By Alia Beard Rau | The Arizona Republic
Apparently, Mesa Sen. Rich Crandall‘s farewell has gone on too long.
Senate President Andy Biggs on Thursday declared the Legislative District 16 Senate seat vacant, essentially ousting Crandall more than a week before he was ready to go.
Crandall announced in June that he had accepted a job as director of the Wyoming Department of Education. In mid-July, he said the transition to the new position would be gradual and he would likely resign his Senate seat this fall. Earlier this month, he announced he would resign effective Aug. 16.
But Crandall did not send his resignation to Biggs until Tuesday. In that letter, he said he was changing his last day to Aug. 31 so as not to have a two-week gap in health insurance before Wyoming coverage kicks in.
