By Recker McDowell —
The 2022 Arizona elections are a million political miles and Trump, AOC and Nike tweets away.
But some palace intrigue and projections have already started about who might run for Arizona governor and other offices after Doug Ducey finishes his second term.
One name coming up with a political future — including potentially running for governor — is Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels.
Daniels has been the Gilbert helm as the East Valley community has grown into a fast-growing restaurant and culinary mecca and has become more of an employment center.
Daniels has taken a middle of the road but generally supportive stance on growth as Gilbert has landed big job announcements from Deloitte & Touche, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch and added a Culinary Dropout to its already popular restaurant row. With the likes of Barrio Queen, Pomo Pizzeria, Postino and OHSO Brewery, Gilbert is one of the top food destinations in the Southwest.
Daniels is more tepid towards new apartments, a generally politically popular stance around vote-rich metro Phoenix.
Daniels has been Gilbert mayor since 2016. Gilbert does not have term limits. So, Daniels could run for mayor again after 2020.
But she could also look to climb the political ladder. That includes a Republican run for higher office.
Daniels has cultivated a soccer mom role well as Gilbert mayor where politics very much meets suburbia.
But don’t mistake that. She knows policy, growth and economic issues and politics.
The race for Arizona governor, other statewide offices and future tilts for U.S. Senate and the U.S. House have plenty of potential horses.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and others could also be in the mix for higher office. Of course, political visibility on both sides of the aisle is blurred by a sea of AOC and Trump tweets.
But don’t sleep on Daniels and her political future if she wants to go down that path.