The moderate Republican this year is state Sen. Ann Day, who is seeking the board seat primarily because she's reached her term limit in the Arizona Legislature and says she's not ready to retire. Day is facing Rep. Dan Schottel in the GOP primary. Like Day, Schottel has reached his term limit representing District 12 in the legislature. Although he toyed with the idea of seeking Day's state Senate seat, he eventually decided to challenge day for the county post. But he got a late start in the campaign, and some of his supporters bailed on him for fear of upsetting Day, who was easily leading early polls this year.
Day is likely to face a tougher challenge in the general election.
The favorite in the Democratic primary is Byron Howard, a political consultant who has experience on the county staff and in the homebuilding industry. Howard is facing teacher John Crouch in the Democratic primary. Like Schottel, Crouch got his campaign off to a late start. He appeals to the fringe of his party. In fact, he's only been a Democrat for a few years, arguing that political parties tend to follow behind the curve of social change.