Barry Graham Is Now A Republican Folk Hero

by Arlo Seeger

Has any candidate anywhere ever faced the onslaught of animus than what Scottsdale City Councilman Barry Graham faced during his 2026 re-election campaign?

Specious ethics investigations. Unprecedented payback attacks from a multi-billion dollar company. Constant slings from activists. Broadsides from the Mayor. A Blue Hurricane.

Yet, he won. How? Why?

*Authenticity Matters In Politics: Graham is disliked even despised by certain segments of the community. Why? Because he doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Or that he is this generation’s George Zraket. Say what you want about him though, Graham has been remarkably consistent about what he was going to do. And then did it.

*Channeling Anger: Graham understands that whether it’s a massive apartment overreach from an insatiable corporate entity or truly shitty multi-family projects like that now going up on Shea just west of Scottsdale Road, residents have HAD IT.

*Face of Resistance: Graham’s polling numbers earlier in 2026 were not great. Indeed, if Axon had not made him the face of resistance before the primary campaign Graham may have been in a far more vulnerable spot. Yet, in Graham, people saw a fighter, willing to stand up for himself, and them.

*Who Your Consultant Is Matters: Ultimately, it’s always up to the candidate. To make the decisions. To direct the ship. But you could just tell from Raoul Zubia’s campaign – and it was light years beyond his previous run – that those around him just didn’t fully understand resident fatigue with crappy, excessive development. Graham is not a no on everything guy. But a significant majority in Scottsdale these days want someone who knows how to use brakes and not drag race for developers. Graham and his counselors know this.

*Bob Littlefield: Agree with him or not, Littlefield is a Hall of Famer. His “Keep Scottsdale Special” themes were often times, ahead of their time. His decision to drop out of the council race to allow a younger version of himself to carry the baton likely but not certainly made the difference between Graham’s election versus defeat.

*The City’s Schizophrenia: For decades it has existed when it’s come to city council elections. Roberty Pettycrew and Ned O’Hearn. Linda Milhaven and Bob Littlefield. Maryann McAllen and Adam Kwasman. Solange Whitehead and Barry Graham. Once again, it reared its head. To Graham’s benefit and Michelle Ugenti-Rita’s whose reason for success is its own post.

*The Slow Growth Party Not Democrat or Republican Is The Most Important Party Of All In Scottsdale. Even as politics has become more partisan, a majority, unifying message in the city these days Is that development must emphasize quality over quantity. Graham understood this in his first election. And his successful second one.

Near the end of “Rocky,” just as Apollo Creed thinks he has finally knocked out the underdog, the challenger gets off the canvas yet again. Creed looks to his corner in disbelief, shaking his head. He crosses the ring only to have Rocky break his ribs, if not his spirit, saying in his ear at the end of the epic fight: “Ain’t going to be no rematch.”

Well, there was one. Rocky won it. And this year we celebrate the Academy Award winning movie’s 50th anniversary. Just saying.