Meyer begins write-in bid for DeSimone’s seat

A former emergency-room physician has been selected by Democrat leaders in a key Phoenix district to run as a write-in candidate in the September primary elections.
Dr. Eric Meyer will attempt to assume the legislative seat held by fellow Democrat Rep. Mark DeSimone, who withdrew from the election after his arrest June 27 for domestic violence.
Meyer was selected unanimously by the precinct committeemen of Legislative District 11 to run a write-in campaign in an effort to keep control of the House seat taken over two years ago by DeSimone.
Meyer, who also serves on the Scottsdale Unified School District governing board, registered as a write-in candidate with the Secretary of State's office July 7. State law requires write-in candidates to be certified by the state's top election official before ballots cast for them will count.
If Meyer receives 301 votes in the Sept. 2 primary election — the number of valid signatures from registered Democrat voters in the district needed to qualify as a candidate — his name will be printed on the November general election ballots.
Meyer attended Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, graduated from the University of Arizona's medical school in 1988 and currently lives in Paradise Valley. Though he once worked as a doctor, medical board records show he allowed his medical license to expire in 2003.
He also is a member of the Children's Museum of Phoenix board of directors.
The Arizona Democratic Party has announced that DeSimone would resign his legislative seat, but he has yet to do so.
The 45-year-old businessman has not returned phone calls from the Arizona Capitol Times.