A Freedom Caucus-backed candidate is poised to unseat a Republican on Arizona’s utility regulatory board, setting up a potentially rightward shift for the already Republican-dominated panel if he wins in November.
State Rep. Ralph Heap (R) holds a narrow lead over incumbent Nick Myers after primary elections Tuesday for a spot on the Arizona Corporation Commission. The results — which have not been officially verified by the Arizona secretary of state — mean Heap will appear on the ballot alongside fellow Republican and incumbent Kevin Thompson, who took the most votes in the three-person primary race.
The two Republicans will face a pair of Democrats for two seats on the board, which oversees the state’s electric, gas and water utilities as well as business development and securities.
Far-right groups touted Heap’s victory as a triumph, charging that Myers and Thompson have not done enough to push back on the “Green New Deal” — a catch-all term often used by conservative critics for clean energy policies backed by Democrats.
