Guarantee: Michelle Ugenti-Rita Will Win One Of Two Remaining Scottsdale Council Seats Up For Grabs In November

With the surprising and some would say selfless decision by Bob Littlefield to withdraw from the Scottsdale City Council race, it leaves three candidates for two seats this fall: former state lawmaker Michelle Ugenti-Rita, incumbent Councilman Barry Graham and community advocate Raoul Zubia, who is making a more spirited run after an unsuccessful candidacy in 2024.

But there is really only one seat in play as Michelle Ugenti-Rita has all but locked up the other one. Ask Kalshi. Ask DraftKings. Or consider how well women do in Northeast Valley races. Or that Ugenti-Rita may be conservative, but she also understands what makes Scottsdale different and special too. Like the arts. Like special events. Like not overdeveloping. Perhaps that is an approach that was born of growing up in the city. She is tough, having endured and succeeded against the nastiest of attacks from Axon because she had the audacity to oppose its largest apartment complex in state history. She is endorsed by a police organization. She is experienced and not afraid to take positions, especially against more apartments, which the Scottsdale body politic hates. And people understand that stuff happens in personal lives. Imagine if she were able to turn the microscope on Axon executives and the company’s consultants? That wouldn’t be pretty. Say what you want about Ugenti-Rita’s stridency and personal soft spots, but she by all accounts is a present and conscientious mother who loves her community. Voters obviously see through Axon’s attempts at character assassination. She will finish thousands of votes ahead of either Graham or Zubia.

Her all but certain win sets up an epic clash between Republican and slow-growth Graham and Democrat and more development-friendly Zubia. The latter will have the benefit of being the only Democrat in the race and a resume that is Scottsdale Hall of Fame worthy. Yet, he is going to have to explain away stances during his run in 2024 that do not place him on the right side of the development divide in the city, let alone his flip-flopping on Axon’s apartment ambitions to seemingly ingratiate himself to their largesse. That being said, Zubia is undoubtedly one of the most improved candidates at any level of this Arizona political cycle. Graham, on the other hand, will have to convince enough people that the “circus” won’t be in town forever and somehow mitigate the vitriol directed his way by so many and perhaps too many.

Littlefield’s Machiavellian maneuver, in addition to her own campaign to date, will make Ugenti-Rita the newest councilmember. Who joins her and returning Councilwoman Solange Whitehead on the dais remains to be seen, but it promises to be one of the best political clashes Scottsdale has seen in many years.