Lisa Borowsky hoped to win the Scottsdale mayoral race; David Ortega admits

SCOTTSDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — Incumbent Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega has given the choice to challenger Lisa Borowsky, who the Associated Press says will win the race.

The election was a rematch from 2020, when Ortega defeated Borowsky by nearly 6,000 votes, but this year the tables turned when the race was called for Borowsky. As of Thursday morning, the count showed Borowsky having 56,050 (53.9%) votes to 47,953 (46.1%), an estimated 73% of the votes counted.

“It has been an honor to serve the residents of Scottsdale as mayor. It was a hard-fought election campaign, and although I failed to be re-elected, I thank every single voter, volunteer and friend for their support. I congratulate Mayor-elect Borowsky on her victory,” Ortega said in a statement. “She and I have disagreed on many issues throughout this campaign, but I recognize her commitment to the residents of Scottsdale and wish her success.”

According to Borowsky’s campaign website, the longtime Scottsdale resident spent more than two decades practicing law in commercial litigation and representing homeowners in construction matters. She also has extensive experience in community engagement, including the Scottsdale Charros Foundation, and has served on several committees during her time on the City Council.

She says the ideals of “fiscal conservatism” helped the city recover from the Great Recession.

While both ran a nonpartisan campaign, Ortega was endorsed by current and former conservative leaders, including Ortega’s predecessor Jim Lane, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and former Attorney General Mark Brnovich.

Her top campaign priorities included opposing density-oriented development and curbing what she called “wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars.” Their campaign website also outlines seven key issues and focuses on the hotel industry, prioritizing public safety and “vision-based planning.”

Ahead of the election, critics of independent and former city councilor Ortega said efforts to limit high-density development, such as tall apartment buildings in the old town, had led to a housing shortage in the city. He also came under scrutiny from some county leaders and residents of the neighboring Rio Verde Foothills community when their water service was cut off before an agreement could later be reached.

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