PHOENIX — Phoenix resident Merissa Hamilton is concerned about the cost of electricity. She had some sharp words for the Arizona Corporation Commission on Tuesday.
“The current corporation commission isn't delivering. Instead, they're just a rubber stamp for the monopolies” she said, referring to utility companies having a captive market.
“They have no pulse as to what real people are experiencing.”
Hamilton showed up on the Arizona Senate lawn as temperatures hovered near the triple digits Tuesday morning to show support for a Republican-led push to unseat the two GOP incumbents.
The five-member commission decides utility rates for many large companies, including Arizona Public Service and Tucson Electric Power, essentially deciding how much people pay for electricity. The current commission is made up of all Republicans, with two seats open in the 2026 election.
Arizona Rep. David Marshall, a retired police officer, and Arizona Rep. Ralph Heap, a retired orthopedic surgeon, announced their intentions to run for those two open seats.
At Tuesday’s news conference, they accused current Commission Chairman Kevin Thompson and Vice Chairman Nick Myers of excessive price hikes and standing in the way of President Donald Trump’s energy agenda. Trump has called for reviving the coal industry while Arizona is reducing its reliance on coal.
Marshall said Arizona residents deserve dependable, reliable and affordable energy. “We have some families now who have to make a decision. Do I buy less groceries so I can pay my power bills? Or just deal with it or go without power.”
Marshall said if he is elected, he will bring “a voice of reason,” along with responsibility and innovation.
“The Corporation Commission may not always make the headlines,” he said. “But the decisions made there affect every one of us every single day.”
Heap said he sees a potential problem with the state’s energy production as more people move to Arizona and artificial intelligence requires significant power.
“I’m not sure our state is prepared for that,” he said.
Both candidates say they support natural gas and coal production as well as nuclear power.
Arizona Sen. Jake Hoffman, also a Republican, threw his support behind both candidates.
“As we've seen in recent weeks and recent months, this office is a life-or-death office,” he said.
Hoffman was referring to recent reports of the 2024 death of 82-year-old Kate Korman, whose power was shut off by Arizona Public Service for non-payment. She was found dead in her home six days later.
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APS has said it followed all regulatory rules for disconnection and made multiple attempts to reach Korman about the status of her account. APS has said it is committed to working with regulators and other stakeholders to continuously improve processes and programs to support customers
The commission is currently reviewing a complaint filed by Korman’s sons.
As for the two incumbents, Commission Chairman Kevin Thompson and Vice Chairman Nick Myers, they released a joint statement Tuesday defending their record.
“While others talk about standing with President Trump's energy policies, we've actually delivered. That means advancing energy policies that promote economic growth, protecting ratepayers, creating jobs, and putting America and Arizona first.”
The statement goes onto say: “We’ve taken steps to ensure our utilities are planning responsibly and not chasing costly, agenda-driven energy mandates.”
Read the full statement below:
Tuesday’s announcement brings the total to four Republicans and three Democrats who have filed paperwork, saying they intend to run for the two opens seats on the commission.
Democratic challengers include Jonathan Hill, Derrick Espadas and Vincent Salazar.
Candidates still need to collect petitions signatures to get on the ballot.
The primary election is August 4, 2026.
Email ABC15 Investigator Anne Ryman at anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook.
