Five Questions with John Giles, Mayor of Mesa, Arizona

A friend in Arizona mentioned to me earlier this week that John Giles, the Republican mayor of Mesa, Arizona, had just endorsed Kamala Harris.

That seemed surprising. Didn’t he understand what happened to Republicans who strayed from the fold? Hadn’t he seen what happened to Liz Cheney and to Adam Kinzinger? I needed to know more. What had motivated his action? Maybe he was one of the dreaded RINOs?

It turns out, the mayor is a self-described lifelong Republican. More importantly than that, he’s an American. The kind of person who doesn’t have to say he’s a patriot because it’s obvious that he is one. In the course of reading up about him and speaking with him this week, I realized that he is the kind of leader who restores your faith in our ability to move past the toxic politics of the last decade. That’s not because of his endorsement of Kamala Harris, it’s because of how he did it.

Here’s the take-no-prisoners approach Mayor Giles took when he endorsed the Vice President: "Our party used to stand for the belief that every Arizonan, no matter their background or circumstances, should have the freedom, opportunity, and security to live out their American Dream. But since Donald Trump refused to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, Republicans have yet to course correct. The Republican Party with Trump at its helm continues down the path of political extremism, away from focusing on our fundamental freedoms. ... In the spirit of the late Sen. John McCain’s motto, ‘Country First,’ I call on other Arizona Republicans to join me in choosing country over party this election and to vote against Donald Trump."

Mayor Giles giving the “State of the City” address

You may agree or disagree with the mayor’s views on policy—I look forward to a time when we can return to those debates between people who are political conservatives, political liberals, and those who fall somewhere in between. But what matters in this moment is country and democracy. His views represent something that has been missing in our discourse, and we are so fortunate to have him with us tonight! His advice on how to approach difficult conversations is excellent.

If you’re looking for a podcast, Mayor Giles’ “It’s always cool in Mesa” is absolutely delightful whether you live in the city or not.

“Five Questions” is a feature for paid subscribers, my way of thanking people who are able to support this work so that I can devote the necessary time and resources to it. I appreciate having all of you here. Free subscriptions, with access to all of my other posts, will always be available. Thank you for reading the newsletter and engaging in the hard but essential work of civil discourse.