2026 MCRC Member-at-Large Candidates

I am running for Member-at-Large because our county, state, and country need dedicated leadership and active support. I am an Army veteran and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in Aviation after 26 years of service. I have been an Arizona resident for 31 years, with the last 17 years spent in the East Valley.

I currently serve as a Precinct Committeeman in Legislative District 13 and have previously held roles as Technology/Media Committee Chair, Fourth Vice Chair, and First Vice Chair. I personally bootstrapped our email client, website, and all social media platforms. I also developed a QR code system to direct voters to key information using Precinct Committeeman business cards, signs, and stickers.

I am a member of the John Birch Society, whose guiding principle is “The Constitution is the Solution.” I coordinated Constitution classes for Precinct Committeemen and voters and plan to continue offering these educational opportunities.

Over the last six election cycles, I have installed hundreds of political signs through the Trump and Biggs Victory offices in Chandler, as well as directly for individual candidates. I have also removed at least ten times as many signs as I installed. In addition, I have canvassed thousands of doors throughout the district, distributing door hangers, Golden Tickets, and election materials. I regularly volunteer at the MCRC, primarily providing security and assisting with event setup, including the January meeting.

Thank you for your consideration.

#MAGA

Joanie Colson is a Christian Conservative who believes the US Constitution is, and always has been, the bedrock of our Republic and strongly believes the grassroots efforts of Patriots will make our country great again. It has been an honor to serve two terms as a member at large with an amazing Board of Officers and Chairs.

Her focus is to work to get strong conservative candidates to fill all elected positions including school boards, support election integrity efforts and support our PCs in everyway possible. She is also focused on improving communication among the MCRC and the LDs as we move forward.

Resident of AZ full time since 2019, LD3 PCO.
Former PCO in WA State for 26 years. Former Mayor City of Sammamish (Pop 65,000 currently)
Former WA State Legislator, 5th Legislative District House of Representatives. Chairman, Healthcare Committee, Financial Institutions Committee, Appropriations Committee.
1995 ALEC National Legislator of the Year, Healthcare.
Retired Colonel, 34 Years. WAARNG.
Retired Snr VP, USI Insurance Brokerage (NY Corp) National Leader Healthcare Professional Liability.
Founding Board Member Int’l Professional Liability Underwriting Society (6000 members)
BS, Oregon State University, Graduate US Army Command and General Staff College.
Hobbies; Private Pilot, Golf, Cooking, Amateur Metal Sculptor.

Mike Franklin, devoted husband, father, and stepfather to six children, twelve grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Arizona resident rooted in family and faith, Mike lives on the principles of integrity, fairness, and hard work.

Proven leader in Maricopa County, Mike, serves as LD4 Secretary, PC, and State Committeeman. A trusted presence at county and state meetings, working behind the scenes; credentialing, aggregating, and ensuring meetings run smoothly and transparently.

Mike’s commitment to Republican victory:
– Organized phone banks turning out thousands of conservative voters
– Managed ballot-curing rooms protecting every legal vote
– Led voter registration drives
– Coordinated placement of campaign signs for conservatives
– Trained more than 150 PC’s and volunteers on Voter Spectrum.
– A key data coordinator, merging campaign databases and executing large-scale text messaging operations with 15 LDs

On the front lines of election integrity, Mike worked polling locations and observed voting machine certification as an official observer.
Mike Franklin doesn’t just talk about conservative values-he lives them. He is running for Member-At-Large to bring his experience, work ethic, and leadership to a broader role, strengthening our party, supporting our candidates, and defending election integrity.

Mike Franklin: Proven Leadership. Real Results. Ready to Serve.

Chris Hamlet is a God-fearing America first grassroots conservative and native Arizonan. He served as an Airborne Medic in the U.S. Army. Single father of two, devoted ambassador for Christ, tirelessly fighting to protect our children and save this country.

Chris has served the PCs as an MCRC MAL since January 2024. He’s consistently played an active role in helping PCs across the county with bylaw issues, RONR, conflict resolution within their LDs, and committee work as assigned by the MCRC Chairman. Chris is a staunch activist, who has fought tirelessly against corruption and tyranny within our party, county, state, and public schools. In 2025, a student graduating from Mesa High was told she could not wear her military stole during graduation. Chris played a key role in bringing the issue to the public forefront, which ultimately pressured Mesa Public Schools into changing their policy. Always fighting for our PCs, children, and this blessed nation, Chris sees this MAL election as critical to holding the line in the county and he hopes you will allow him to continue serving as your MAL and doing the amazing work this board has done over the past 3 years.

The Member at Large role on the MCRC Executive Board involves representing the broader membership, advising on strategy, and bridging district-specific concerns with county-wide goals. Hiatt’s strengths include:
Political Experience

2024 Maricopa County Recorder Campaign: Hiatt ran as a Republican in the July 30, 2024, primary for Maricopa County Recorder, securing approximately 20% of the vote despite limited funding and name recognition. His platform emphasized “election fraud protection” over mere “integrity,” criticizing machine-based voting and advocating for hand-counting of paper ballots. With no major funding in his prior race yet strong voter resonance, Hiatt embodies authentic conservatism, appealing to precinct committeemen and volunteers wary of establishment influences

Broader Activism: Hiatt volunteered in the 2020 election audit efforts and has consistently pushed for manual ballot counting, aligning with national MAGA priorities.

