“This race was uncontested and his was the only name on the ballot. I’d be surprised if he DIDN’T get more votes than anyone in a contested race.“
This.
I live in Tucson and work in the mining industry. It’s no surprise at the number of votes he got. This race was totally on the up and up.
His position is underpaid for his responsibility. We have numerous active mines and a huge amount of abandoned mines and he’s responsible for mine safety state wide.
Plus you have have to have mining experience and education for the mining industry. This isn’t a position you just decide to run for, unlike political jobs.