Fimbres Steps Back: No 5th Term Bid for Tucson City Council

Tucson City Councilman Richard Fimbres has announced he will not seek reelection for his Ward 5 seat. This decision leaves an open seat in addition to another vacancy in Ward 6, potentially returning a single incumbent to office this election cycle.

Fimbres, who first took office in 2009, has a background steeped in community service. An Army veteran with a Vietnam-era record, he dedicates over three decades to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. He also served on the Pima Community College Board before winning his City Council seat. His tenure includes a leadership role at the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety under Governor Napolitano, and he was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in 2021. Health challenges have kept him from attending Council meetings in person since the COVID-19 pandemic shifted sessions to remote formats.

Richard Hernandez is currently the only candidate vying for the Ward 5 position. Hernandez previously ran for the Pima County Board of Supervisors in 2020 and had briefly entered the race for the PCC Governing Board in 2024 before withdrawing.

In Ward 6, Councilmember Karin Uhlich, appointed in May 2024 after Steve Kozachik resigned, is also stepping away from the race. Several Democrat candidates have already expressed interest. Miranda Schubert, who garnered 28 percent of the vote against Kozachik in the 2021 primary, is set to launch her campaign with a kickoff party on January 25, 2024. She has secured endorsements from prominent figures in the community.

Others in the running for Ward 6 include Charlie Verdin, a business owner with previous political aspirations; Leighton Rockafellow Jr., a personal injury attorney focused on advocacy for constituents; and TUSD Board member Val Romero, who has previously run as an independent candidate. Attorney Vince Rabago is contemplating entering the race, while Pima Community College Board member Theresa Riel has not confirmed her intentions.

In Ward 3, Councilman Kevin Dahl is seeking a second term without opposition so far. However, no Republican candidates have emerged yet. Pima County Republican Party Chairwoman Kathleen Winn anticipates that candidates will materialize for all three races in the council elections. Historically, Democrats hold a significant voter-registration advantage in Tucson, with nearly double the number of registered Democrats compared to Republicans.

The City of Tucson conducts elections in odd-numbered years. The current mayor and councilmembers were elected to four-year terms in 2023, paving the way for the upcoming, competitive races.