PHOENIX — Over the weekend, Arizona's two main political parties decided where their futures lie.
Republicans are hoping to rebound from statewide election losses in 2020 and 2022 while Democrats are hoping to build on their fragile margin of victories.
For Republicans, it meant moving away from the controversial Kelli Ward as party chair, naming former State Treasurer and Trump Administration official Jeff DeWit to replace her.
DeWit was one of six candidates and won handily with nearly 72% of the vote.
"I ran on a platform of just getting back to the basics," DeWit told KTAR's Morning News Program. "Raise money, register voters, and get out the vote and win elections."
In 2022, enough Republican voters chose a Democrat, or not at all, that election deniers Kari Lake and Mark Finchem lost in their key races.
In his interview, DeWit suggested support for candidates like Lake and Finchem won't necessarily change.
On Sunday, DeWit attended a rally for Kari Lake.
"I'm going to be helping Republicans. It doesn't mean I believe in everything they do but overall, I believe every Republican should get elected over the other party," DeWit told KTAR.
Democrats are hoping to build off of their recent victories in statewide elections.
Democrats chose a union organizer, Yolanda Bejarano, to lead their party.
Bejarano worked as a field organizer for the Communications Workers of America.
"My strategy for the party is to organize from the bottom up. Not from the top down. And to field candidates in every race," Bejarano said.
While most Arizonans may just want a break from elections, preparing for the next one is already underway.
