Regent to seek governor’s office

A member of the Arizona Board of Regents wants to try her hand at politics.

And Karrin Taylor Robson wants to start at the top, at least as state offices go.

In a video press release Monday, KarrinTaylor Robson, a Republican, used the November election results as a reason she wants to be governor.

“In just a few months we’ve seen the direction that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris want to take this country,” she said.

“And as Arizonans we need to fight back,” Taylor Robson continued. “We need to fight for Arizona values.”

Robson did not return repeated messages seeking clarification of those values or to answer any questions about her views on state issues, ranging from tax policy to education. Instead, she promised in her video to go around the state to hear from people on “how we can stand together and fight the radical Biden-Harris agenda.”

And in a separate statement on her campaign web site, Robson Taylor said she is “committed to do whatever it takes to defend Arizona from the radical left.”

Her announcement points up what could be a crowded race for the open seat that Doug Ducey, having served the constitutionally limited two four-year terms, has to vacate.

It came just hours after state Treasurer Kimberly Yee made her own declaration of interest. And Yee, like Taylor Robson, is staking out an anti-Biden position, though, unlike Yee, Taylor Robson did not profess any particular loyalty to Donald Trump and his ideas.

Taylor Robson’s highest public policy profile is as a regent. She was tapped for that position in 2017 and just reappointed this past year.

Her day job is as founder and president of Arizona Strategies which is involved with development. She previously worked with DMB Associates, a Scottsdale-based master-planned community developer.

Before that she was an attorney where she practiced in the areas of land use, development and zoning laws representing large landowners.

In her bio, she boasted of that role, saying she “fought on behalf of economic growth and projects that have enabled thousands of new jobs for Arizona families.” Taylor Young also said she wants to protect property rights, create “value in real estate,” foster civic engagement, support those in the military and develop “a world-class education system with options for all types of learners.”

While she has never held political office, she has some genetic ties to those who have.

Her father, Carl Kunasek, was president of the Arizona Senate who later went on to serve on the Arizona Corporation Commission. Brother Andrew Kunasek served as a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.