Republican J. Tyler Vogt, older brother of LD 30 House Rep. Ted Vogt, filed on Friday Feb. 25 to challenge 4 term Democratic Councilmember Shirley Scott in her re-election bid.

Tyler Vogt

A week ago Republican Mike Jenkins (who had run against Scott back in November, 2003), dropped out of this Ward 4 2011 race due to “personal issues”. His withdrawal press release can be read here. Jenkins had announced his challenge of Scott on January 24, 2011.

Tyler Vogt is a political newcomer and works in the Defense Industry in Tucson. He has lived here for over 10 years, and has two B.S. degrees, one in Marine engineering from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) and the other from Valparaiso University (Indiana) in electrical engineering.

As for military service, Vogt states “I received a commission in the US Navy Reserve – Merchant Marine Reserve after graduating from the USMMA in 1992. I served in the United States Merchant Marine until 2000 and I served as a Individual Ready Reserve Engineering Duty Officer until 2007. I attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander before separating from the USNR, receiving an honorable discharge.”

His campaign website “Vogt4Tucson” is under construction, email contact is vogt4tucson@aol.com.

His younger brother Ted, who graduated from the UA Law School last May, was appointed to the LD 30 House seat in March 2010, after Rep. Frank Antenori was appointed to the LD 30 State Senate seat. Rep. Ted Vogt won election to that House seat this past November, 2010.

City Council Wards 1, 2, and 4, as well as the Mayor of Tucson are up for re-election this year. Ward 1 Councilmember Regino Romero (D) is facing a challenge from Joe Flores (D) in the August 30 primary, and Ward 2 Councilmember Paul Cunningham (D) is running unopposed at the present.

Email from Mike Jenkins on February 19:

Dear Friends and Supporters,

It is with regret that I must inform you that due to personal issues I will withdraw from the ward 4 city council race.

I thank all of you for everything that you have done. Thank you for the time that you gave to the campaign. Thank you for your hard earned dollars contributed.

Believe me when I say that this decision did not come lightly. I do not like to start something and then quit. I consider this a time to fall back and regroup.

I needed to make this decision early enough to allow someone else to take up the mantle and decide to help Tucson. Should someone decide to be a leader and take up the cause, I stand ready to help in any way that I can.

Thank you for everything,

Mike Jenkins

For the January 24, 2011 announcement of Jenkins’ challenge to 4 term Ward 4 Councilmember Shirley Scott, click here. Scott is seeking re-election to her 5th term on the Tucson City Council.