By Kiera Riley | State Affairs
Four candidates are vying for the chair of the Republican Party of Arizona ahead of the 2026 leadership elections, as sitting chair Gina Swoboda pursues a congressional seat in District 1.
The Republican Party of Arizona holds its annual statutory meeting every January to elect new leadership.
Per the report from the nomination committee, candidates for chairman include:
- Sergio Arellano, a veteran and president and CEO of Tipping Point LLC, a political consulting firm. Arellano previously worked in human resources for the Department of Veterans Affairs, served as a school board member, and was a founding member of the AZGOP Latino Coalition.
- Robert Branch, or Dr. Bob Branch, a veteran and former post-secondary education professor at Grand Canyon University, and a former candidate for Maricopa County Supervisor District 4 and Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- Pam Kirby, executive director of the Republican Party of Arizona from February 2022 to 2023 and former Scottsdale Unified School District governing board member.
- Kathleen Winn, chair of the Pima County Republican Party and a two-time candidate for Congressional District 6.
