John Legend Endorses Democrat In Maricopa County Attorney Race

PHOENIX — Singer John Legend has endorsed Democrat Julie Gunnigle in the race for Maricopa County Attorney, he announced Wednesday in a Facebook post.

Gunnigle is facing Republican incumbent Allister Adel on the ballot. Adel was appointed to the position in October after Bill Montgomery was appointed as an Arizona Supreme Court Justice. Regardless of who wins the race, Maricopa will have its first female county attorney.

"Her commitment to implementing diversion programs, stopping low-level marijuana prosecutions, and bringing about evidence-based drug reforms would lead people to treatment rather than prison," Legend wrote of Gunnigle on Facebook. She has pledged to increase transparency and create an independent unit to evaluate police use of force and accountability.

Legend recently performed at the 2020 Democratic National Convention and has been outspoken about his politics in the past. He also endorsed Democrat Judge Fanon Rucker for Hamilton County Attorney on Facebook Wednesday.

In 2014, Legend created an organization called FREEAMERICA, which works to highlight issues in the criminal justice system and aims to end mass incarceration. Sentencing reform is one of Gunnigle's main platforms in the race, according to her campaign website.

Data from the Prison Policy Initiative revealed that Arizona has an incarceration rate of 877 per 100,000 people. That's a higher rate of incarceration than the U.S., the U.K and Canada.

In a Facebook post of her own, Gunnigle thanked Legend for his endorsement.

"Glad to have your support in this critical election to bring real criminal justice reform to Maricopa County," she wrote.