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Release: City Council Runoff Becomes Three-Person Race

By Team Zubia


SCOTTSDALE - Concerned about siphoning votes away from extremist candidates Barry Graham and Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Bob Littlefield announced his exit from the Scottsdale City Council runoff. Raoul Zubia, the only moderate candidate in the race, issued the following statement following Littlefield's announcement:


"I'm sure this was not an easy decision for Bob to make. Bob made his campaign all about overdevelopment, and I share his concerns, but our approaches are fundamentally different. We need to be strategic about our growth rather than outright banning development or using our water resources as a deterrent. I look forward to speaking with voters in this runoff about my commonsense approach and ending the circus that has plagued our city council. Voting for Graham and Ugenti-Rita promises more of the same chaos, and that's not what Scottsdale needs."


Campaign Manager Mary Fortney expressed optimism following Littlefield's exit. "This is now a three-person race for two seats. Raoul has spent 20 years building consensus and finding common ground with Scottsdale residents. Voters—even those who previously supported Littlefield—will see that he is the steady, balanced leader that council deserves."


Since advancing to the runoff, Zubia's momentum has continued. He was recently endorsed by the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, adding to his impressive roster of support from law enforcement, fire, business leaders, bipartisan officials, and community leaders.



ABOUT RAOUL ZUBIA:


Raoul Zubia is a lifelong resident of South Scottsdale, a proud graduate of Coronado High School, and a candidate for Scottsdale City Council. Scottsdale is one of the best places to live in America, and Raoul is running to keep it that way by protecting neighborhoods, managing growth responsibly, and restoring professionalism to City Council. He believes the city needs leadership that listens, plans, and acts, while honoring the generations of community spirit that built Scottsdale.


Raoul has served as Chair of the Human Services Commission, Vice Chair of the Protect and Preserve Scottsdale Task Force, and President of Partners for Paiute. He also serves on the EVIT Foundation, the Charro Foundation, the SUSD Foundation, and the Parada del Sol Committee, where he lends his voice each year as an announcer. He was honored with Scottsdale Leadership’s Hodges Award in 2021 and inducted into the Scottsdale History Hall of Fame in 2024.


Through his service, Raoul has remained focused on keeping Scottsdale safe, livable, and economically strong, while preserving the character and values that make the city special. Together, he believes the community can protect what it loves and build a future Scottsdale will be proud of.

Endorsed By:


  • Scottsdale City Councilwoman Maryann McAllen

  • Former Scottsdale Mayor Sam Campana

  • Former Scottsdale City Councilwoman Betty Janik

  • Former Scottsdale City Councilwoman Linda Milhaven

  • Former Scottsdale City Councilwoman Betty Drake

  • Former Scottsdale City Councilwoman Virginia Korte

  • Scottsdale Governing Board Member Mike Sharkey

  • Scottsdale Governing Board Member Donna Lewis

  • Scottsdale Governing Board Member Matthew Pittinsky

  • Scottsdale Leadership Co-Founder Gary Shapiro

  • Former Mayor of Fountain Hills, Ginny Dickey

  • Scottsdale Community Leader, Shea Najafi

  • Former Senior Advisor to Senator McCain, Wes Gullett

  • Former Deputy Director, AZ Office of Tourism, Kelly Paisley

  • Former CEO of the Arizona Small Business Association, Jack Lunsford

  • Former State Representative for Arizona, Deb Gullett (R-LD11)

  • Former Senior Official to Governor Napolitano, Mario E. Diaz

  • Former U.S. Attorney for Arizona Dennis Burke

  • Former Assistant U.S. Attorney for Arizona Mark Kokanovich

  • Former Assistant U.S. Attorney for Arizona Patrick Cunningham

  • Scottsdale Business Leader Conor O'Callaghan

  • Scottsdale Firefighters Association

  • The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police

  • Scottsdale REALTORS®

  • Scottdale Women Rising

  • Penjamo Yaqui Pueblo Board of Directors

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