A day after he conceded a close race for a seat in the Arizona Senate, John McLean was killed on Nov. 15 when his vehicle was hit by a driver who ran a stop sign on Tucson’s Eastside.
McLean, 68, was driving a Toyota RAV4 on Broadway near Houghton about 6 a.m. on Nov. 15 when a Ford Explorer failed to stop at an intersection. It struck McLean’s vehicle at a high rate of speed, according to a report from the Tucson Police Department. McLean died at the scene.
The driver of the Explorer, 27-year-old Michael Martin Creel, was not seriously injured. Creel was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and aggravated driving under the influence, and was booked into the Pima County Jail.
McLean, a Democrat, competed with Republican Vince Leach to represent District 17, which includes Oro Valley, Marana, southern Pinal County to SaddleBrooke and a wide swath across the Catalina Foothills.
As of Monday, Nov. 18, the secretary of state’s office showed Leach had received 77,714 votes, 51% of those cast in the Nov. 5 election. McLean had 74,669 votes, 49%. The margin was 3,045 votes. Vote-counting is complete in Pima and Pinal counties, according to the secretary of state’s office.
In a Facebook post Nov. 14, McLean said it “has been an honor and a privilege to run as the Democratic candidate for the LD17 Senate seat.
“While the outcome isn’t what we hoped for, I am proud of the work that so many people put into our campaign,” he said. “Volunteers, donors, staff and supporters of all stripes put in an incredible effort to reach voters in all corners of our district, and I am humbled and deeply grateful. I am also thankful for the many citizens who answered the door and engaged in thoughtful conversations on the pressing issues facing our state.”
He congratulated Kevin Volk, his Democratic colleague who has won a seat in the Arizona House representing District 17. Volk “will be an outstanding LD17 representative in the state house,” McLean said. “He has been the best campaign partner anyone could hope for.
“Despite my loss in the political arena, I will continue to work with my neighbors across LD17 to ensure a brighter future for all Arizonans,” McLean said that Thursday.
McLean was born in Phoenix. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona in 1975, and a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology in 1980. He worked as an aerospace engineer.
In Tucson, McLean opened an office of Arete Associates to develop cutting-edge technologies for national security. Starting with a staff of two, the business grew rapidly, soon generating over $30 million in annual revenue and employing more than 75 professionals. Today, Areté provides multi-domain, multi-discipline expertise and applications for the U.S. military, the Department of Energy and commercial energy exploration companies.
“I am gutted by the tragedy of the death of John McLean today,” Volk said Nov. 15. “I find it impossible to comprehend that my partner in the unique journey of running for office in Legislative District 17 is no longer with us.”
Volk said it was “an honor to meet, get to know, and run alongside John in this election. ... With his intelligence, work ethic, compassion and proven track record of accomplishment, he would have been an excellent state senator.
“Processing the loss of John’s life will take time for me, and for everyone who knew him,” Volk said. “This was a great man. A father, a husband, a business leader and a true public servant. My deepest sympathies are with his family. We shall not see his like again.”
Many more condolences have been shared with McLean’s family.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the McLean family for their tragic loss today,” Leach said. “John was a good man who conducted himself honorably as a candidate. My deepest condolences go out to John's family and friends in this most difficult time. As a third-generation Arizonan, the lives John positively touched during his life are incalculable, and we should all be so fortunate to do the same.”
In a statement, the Pima County Democratic Party said it was “heartbroken to hear of the tragic death of John McLean.”
“We got to know John on the campaign trail, but as a third-generation Arizonan, he has long served Tucson,” the statement said. “John was a leader in Pima County even before he stepped up to better our state, and run for Arizona State Senate.”
Outgoing GOP Sen. Justine Wadsack, who has held the seat representing the Tucson area since 2022, said McLean was “deeply rooted in Tucson’s community, was a graduate of the University of Arizona, retired Tucson business owner, and regular volunteer with the Humane Society.” His death is “a travesty in every way.”
Nanos leads by 495 votes
Incumbent Democratic Sheriff Chris Nanos has a 495-vote lead over Republican Heather Lappin in a hotly contested race for a 4-year term. Before the Nov. 5 results are canvassed, with a recount expected, Nanos had received 243,860 votes, 50.1%, and Lappin 243,365 votes, 49.9%. All county votes have been tabulated.
Ciscomani holds U.S. House seat
Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani has won re-election to a 2-year term in Arizona’s U.S. House District 6, representing much of northwest Tucson within a wide geographic section of southeastern Arizona.
Results showed Ciscomani with a 10,822-vote lead over Democrat Kirsten Engel. As of Nov. 18, the Secretary of State’s office showed Ciscomani with 215,596 votes, 50%, and Engel with 204,774 votes, 47.5%. Green Party candidate Athena Eastwood received 10,759 votes, 2.5% of those cast.
