Republican Sen. Steve Kaiser to resign from Legislature after clashes with far right

State Sen. Steve Kaiser, a Republican whose bipartisanship efforts drew the wrath of the far-right wing, announced he'll resign from the Legislature on June 16 in part to try and get more Republicans who back center-right policies elected.

The announcement came after his effort to pass a comprehensive, bipartisan bill to boost affordable housing failed, and also followed a tough legislative session for Republicans in which Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs set a new record for vetoes.

"Watching good conservative policies be vetoed has made me become more focused on a desire to grow our majority," Kaiser said in a resignation letter sent to precinct committeemen in his north Phoenix-based Legislative District 2.

The district, which runs from about Thunderbird Road to the Phoenix Sonoran Desert Preserve between Interstate 17 and State Route 51, is one of five competitive legislative districts in the state, out of 30 total, meaning that Republican or Democratic candidates have roughly equal chance of winning there. Besides having Kaiser as a senator, its House of Representatives members are split politically between Republican Rep. Justin Wilmeth and Democratic Rep. Judy Schwiebert.

Kaiser plans to lead a new, politically oriented nonprofit he founded, which he calls the Arizona Prosperity Project, which will "focus on growing the Republican majority in the Legislature and electing conservative school board members across the state. The non-profit will also focus on developing good conservative policies around issues that impact every Arizonan," the letter stated.

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Kaiser told Channel 3 (KTVK-TV) reporter Dennis Welch, who first reported the resignation, that the nonprofit would offer "center-right policy solutions."

Kaiser added in his letter that he would like to "control my exit in a fashion that would benefit my party and its Precinct Committeeman, by resigning now in order to appoint another Republican from my district to finish the term and run for their own as an incumbent."

Kaiser served one term in the state House of Representatives before voters elected him to the Senate, where he served as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. He wouldn't have faced a term limit in the Senate until 2030.

Kaiser told The Arizona Republic his decision wasn't related to the housing bills' failure, but so he could "put my family first again."

"It's easy for that place to become all-consuming," he said. He added that he made his announcement this week following what House Speaker Ben Toma said would be the last two days of voting on bills in a session marked by long breaks.

Legislative leaders planned for members to return for a couple of days at the end of July, possibly to address Hobbs' nominations agency directors.

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Under Arizona law, his replacement must be a Republican. GOP precinct committee members in Kaiser's district have five business days to nominate three qualified candidates as a replacement after the state party chair informs them of the vacancy. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will then pick one of the three.

"He was absolutely in it for the right reasons," Wilmeth said, describing Kaiser as one of his best friends. "It's exhausting because if you really care about it, it just makes it difficult when things don't work out when you're being conciliatory or want to make the right decision for the state."

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Kaiser's affordable housing bills would have changed zoning regulations to allow the construction of small homes in the backyards of existing homes, as well as the construction of inexpensive apartments for seniors, similar to small dorms, with shared kitchens and baths. A version failed in the Senate, and following a compromise deal with the powerful League of Arizona Cities and Towns, failed to gain enough Republican support to go up for a vote in the House, he said.

The bills and other Kaiser proposals brought condemnation from Freedom Caucus members, including Rep. Jacqueline Parker, R-Mesa, who said on social media last month that Kaiser has "major problems understanding housing & tax policy," adding that his contributions to homeless-housing solutions were a Democrat "victory."

Despite criticism by far-right Republicans, which included a failed measure to censure him and Wilmeth in their districts this year, Kaiser has supported numerous conservative measures including an expanded school program and elimination of state personal income tax.

Before taking office in 2021, Kaiser also was one of 30 former and elected Arizona lawmakers to sign a letter to former Vice President Mike Pence asking him to overturn the results of the state's election and give the electors to then-President Donald Trump or to nullify the electoral votes and delay their counting pending an audit.

"Sen. Kaiser was a phenomenal senator," Senate President Warren Petersen said. "He did everything with a 110% effort. His work ethic was second to no one. He will be deeply missed."

Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237. Follow him on Twitter @raystern.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Republican state Sen. Steve Kaiser to resign from Arizona Legislature