Eric Meyer

Legislative preview, House districts 11-15
LD11This is the most likely pickup for the Republicans this year. Democrat Mark DeSimone resigned his seat this summer after his wife accused him of physically abusing her. The district has historically been a Republican district and Republicans will be making a hard push to assure both seats are returned to the caucus.

Democratic candidates Dr. Eric Meyer of Phoenix and Bill Jeffers of Holbrook have become the first write-in candidates in the 9-year history of Clean Elections to qualify for public funds.  Meyer submitted 379 qualifying contributions of $5 and Jeffers submitted 360 of the contributions. If both men receive enough write-in votes on the Sept. 2 primary, they will qualify for the general election ballot when they will receive their funding. Meyer will need 301 write-in votes and Jeffers will need 385 votes.

Meyer, a Scottsdale School Board member and emergency medical doctor, is running for a House seat in Legislative District 11 in Phoenix. Jeffers, a life-long resident of Holbrook, is a third generation Arizonan, as well as a rancher and small businessman.

David Funkhouser, a Phoenix attorney and Democratic activist, was unanimously approved by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Wednesday to fill the Legislative District 11 state House seat vacated by Mark DeSimone.

DeSimone resigned at the end of July after being charged with assaulting his wife in a domestic dispute in June. Eric Meyer, who is running for DeSimone's seat as a write-in primary candidate, and Ann Wallack, who is challenging state Sen. Barbara Leff (R-Paradise Valley) for her seat, were also nominated by LD11 precinct committeemen. However, all five supervisors' votes went for Funkhouser.