Supervisors pick new LD28 lawmaker

Sarah Liguori will be Legislative District 28’s newest House member. 

Maricopa County supervisors voted unanimously Monday morning to appoint Liguori to the seat, which became vacant a month ago when Aaron Lieberman resigned to focus on his gubernatorial campaign. 

District 28, which includes Paradise Valley and parts of North and North-Central Phoenix, has historically been a competitive district, but it has an all-Democratic legislative delegation now. Supervisor Bill Gates, a Republican whose supervisorial district includes most of LD28, said he was “very impressed by all three of the candidates” for the seat. However, he singled out Liguori’s record, including her work in the private sector and with the Urban Land Institute Arizona, for praise. 

“I think bringing that business mindset as a Democrat down to the state Legislature is going to be fabulous,” Gates said. 

Liguori, who works in commercial real estate and is a licensed financial advisor, is a precinct committeewoman and the co-vice chairwoman of volunteer recruitment for LD28 Democrats. She is a Tucson native who has lived in Phoenix for more than 15 years. 

As required by state law, Democratic precinct committeemen in LD28 recommended three candidates for the seat. The one who got the most votes from the committeemen was Laura Terech, a retired schoolteacher who has worked to get Democratic candidates elected and has volunteered for activist groups such as Moms Demand Action, Civic Engagement Beyond Voting and the Arizona National Organization of Women. Ginger Sykes Torres, the other candidate who lost out to Liguori, is an environmental consultant who worked to get President Biden and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego elected, and has served on Phoenix’s Environmental Quality and Sustainability Commission and as chairwoman of the city’s Urban Heat Island Subcommittee. 

“It’s great to be considered amongst other outstanding women,” Torres said after the vote. “Sarah will do great for LD28. Thank you everyone for supporting me.” 

Democratic operative Tony Cani said on Twitter that, while he was pulling for Torres, Ligouri will be great. 

“(District 28 Democrats) are a machine,” he said. “Producing great candidates and fantastic volunteers.”