Rep. Tom Forese (R-Chandler) on Wednesday filed an exploratory committee for the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), telling the Yellow Sheet Report he views himself as one of the frontrunners for the two seats that will be up for grabs next year.
“I’m not going to run unless I know I can win. But from where I stand now, I think I have a heck of a shot,” he said.
Though others are looking at the race – Reps. Frank Pratt (R-Casa Grande) and Carl Seel (R-Phoenix) have exploratory committees, and former Rep. Ted Vogt of Tucson is mulling a run – Forese said there is “a tremendous barrier” to entering the race most would-be candidates can’t overcome. Most don’t have the financial base necessary to mount a statewide campaign for such a low-profile office, but he said he is confident he has built the relationships necessary to minimize those obstacles. The Yellow Sheet reports Forese said he views the commission as the next logical step in “continuing what I’ve been doing, which is advocating for a better environment for business,” and he has both the public policy and business experience necessary to do the job.
Forese said one of his top priorities during the exploratory phase is to do a “deep dive” on the issues facing the commission, many of which he conceded he only has a “surface understanding” of right now. He said there needs to be a balance on renewable energy in Arizona – particularly with solar, which he said “has become so polarizing and partisan that we really missed the boat as Republicans in understanding what solar could be.”
Forese also said he has meetings scheduled with both sides in the burgeoning net metering debate. Forese, who plans to run a traditionally funded campaign, added he will likely use consultant Alan Heywood for this campaign. Heywood, who managed the campaigns for all five current commissioners, also counts Pratt among his clients, making it “a fair assumption” the pair will team up for the primary, Forese said.
