State Rep. Bret Roberts announces resignation, gives no reason

By: Jeremy Duda - September 8, 2021 5:31 pm

Photo via Arizona House of Representatives

Republican state Rep. Bret Roberts announced that he’ll resign from the legislature at the end of the month.

Roberts, a second-term lawmaker from Maricopa, didn’t elaborate on why he’s stepping down. He tweeted on Wednesday afternoon that his resignation will be effective Sept. 30.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve with you, the Republican caucus, and the entire House,” Roberts tweeted in a message addressed to constituents and colleagues. “I wish you all nothing but the best going forward and am confident that the House will continue to do the people’s work on behalf of all Arizonans.”

Roberts was first elected in 2018 to represent District 11, which stretches from Tucson’s northern exurbs up to the northern reaches of Pinal County. He filed paperwork with the Secretary of State’s Office indicating that he planned to run for re-election just two weeks ago.

District 11’s Republican precinct committeemen, who are elected members of a political party’s legislative district organization, will select three candidates to replace Roberts, and the Pinal County Board of Supervisors will choose the new representative from among them. The district includes parts of both Pima and Pinal counties, but because Roberts is from Pinal, state law requires the vacancy to be filled by a resident of the same county.

Roberts did not respond to a request for comment from the Arizona Mirror.

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Jeremy Duda

Jeremy Duda is a Phoenix native and began his career in journalism in 2003 after graduating from the University of Arizona. Jeremy Duda previously served as the Mirror's associate Editor. Prior to joining the Arizona Mirror, he worked at the Arizona Capitol Times, where he spent eight years covering the Governor's Office and two years as editor of the Yellow Sheet Report. Before that, he wrote for the Hobbs News-Sun of Hobbs, NM, and the Daily Herald of Provo, Utah. Jeremy is also the author of the history book “If This Be Treason: the American Rogues and Rebels Who Walked the Line Between Dissent and Betrayal.”