Democratic candidate for Phoenix City Council Ed Hermes took a strong stance against legal abortion in a 2008 political questionnaire, expressing a mirror image of the position he now publicly holds.
Hermes pushed back on only one of the questions from Arizona Right to Life PAC. He left the handwritten remark on the questionnaire to clarify why he would not commit to "vote against the use of tissues and organs from aborted embryos and fetuses in transplants or medical experiments."
"The unborn child should never be aborted, but after his or her soul has rejoined with God, I would not vote to stop the use of his or her tissue/organs to save a life of another child," Hermes wrote at the bottom of a page. "Similarly, if I was ever murdered (God forbid)
I would not oppose my organs to be used to support life."
Hermes has been a leader in an eight-person race for the city's District 4, which covers downtown, midtown and part of Maryvale. Although the city is technically a non-partisan institution, Hermes has advertised his Democratic Party affiliation on campaign signs. He's fashioned his campaign as solidly progressive and has been endorsed by Democratic state Attorney General Kris Mayes and Planned Parenthood.
He appears to have never made public statements opposing legal abortion ― except for his answers and statements in the six-page questionnaire, a copy of which was obtained by The Arizona Republic.
The Republic previously reported that Hermes registered as a Republican in 2002, though he said he was a lifelong Democrat. It was his first registration at age 18. He switched to independent the same year, then registered as a Democrat a year later, voting records show. He's been a Democrat ever since.
In a response to The Republic about the questionnaire, Hermes said he doesn't recall ever registering as a Republican. He assumes either he or the county recorder made a "mistake," he said. The Republic sent a copy of the registration form sent to him that shows he wrote "Republican" in the party field.
The questionnaire no longer reflects his views, he said via text message. "Growing up Catholic, abortion was a difficult issue for me and I fell victim to misinformation surrounding abortion and reproductive freedom."
He's "studied the issue" since then and "met with leaders" on the issue, he said.
Hermes declined to say when his views transformed.
He's still connected to his Catholic roots, though. In 2025, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Seton Catholic Preparatory High School in Chandler, which he graduated from.
What Hermes said on questionnaire when he ran for county supervisor
In 2008, Hermes was 24 years old and running as a Democrat against Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock, a Republican seeking a third four-year term in office in a conservative, East Valley district.
Had Hermes succeeded, he would have been the youngest person elected to the county Board of Supervisors. He ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility, hoping to scrutinize spending by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. News media archives don't show abortion was an issue in either candidate's campaign.
The fresh Arizona State University graduate and former student appointee to the Board of Regents lost the race.
Hermes then took a job for two years as dean of students at St. Michael Indian School in the Navajo Nation. He went on to graduate from ASU's law school. He now works for Snell & Wilmer and is serving a second term on the Osborn Elementary School District Governing Board as he runs for City Council.
The 27-question form by the Arizona Right to Life PAC asked whether a candidate supported the reversal of Roe v. Wade or believed there was ever a time when abortion would be tolerated.
Hermes' answers indicated he wanted to get rid of Roe v. Wade and would only support abortion to save the life of the mother. Questions tested candidates' positions on partial-birth abortion, "personhood" status for fetuses, embryonic stem-cell research, cloning and other related issues. Hermes' responses maintained a consistent, anti-abortion stance.
The questionnaire also asked whether a candidate supported the concept of legal euthanasia. Hermes checked boxes showing he did not support physician-assisted suicide, "terminal sedation," or "the rationing of health care which intentionally denies treatment on the basis of disability or 'quality of life.'"
Hermes filled in personal and campaign information on the first page of the questionnaire, marking his party affiliation as Democrat. He also listed the name and phone number of his campaign manager at the time, Devin Mauney, who declined to speak with The Republic.
Arizona Right to Life PAC is currently chaired by former Republican state lawmaker Jill Norgaard. She didn't return a call seeking comment.
Hermes also didn't respond to a question about his beliefs on the issue of euthanasia.
Hermes has reversed his stance on abortion
Arizona has the protections of the Arizona Abortion Access Act, a voter-approved law passed in 2024 that made abortion a fundamental right under the state constitution. Yet questions still remain about how the new law affects other abortion-related laws still on the books.
Abortion has occasionally been addressed as a City Council issue. In 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the council voted 6-2 to make abortion-related crimes the lowest priority of the police department.
Hermes connected abortion to the overall health of the city after his endorsement by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, posting on Instagram he was "beyond excited" for the support.
"Reproductive justice means more than protecting the legal right to abortion," he wrote. "I also understand that reproductive freedom is deeply connected to whether people can afford housing, access reliable transportation, live in neighborhoods protected from extreme heat and pollution, and raise their children in communities with strong schools and public services."
Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237. Follow him on X @raystern
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix council candidate Hermes did a u-turn on abortion | Exclusive
