeable finances.
“Obviously, since we’re running for the same office, it improves my chances, but right now, my heart goes out to Elise…” he said. “This is my first time running for political office. I know politics puts a strain on your family and on your business.”
Mr. Stoll said he has around $100,000 of his own money to spend on the race.
“It will be an interesting month coming up,” Mr. O’Halleran said.
The Republican nominee will face Democrat Jo Kelleher of Chino Valley and Libertarian Terry Dunn of Prescott Valley in the November general election. Mr. Dunn has qualified as a write-in candidate.
Mr. Bennett says he will endorse one of the Republican candidates shortly. Mr. O’Halleran said Mr. Bennett has held fundraisers for both him and Ms. Townsend.
GOP registration in District 1
The most recent voter registration totals for District 1 have Republicans at 45.8 percent, 26.2 percent for Democrats and 28 percent independent and other affiliations.
All the candidates are running with private contributions but Mr. Dunn may not raise or spend more than $500, an option under state law that he chose.
As of May 31, the most recent campaign finance reports from the Secretary of State’s Office, Ms. Townsend reported spending $13,229 and had $844 on hand.
Mr. O’Halleran’s report showed spending $4,244, leaving $41,909 on hand.
Mr. Stoll’s spending at the end of the reporting period was $5,452, with $387 on hand.
Ms. Kelleher reported spending $3,026, with $174 on hand.
Replacing Ken Bennett
Filling Mr. Bennett’s shoes as the district’s senator is one thing; replacing him as Senate president is another.
The four senators who have announced they are running for the chamber’s top post will be wooing potential new senators for their votes, and there will be at least six new members of the Senate next year.
If elected, Mr. Stoll said he will support Sen. Robert Blendu, R-12, for president, and Mr. Blendu says his nose count has him even with Majority Leader Tim Bee, R-30 for the job.
Mr. Bee told Arizona Capitol Times he has the votes to be elected president. Sen. Robert Burns, R-9, and Senate Whip Jay Tibshraeny, R-21, also are running for president.
House reporter Jim Small contributed to this article.