In a major political upset, Arizona voters ousted incumbent Mesa councilwoman Julie Spilsbury, handing a decisive victory to Dorean Taylor, a conservative backed by Turning Point USA.
Early results show Taylor leading with 52.78% of the vote to Spilsbury’s 47.22%, which is a margin of 867 votes (8,219 to 7,352) out of 15,897 ballots cast.
If the results hold, Taylor will serve out the remainder of Spilsbury’s term through 2028, marking the first time in Mesa’s history that a sitting council member has been recalled since the early 1990s.
“I didn’t lose to Dorean Taylor. I lost to Turning Point,” a visibly disappointed Spilsbury told 12News during her election night watch party. “I think a lot of people in Mesa are going to be mad that an outside group came in and told us how to deal with our city.”
Though city council races in Mesa are officially nonpartisan, both Spilsbury and Taylor are registered Republicans. The election, however, was widely viewed as a proxy battle between establishment conservatives and grassroots activists aligned with the America First movement.
Spilsbury, first elected in 2020 and re-elected easily in 2024, had once been considered a popular figure in the city’s political scene. That changed when she publicly broke ranks with conservatives during the 2024 presidential campaign — endorsing Kamala Harris over Donald Trump. The move infuriated local Republicans and earned her the ire of Turning Point USA.
Turning Point, the Phoenix-based conservative organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, made Spilsbury’s removal one of its top missions before Kirk was killed in September. Local activists, energized by Turning Point’s national network and funding, began gathering signatures in January to force the recall.
The recall petition, filed January 30, accused Spilsbury of “using her office to advance private interests,” citing three controversial city council votes in 2023 and 2024. Spilsbury defended her record in a written response printed on the ballot.
“Two of those votes were approved unanimously (7–0), including support from Mayor Mark Freeman,” she wrote. “The third vote funded emergency shelter for homeless domestic violence survivors, children, and veterans. I will always support Mesa’s most vulnerable.”
Conservative activists successfully framed the race as a referendum on political loyalty. Taylor’s campaign, buoyed by Turning Point’s endorsement, emphasized “America First” themes, vowing to oppose corporate favoritism and restore what she called “integrity and accountability.”
Taylor said the victory was proof that voters are ready to “take back control” from entrenched political figures who have lost touch with their constituents.
“This was about standing up for the people of Mesa,” she said. “They wanted someone who listens, someone who doesn’t bow to D.C. or Phoenix elites.”
The election marks a significant win for Turning Point USA’s local organizing arm, which has focused on influencing school boards and municipal governments in swing regions across the country. Though the group’s influence waned after Kirk’s death, Tuesday’s results suggest its network remains a formidable force in Arizona politics. Political analysts said the recall underscores how national ideological divisions continue to seep into local elections once dominated by zoning issues and municipal budgets.
“This wasn’t just about city policy,” said Arizona political strategist Caitlin Riley. “It was a cultural statement — that Mesa conservatives want to align themselves with Trump’s movement and reject officials seen as disloyal.”
The city council race also reflects the growing fragmentation of Arizona’s Republican base. While Spilsbury’s supporters characterized the recall as a power grab by outside interests, Taylor’s backers saw it as a necessary course correction.
“Mesa needed a change,” said one voter outside a polling station. “You can’t call yourself a Republican and endorse Kamala Harris.”
Taylor’s victory speech Tuesday night struck a triumphant but restrained tone. She thanked her supporters and Turning Point USA for their “unwavering commitment” to local conservative causes, promising to “serve Mesa families with honesty and courage.”
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