UPDATED SEPT. 2, 2021
KINGMAN – District 5 state representative Dr. Regina Cobb has suspended her campaign for Arizona state Treasurer to take a private sector position that will enable ongoing involvement in politics and the dental industry. Cobb announced Wednesday that she will start work next week as the Executive Director of the Arizona Dental Association (AzDA).
Cobb, a Kingman republican, became a dentist in 1993 and has maintained her license despite not practicing in recent years. She previously served as a governing board member for both the state and national dental associations and spent some time as Interim Executive Director while President of the AzDA in 2008.
Cobb was elected to the state House in 2014 and started her first term in early 2015. Term limit law forces her exit next year, so she had been focused on the Treasurer’s race.
Cobb, however, said negotiation led to job offer and acceptance after she was contacted by the AzDA earlier this month. Her new path will allow her to push important measures during her final year in the legislature, remain involved in the policy-making process and provide opportunity to advocate for the dental industry.
Cobb thinks the new position is a perfect vehicle for her skills set.
“It was like I was trained from birth to do this,” she chuckled. “I think my whole career has been designed to be able to do this position because it has all the aspects of politics and I can do dentistry too.”
Cobb said she will work for the Association through the end of the year before taking an unpaid leave of absence for the duration of the next legislative session that begins in January.
Dave Hawkins
