Results of the Scottsdale City Council primary election were still unofficial when a rumor started that one of the four runoff finalists would drop out.
Bob Littlefield, the former three-term councilman who qualified by finishing fourth, staunchly denied it would be him.
“Why would I do that?” he said. “I have the best chance of anyone to win.
“So, no, I’m not dropping out.”
A week later, he apparently changed his mind.
According to an email from the Scottsdale City Clerk’s office, “On Aug. 4, Bob Littlefield formally withdrew his candidacy and will not appear on the general election ballot.”
From a field of eight candidates gunning for three seats, City Councilwoman Solange Whitehead was the only one to land enough votes for an outright win. She scored 17.5%, comfortably above the 16.7% minimum.
A clump of four hopefuls in the 13-15% range were to be on the November runoff for the remaining two seats.
Now, according to the city clerk’s office: “Under Article 9, Section 6, of the city’s Charter, the three remaining candidates – Barry Graham, Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Raoul Zubia – will appear on the general election ballot.”
In a mass email, Littlefield called bailing out on the race “a difficult and personally painful decision.”
Asked by the Progress about his change of heart, Littlefield said “the chance to run TAAAZE.”
He was the chair of the political action committee Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions, which formed in 2024 to battle Axon’s City Council-approved plan for 1,900 (later reduced to 1,200) apartments and condos surrounding a new North Scottsdale office.
In June, Littlefield resigned as TAAAZE chair.
On Aug. 4, he “officially withdrew from the campaign and (was) officially reinstated” as chairman of TAAAZE.
Before dropping out, Littlefield spent six months fundraising and campaigning with fellow conservatives Ugenti-Rita and Graham.
Bob Littlefield bowing out ends “The Littlefield Reign” of 24 years.
After he served three consecutive four-year terms and “termed out,” Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield–Bob’s wife – did the same. Her third term ends Dec. 31.
Post-council, Bob Littlefield faltered, losing badly in runs for mayor and state representative.
City Council canvassed the primary election results at its Aug. 3 meeting.
The Scottsdale City Council primary election results:
1. Whitehead, 17.5% (28,338 votes);
2. Ugenti-Rita, 14.96% (24,221 votes);
3. Graham, 14.55% (23,565 votes);
4. Littlefield, 13.64% (22,091 votes);
5. Zubia, 13.52% (21,897 votes);
6. Ethan Knowlden, 13,16% (21,308 votes);
7. Crystal Carroll, 7.29% (11,801 votes);
8. Eric Sloan, 5.38% (8,705 votes).