Carmen Heredia, the wife of Mesa Councilman Francisco Heredia, resigned last week as director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state’s Medicaid insurance program for the poor. She was appointed to the Cabinet position in December 2022.
Gov. Katie Hobbs withdrew Heredia’s nomination and that of Jennie Cunico’s – the director of Arizona Health Services, who also resigned last week. The Democratic governor said it became clear to her that the Republican majority in the state Senate would refuse to confirm the two.
“Serving the people of Arizona – especially our most vulnerable – has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life,” Heredia said in a news release. “However, it has become increasingly difficult to carry out this mission in good faith under the current political climate. I am deeply concerned about the escalating politicization of state agency leadership roles under the Republican-led Legislature…