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Sen. Johnson won’t seek re-election, makes way for Pearce

Arizona Capitol Reports Staff//January 25, 2008//[read_meter]

Sen. Johnson won’t seek re-election, makes way for Pearce

Arizona Capitol Reports Staff//January 25, 2008//[read_meter]

Another senior Republican will not seek re-election to the Senate, an illustration of how term limits are forcing lawmakers to make hard choices.
Sen. Karen Johnson, R-18, said she is giving way to District 18 Rep. Russell Pearce, who is approaching his term-limit in the House and has dropped plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake in 6th Congressional District.
“That’s definite. I’m not staying in the Senate,” Johnson said.
The Mesa lawmaker said she and Pearce had talked about switching places about a year ago. At that time, Pearce had set his eyes on Congress, Johnson said. But Johnson said Pearce called her recently to say he has decided to drop his congressional plan.
Johnson said that leaves her the option of either running for the state House, or retiring altogether from the Legislature after serving 12 years.
Johnson’s decision means the Senate next year would have new — but not necessarily inexperienced lawmakers.
For Sen. Robert Blendu, R-12, it meant giving up ambition of becoming the skipper of the 30-body chamber. Blendu, who may have been in line to become the next Senate president, announced earlier this month that he will not seek re-election and instead is considering a run for the state House.
Blendu said he will step aside in order to allow Rep. John Nelson, also from District 12, to continue to serve in the Legislature. Nelson, like Pearce, will reach his term limit and cannot serve in the House after this year.
“I would have liked to stay here. I think I had a great opportunity in this body to become the (Senate) president,” Blendu said. “I also am disappointed that we have to make a choice because of term limits, and that the people in my district are even deprived of the opportunity of keeping John Nelson.”
Blendu said with term limits, the Legislature is losing institutional memory. “I think that my decision is helpful to this body and that’s why I did it. I set my own ego and ambition aside,” he said.
The end of this year will bring the departure of Senate President Tim Bee and Senate Minority Leader Marsha Arzberger. Bee is running for Congress, and Arzberger is retiring from the Legislature.  

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