James Rogers, an attorney with America First Legal (AFL), is running for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District (LD) 10, which comprises much of Mesa. The Harvard Law-educated Rogers is running on an America First platform, facing two other Republicans in the primary for two seats.
AFL was started by Stephen Miller, a top aide to President Donald Trump currently serving as Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House who is known for forming much of President Trump’s immigration policies. While working with AFL, Rogers has engaged in election litigation in Maricopa County, including representing Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap in his lawsuit against the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) over their takeover of parts of his office. He ultimately won, after the Arizona Supreme Court unanimously ruled earlier this month that the MCBOS must return control back to Heap.
Rogers, whose family came to Arizona 150 years ago and settled in the LD10 area, told Arizona Insiders he was recruited to run because that region of the Valley has a history of some moderate Republicans getting elected to office and staying there for years. He pointed to former House Speaker Rusty Bowers, who angered conservatives by thwarting election integrity efforts. Bowers’ lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union is only an 87, and during his last year in office, it dropped to 76.
Rogers launched his legal career at Osborn Maledon, P.A. in Phoenix. He eventually stepped away from law — in what he thought at the time would be a permanent career change — and became a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. As a Foreign Service Officer, he served first in Namibia and then in Brazil, an assignment that proved a natural fit: Rogers is fluent in Portuguese and is himself part Brazilian. His assignment there was as a Consular Officer interviewing foreigners applying for U.S. visas. Shortly before his arrival in 2017, the Trump administration had directed the State Department to apply greater scrutiny to visa applicants as part of President Trump’s broader efforts to reduce illegal immigration and strengthen border security.
Read the rest of the article (not behind a paywall)