Legislative District 2 will see another teacher fill one of its House seats when Stephanie Simacek replaces departing Democratic Rep. Judy Schweibert in January. Simacek has lived in Arizona since 2014 and received her graduate degree from Grand Canyon University. She worked as a first grade teacher before transitioning to substitute teaching. Simacek currently serves on the Deer Valley Unified School District Governing Board where she was elected in 2022. She has two daughters who both attend school in the Deer Valley district. Simacek will serve alongside returning Republicans Rep. Justin Wilmeth and Sen. Shawnna Bolick. According to her campaign website, Simacek’s top priorities are education, housing, water and the environment, and reproductive freedom. She is a critic of the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program. Simacek’s journey to the Legislature was rocky at times, as her opponent, Ari Bradshaw, was accused of harassment for attempting to contact her and showing up at her home after she backed out of a debate. She narrowly edged him out to keep one seat in the district blue. Simacek did not immediately respond to a request for an interview.