Hiatt embodies authentic conservatism, appealing to precinct committeemen and volunteers wary of establishment influences.

Election Focus: His Recorder bid and ongoing advocacy make him ideal for guiding MCRC’s election integrity initiatives, especially as the party prepares for 2026 cycles.

If you want free & fair elections, we must return to hand counting paper ballots to ensure the ongoing freedom of our elections! Don Hiatt

I have proudly served Legislative District 22 since 2017 and the state of Arizona since 2013. I have been a Precinct Committeeman since 2016 and have also served as a State Committeeman and State Delegate. I currently serve as Secretary/Treasurer for LD 22. For the past two years, I have been a Member-at-Large for the Maricopa County Republican Committee, and I am running again to continue advocating for grassroots engagement and election integrity.

I retired after 25 years in civil service and 20 years in the Air Force Reserves, where I specialized in logistics as an Air Passenger Specialist and C-5 Loadmaster. My civil service career included service with the IRS, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Air Force.

I was married for 45½ years and adopted two daughters before being widowed. I have volunteered with the Vacaville, California Police Department’s Special Crime Unit, utilizing my Ham radio license, and supported my children’s schools through PTA involvement and library service.

I am a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and worked the U.S. Census in both 2010 and 2020. My election experience includes precinct-level operations, voter registration, and participation in the 2020 Arizona audit. I also helped found the Yucaipa, California Tea Party from 2009 to 2012.

Michael Lombardo is a dedicated Republican activist in Arizona with over six years of service as a Precinct Committeeman (PC) and Precinct Captain. For the past three years, he has chaired the LD2 membership committee (a board position), focusing on growing party engagement.

His political journey began in 2020 during the Maricopa County election audit, where concerns about election integrity—feeling his vote had been undermined—motivated him to volunteer extensively, working double shifts. This experience propelled him to deeper involvement.

Lombardo has supported Republican candidates through canvassing, collecting signatures, distributing palm cards and lawn signs, installing large campaign signs, and hosting park events to connect voters with candidates. He volunteers extensively for the Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC) and the Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP), assisting legislative districts with elections and other needs.

Since 2023, he has assisted in running local, county, state, and national delegate elections for the Republican Party. In recent years, he has traveled statewide to teach ballot hand counting procedures, promoting transparent election processes.

Passionate about grassroots efforts and election integrity, Lombardo remains committed to strengthening the Republican Party at the local level.

R.C. Maxwell is a husband, father and State Committeeman who first supported then candidate Donald Trump as a member of Trump Team Oregon in 2016 when he was coaching Argumentation & Mock Trial at the University of Oregon. Maxwell is now a ten year veteran of conservative politics.

His convictions led to him resigning from his position at the AZGOP in 2019 after correctly predicting that election fraud and failures at the state-level of the Republican Party would result in the state turning blue.

After viral interviews that exposed the hypocrisies of AOC, Hillary Clinton and even then Secretary of State Katie Hobbs where she embarrassingly dropped her drink to flee, Maxwell decided to get involved in Arizona politics again because he recognized that the local level matters most.

He became a PC, volunteered for pro-life causes, and helped conservative candidates in multiple election cycles while judiciously avoiding party infighting and drama.

As Member at Large, his goal is to recruit strong candidates, leverage his network and resources for county leaders and activists, and unify the party by focusing on the mission of driving anti-American donors out of the state by handing Democrats their butt in upcoming federal elections.

I come from a Patriotic Military family where my father, uncles, brothers and son have all served this great nation. Although a Southern California native, once settled in Scottsdale, early 2020, I soon became involved in numerous election integrity issues. My passion to restore the foundation of our Nation continues.

Background Experience
>40+ year career in the Finance Profession, Controller of N. America for a Fortune 500 Corp, Finance Mgr. for a $2.5B Food Corp, Co-owner in a start-up Biotech Company
>B.A. Economics, Chapman University (John Eastman, J.D. Alum)
>Treasurer for Orange County Republican Women’s Federated
>PC, State Committeeman, Poll Watcher, MCTEC Ballot Curing & Signature Verification Tech, We The People Signature review team

Other Experience
Pro-Life, Border Control & Election Rallies
Serve with the several ministries – Pillar Church, Scottsdale
HOA Board Committee member
PGA, LPGA & WM Volunteer,

Overall Goals
I will work with, represent and support the PC’s and Board to achieve goals set for the coming term
I strive to strengthen our ground game and community outreach at every opportunity.
We are all Conservative Patriots and are stronger when we come together and UNITE for the good of our great nation!

I have been a registered Republican since the age of 18 and actively engaged in Arizona politics since 2021. The concerns of my friends, family and community after the 2020 election motivated me to get involved and better understand elections and election processes. I love this country and the wisdom of the US Constitution.
-Senate Appointed Observer at the 2021 Maricopa County Election Audit
-Testified numerous times at the AZ Capitol on election integrity issues
-2021 LD14 PC
-2022 LD14 Trilogy Precinct Captain
-Current State Committeeman
-Board of Directors United Patriots
-Most recently participated as a guest at the 2025 Atlanta RNC Summer Meeting