By Daniel Stefanski |

With his chamber remaining in Republican hands, Arizona’s Senate President is gearing up for a return to his position for the upcoming legislative session.

Senator Warren Petersen is running for reelection for president of his legislative body after deftly guiding his caucus through the past two sessions in a rarely seen divided Arizona government.

In an exclusive interview with AZ Free News, Petersen said, “I’m running for Senate President again because I want to build off the momentum from our successes over the past two years with serving as the necessary check against abuses of power and radical policies pushed by the Executive that Arizonans do not support. I also want to maintain unity within the Republican caucus while advancing commonsense solutions to the important issues impacting our state, like inflation, the border crisis, the housing shortage, water security, and providing our kids with educational excellence in their schools.”

Petersen’s service has largely endeared himself to fellow Republican colleagues, who are poised to vote in support of his reelection bid. Senator Wendy Rogers, one of the Legislature’s top allies of President-elect Donald J. Trump, told AZ Free News that she is fully on board with Petersen’s efforts to reclaim his post. She said, “Senate President Warren Petersen has my fullest support. He is deeply principled, loyal, and a true conservative. He stood by me when the chips were down, and that meant more to me as a career military officer than what people realize. You know who your friends are when they stick up for you in the crucible of the fight.”

Rogers added, “As a Republican caucus, we have come through a lot… together. Bonded. We are more conservative and cohesive and have had each other’s back under President Petersen’s leadership. The legislature is the closest to the people, yet the most difficult to corral. He has done yeoman work as our president and will continue to do so in this next cycle. It’s my honor to be in his corner with him.”

Another Republican, Senator T.J. Shope, weighed in on his support for Petersen, saying, “It’s an easy choice to support a guy who treats everyone fairly and runs the chamber efficiently.”

The Republican Senate leader has quickly put his stamp of influence on the state over the past two years in Arizona’s divided government, forcing Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs to relent on her key priorities in two straight budgets, stopping left-wing agenda items from becoming reality, and protecting key state and national laws in the absence of Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes. Under Petersen’s direction, the Arizona Legislature has joined over fifty legal matters across the nation, including lawsuits, amicus briefs, comments, and letters. He is also defending at least five state laws that Mayes declined to intervene in.

Petersen’s prolific defense of state and federal laws has launched him into a conversation for state Attorney General as politicos start to look at the fast-approaching 2026 cycle. Many of the several briefs and lawsuits Petersen has signed onto are spearheaded by Republican attorneys general, giving him first-hand experience in the world of a state’s top prosecutor for select issues. If he would run for the office, it is unknown who – if anyone – might contend with him for the primary election nomination.

The election for Senate leadership positions is expected to occur this upcoming Tuesday.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.