Jack Smith, former Yavapai County supervisor, to challenge Rep. Eli Crane in GOP primary

Jack Smith, a former Yavapai County supervisor, has filed paperwork to challenge Arizona’s freshman Rep. Eli Crane for Congress in the state’s 2nd Congressional District.

The news comes amid media reports that allies of the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., have been seeking a candidate to challenge Crane, R-Ariz., and other Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy from the party’s top House leadership post.

As the only freshman member of Congress who participated in the ouster, Crane is seen as one of the most vulnerable of that group.

Smith served on the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors until 2019 when he was tapped by then-President Donald Trump to serve as the Arizona state director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program. Since then, he has worked for Arizona's Department of Administration and Yavapai College.

Crane’s district leans Republican by 6 points, according to the Cook Political Report, meaning that whoever wins the GOP primary has good odds of winning in the November election.

Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez is running for the Democratic nomination.

The 2nd Congressional District stretches across much of northern and eastern Arizona. It includes Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo and Yavapai counties with portions of Graham, Maricopa, Mohave and Pinal counties.

This is a developing story. Check www.azcentral.com for updates.

Laura Gersony covers national politics for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at [email protected] or 480-372-0389.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jack Smith, former county supervisor, aims to challenge Rep. Eli Crane