Unsure how to vote in the Pinal County attorney primary race? Hear from the Republican candidates

Two Republican candidates are vying for the role of Pinal County attorney, the head of the Pinal County Attorney's Office.

The County Attorney's Office reviews and decides on felony charges in the county and misdemeanors in unincorporated areas. The office also provides legal services for the Board of Supervisors and county departments and agencies.

Incumbent Kent Volkmer, who stepped into the role in 2017, and challenger Brad Miller are running for the position. Miller is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, owns a small business and previously worked as a prosecutor in the Maricopa County Attorney's Office Sex Crimes Bureau.

The Arizona Republic asked Volkmer and Miller about their views on abortion, the death penalty and dealing with the fentanyl epidemic.

Here's how the candidates responded. Volkmer's responses were received and added after this questionnaire was first published.

Why do you want this job?

Brad Miller: Over the past 15 years, I have had the privilege to serve the people of Arizona in various legal capacities, including as a Lieutenant Colonel (sel.) in the U.S. Marine Corps and as a prosecutor in the sex crimes bureau with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, where I protected children.

Over the past eight years, crime in Pinal County has increased. Drug cases now make up almost 40% of all cases, and meth and fentanyl make up 80% of those. This poison being trafficked in your community is the direct result of a lack of border enforcement and soft-on-crime policies. Violent crime in Pinal County has increased more than 50% from the lowest to highest measurements in the last eight years. I will focus the Pinal County Attorney’s Office on better training for police investigators and better strategy for attorneys in gaining convictions.

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Woke policies in schools and government are steering our country toward socialism. Across the nation parents are losing their voice in raising their children. Whether it be through anti-American indoctrination or the new shift to sexual training and child mutilation. These woke policies include radical critical race theory, pro-abortion policies, and transgender activism. ESG (environmental, social, governance) is how they are doing it. These woke policies have begun to show themselves in Pinal County through federal grants with strings attached. By accepting these grants, the people of Pinal County are applying the social policies dictated from the World Economic Forum and Washington, D.C. Citizens of Pinal County need an attorney who will give parents a voice and elected officials information for better decision-making.

For these reasons, I am running for Pinal County Attorney.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.” My administration will always fight for your freedom and will not limit your ability to question your government and stand with you against unconstitutional state or federal laws, regulations or mandates.

Kent Volkmer: It has been my honor and a true privilege to serve as the Pinal County attorney for the past 7-plus years. I am seeking a third term to continue the great work of this office. By working with our law enforcement, criminal justice and community partners, we have reduced felony crime in Pinal County by over 27% while simultaneously seeing a 25% growth in population. However, we still have work to do. Specifically, over the next four years, I want to focus on addressing the rise in teen violence, creating a viable pathway to redemption and rehabilitation for those suffering from addiction, and educating the public to reduce victimization and increase awareness.

What philosophy would guide your decision-making in criminal prosecutions?

Miller: I believe in doing justice. I will seek the truth in all prosecutions and vigorously protect the rights of victims.

Volkmer: Simply put, do what is right, do justice. It is the responsibility of the felony prosecutor’s office to work directly with law enforcement and victims to determine whether the person charged with a crime is a danger to our community or someone that made a bad choice. Those that are dangerous must be held accountable and sent to prison for prolonged periods of time for the safety of our community. Those that made poor choices should be held accountable, but also given the opportunity to address their underlying issues and become productive members of our community.

What is the biggest challenge facing the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, and how would you address it?

Miller: The biggest challenge is the lack of leadership in the office. The current county attorney believes he is the Queen of England where he commands from on high. I don't agree with this philosophy. My military training taught me that in order to be a leader, I must lead from the front, meaning that I must be willing to get involved in all aspects of the office. I will be in the courtroom, act as a mentor, push decision-making to the attorneys handling cases, and trust those working for me.

Volkmer: The single greatest challenge facing Pinal County and the Pinal County Attorney’s Office is our community’s substance use and abuse. Eighty-five percent of all crime in our community can be related back to addiction. We must work collectively with healthcare providers, schools, the criminal justice system, and families to address addiction and its wake. Merely expecting jail and prison to “cure” addiction has proven a costly failure to taxpayers. Instead, we must use an integrated approach to combat this crisis.

Would you prosecute someone for their involvement in an abortion? If so, under what circumstances and why? If not, why not?

Miller: No.

Volkmer: It is inappropriate for a prosecutor’s office to prejudge or make categorical decisions to prosecute or not prosecute certain types of cases. Instead, it is our obligation to follow the law. Our oath of office requires that we review cases when they are submitted and make individual decisions about whether we should pursue charges in any given case. This same principle applies to mundane cases like simple shoplifting, to high profile cases like premeditated murder, just as it does to controversial and difficult cases like abortion.

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Do you support using the death penalty? Why or why not?

Miller: Yes, in the right cases.

Volkmer: The state seeking the death penalty should be limited to the most brutal and vicious, worst of the worst, cases. When those cases come forward, I have chosen to pursue the death penalty and will continue to do so.

How should the Pinal County Attorney’s Office work to address the fentanyl epidemic?

Miller: Addressing the fentanyl epidemic requires a multifaceted approach, but it starts with data. I want to use data to get to the root of the problem in Pinal County. This will help the County Attorney's Office find and prosecute those who are distributors and traffickers; we can use intelligence to find overdose hotspots and, finally, use the data to find the best treatment programs for those looking to stop the cycle of addiction.

Volkmer: If there were an easy solution to addressing the fentanyl epidemic, we would have already implemented it. Instead, addressing this issue will involve complex and multifaceted approaches requiring the collaboration of the whole community. As prosecutors, we can address the supply side by holding dealers accountable. We can also help on the addiction side by establishing reasonable, proportional consequences for those violating our laws. However, this is not an issue that can be solved by the criminal justice system alone. We must only be a piece of the puzzle.

Reach the reporter at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pinal County attorney primary election 2024: How the candidates stand