(Credit: Pinal County)
By Aaron Dorman | Monitor
CASA GRANDE — The new state lawmaker representing Legislative District 11 is a longtime resident of Casa Grande and has lived most of her life within the region, including Arizona City.
Teresa Martinez, a longtime Republican activist, was appointed by the Pinal County Board of Supervisors to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Bret Roberts of Maricopa.
Martinez said her deep roots in the area, with numerous friends and family still working in the area, were a big reason why she wanted to step into the state representative role as an advocate for the county.
In fact, Martinez said she was working at the Casa Grande racquetball club as a receptionist when she was first approached to help out with the local Republican Party.
Despite working for Republican firebrand Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Prescott, Martinez described herself as a people person during an Oct. 20 interview and said she was willing to listen to anyone, no matter their politics. Martinez said that while working in Gosar’s office, she has helped people obtain passports and fight for their COVID stimulus monies, even if they initially tell her they abhor her or her boss’s politics.
