Opinion: Sen. Paul Boyer proved to be tough, the kind of politician who was willing to stand up to powerful bullies. But resistance takes a toll./Twitter
By Elvia Díaz | Arizona Republic
Sen. Paul Boyer is calling it quits. It’s a disturbing reminder of how ugly Arizona politics have become and a glimpse that the worst is perhaps yet to come.
Boyer’s decision against seeking re-election next year wasn’t entirely a surprise to anyone paying attention. But it still elicited lamentations amid the state’s political turmoil.
Boyer was the only Republican in the state Senate who stood up to the shenanigans of his colleagues, who wanted to jail Maricopa County board of supervisors over the recount of the 2020 presidential ballots.
Boyer told journalists that his heart isn’t in it any longer and that the Legislature “feels more toxic than it had ever been.”
That’s an understatement in a world where even the presumption of being a good or sensible conservative isn’t good enough for the MAGA crowd now controlling the Arizona Republican Party.
Boyer had the audacity to step out of line
