The Arizona Republic’s Dianna M. Náñez reports /a political bombshell fell Wednesday when two-term Tempe City Council incumbent Shana Ellis said she is abandoning her bid for reelection in the November runoff and asked her backers to join her in supporting fellow incumbent Robin Arredondo-Savage.
In a statement dubbed “a letter to my supporters,” Ellis seems intent on averting an incumbent vs. incumbent battle for survival in the runoff.
Challengers Lauren Kuby and David Schapira were upset outright winners in the Aug. 26 primary election, leaving the incumbents, who ran a distant third and fourth, to battle for the third open seat in a runoff.
“I have had the pleasure of serving with Council member Robin Arredondo-Savage for the past four years,” the post reads. “While we sometimes don’t agree, generally our differences have been small. Asking the community to choose between two council members who often have the same ideals makes no sense.”
If no withdrawal letter is received by the Friday deadline, Ellis and Arredondo-Savage’s names would appear on the ballot despite Ellis’ support for her competitor.
