Former State Lawmaker Steve Farley Is Running for Mayor

Former state lawmaker Steve Farley, fresh from last year’s unsuccessful gubernatorial run, tells The Range he’ll formally announce his entry into Tucson’s mayoral race tonight.

“I want to serve the city I love,” Farley said.

Farley will make his opening argument tonight at the Democratic Party’s Nucleus Club, which meets at 5:30 at Viscount Suites, 4855 E. Broadway.

Farley will be live-streaming his speech on his Facebook page if you can’t make it to the meeting.

It’s been a busy week for potential candidates who want to replace Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, who is stepping down after two terms. Yesterday, Ward 1 Councilmember Regina Romero announced she was jumping into the race.

A graphic designer whose photographic tiles grace the walls of the Broadway underpass at the eastern entrance of downtown, Farley made his first political run in 2005, when he lost a Democratic primary for the Ward 6 Tucson City Council race to former TV newscaster Nina Trasoff.

The following year, he won election to the Arizona House of Representatives. In 2012, he won a seat in the Arizona Senate, where over three terms, he rose to Senate assistant minority leader.

He also played a key role in bringing the modern streetcar to downtown Tucson through his work in developing the Regional Transportation Authority’s transportation plan.

This article appears in Jan 10-16, 2019.