AZ Senate Majority Leader Eyes Franks Seat

Republican Arizona state Senator Kimberly Yee expressed interest in replacing outgoing Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ) after he announced his resignation on Thursday amid a House Ethics Committee Investigation over discussions he had with two female staffers about surrogacy. The 43-year-old Yee is currently the Majority Leader in the state Senate and was the first Asian American woman elected to the Arizona Legislature. In a message to CQ, Yee responded, “Yes, I am interested.” She just announced last month that she would be running statewide for Arizona Treasurer next year. She will have to make a choice soon. “I have received a lot of encouragement to run for Congress and I am considering it,” she wrote. If elected, Yee would be the first Republican woman of Chinese descent elected to the House of Representatives. The late Republican Senator Hiram Fong of Hawaii was the first person of Asian American descent to be elected to the U.S. Senate. More here.