Up until the August 28 primary election, the speaker’s race appeared to be a two-way contest between Reps. Darin Mitchell and Rusty Bowers. But with Mitchell’s defeat in the primary, several other candidates have declared their intentions to run for the chamber’s top position.

Rep. Todd Clodfelter, R-Tucson, tried to force a vote on the House floor today to require that the chamber publicly release all of the documents pertaining to the sexual harassment investigation of former Rep. Don Shooter.

With allegations related to sexual harassment against two of its members still pending, House Speaker J.D. Mesnard opened the 2018 legislative session with a call to all -- especially the men -- to do better.

Kirk Adams, the former speaker and Gov. Doug Ducey’s right-hand man, spoke to the Capitol Times about how his past work has affected his new job, his future plans and his involvement in a few Capitol traditions, like #startyourownrumor and appointing Andy Tobin to everything.

In his first year as speaker of the House, J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, managed to get all 35 of his chamber’s Republicans to agree to support the state budget, though two from his caucus still balked at Gov. Doug Ducey’s university bonding proposal.

House Speaker J.D. Mesnard sat down for his first interview with the Arizona Capitol Times since being elected to the chamber’s top post to talk about Gov. Doug Ducey’s State of the State address and his own priorities for the House this year.

The Arizona House Republican caucus met today to select the chamber’s next majority leadership team, and as expected, the caucus selected Rep. J.D. Mesnard to run the chamber.

Mr. Mesnard’s decision to send his proposal only to Republicans is highly exclusive and only propagates the dysfunction that is inherent in a system government that considers only one point of view, like the Arizona Legislature.

Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, appears to have locked up the votes to become the next speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives.

UPDATE: Republican Rep. J.D. Mesnard has apparently locked up the support necessary to become the next speaker of the House. Twenty-one Republican lawmakers and candidates who are likely to win their races in November – a definite majority of the future House GOP caucus – have publicly committed to supporting him.