Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) added endorsements from two law enforcement associations last week as he continued building police support in his campaign against Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes.
The Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs (AZCOPS) and the Maricopa County Colleges Police Officers Association (MCCPOA) endorsed Petersen, according to a release from his campaign. Petersen won the Republican nomination in July and will face Mayes in the general election.
With the AZCOPS endorsement, Petersen’s campaign said he now has support from Arizona’s six largest law enforcement organizations. His broader coalition includes county sheriffs, county attorneys, and retired law enforcement officials.
In a post to X prior to the announcement, Petersen wrote, “For the first time in AZ history, a challenger to the sitting AG has the overwhelming support from law enforcement. As your next attorney general, I will fight crime, defend the laws and the Constitution, and root out fraud, waste, and corruption.”
For the first time in AZ history, a challenger to the sitting AG has the overwhelming support from law enforcement. As your next attorney general I will fight crime, defend the laws and the Constitution and root out fraud, waste and corruption. pic.twitter.com/wDXRHpFDom
AZCOPS represents more than 4,500 members across Arizona. The organization says it represents public safety employees in legal, employment, and political matters and advocates for compensation, benefits, and due-process protections.
“Following extensive research and consideration by AZCOPS Legislative Committee and Executive Board, AZCOPS is proud to endorse you for election for Arizona’s Attorney General,” AZCOPS Executive Director David Stone said in the campaign release.
“AZCOPS examines several factors when determining whether to issue endorsements, including a candidate’s record of accomplishments, commitment to public safety, and willingness to work collaboratively with the leadership of our member organizations,” Stone added. “[Warren Petersen’s] unwavering support for law enforcement and public safety is appreciated by our members and the communities they serve.”
Stone is a retired Tucson Police Department officer who later worked as a private investigator and criminal investigator for Pima County.
“I’m grateful for these latest endorsements from AZCOPS and MCCPOA,” Petersen said. “It’s clear that the men and women in law enforcement have made their decision for the state’s next top cop.”
Petersen criticized Mayes’ record and pledged to support law enforcement agencies if elected.
“Since taking office, Kris Mayes has attacked cops and undermined their authority in communities across the state,” Petersen said. “As Attorney General, I’ll support law enforcement as they carry out their duties to protect citizens and restore confidence in the relationship with the men and women who keep our community safe.”
Petersen’s campaign said the latest endorsements make him the first challenger to an incumbent Arizona attorney general to receive support from the state’s six largest police organizations.
Before Friday’s announcement, Petersen had received endorsements from the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, Arizona Police Association, Arizona State Troopers Association, Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Arizona, and Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association.
Petersen has also received endorsements from five Republican attorneys general. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers became the latest, joining Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey, and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and retired Border Patrol agent Art Del Cueto have also endorsed Petersen.
Petersen has made law enforcement and public safety central parts of his campaign. His campaign platform calls for enforcing Arizona law, holding criminals accountable, protecting the rights of crime victims, and supporting law enforcement officers.
His campaign said in a press release on Friday, “The support from these officials and organizations reflects confidence that Petersen will restore integrity to the Attorney General’s Office, enforce the law fairly and fearlessly, and stand shoulder to shoulder with those who protect Arizona communities every day.”
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers endorsed Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen for attorney general Tuesday. The endorsement adds another Republican state attorney general to the growing coalition supporting Petersen’s challenge to Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes.
Petersen secured the Republican nomination after defeating attorney Rodney Glassman in Arizona’s primary. He will face Mayes in the Nov. 3 general election.
“Arizona needs an Attorney General who is committed to the rule of law and standing with law enforcement,” Hilgers said in a statement released by Petersen’s campaign. “Unfortunately, Arizona’s liberal Attorney General has sold out to radical special interests.”
Hilgers cited Petersen’s record as Senate president, including his work on legislation affecting families, women’s sports, public safety, and the cost of living.
“I’m supporting Warren Petersen because he is a proven, experienced leader who has fought to protect families and women’s sports as Arizona’s Senate President, lower the cost of living, and keep our neighborhoods safe,” Hilgers said. “He’s the right person with the best temperament for the job. Please join me in supporting Warren Petersen for Arizona Attorney General.”
Hilgers became Nebraska’s 33rd attorney general in 2022 after spending six years in the Nebraska Legislature, including two years as speaker. He previously practiced law for more than 15 years and founded a litigation firm.
Petersen thanked Hilgers for the endorsement and said he expected to work alongside him if elected.
“I’m grateful for the trust and support of Attorney General Hilgers,” Petersen said. “He knows that Arizona cannot afford another four years of the radical leadership and politics imported to the Attorney General’s Office by Kris Mayes.”
Petersen accused Mayes of using the office to target law enforcement and political opponents.
“Under her direction, Arizona has succumbed to the California and New York-style tactics of attacking law enforcement and persecuting political opponents,” Petersen said. “Arizonans deserve better; the hard-working men and women of this state want an Attorney General who fights for their interests, not special interests. I look forward to joining General Hilgers come January.”
Petersen has served in the Arizona Legislature since 2012 and represents Legislative District 14, which covers Gilbert and portions of Queen Creek. His legislative roles have included House majority leader, chairman of the Senate Commerce and Judiciary committees and president of the Senate.
Hilgers joins Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey, and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita among the Republican attorneys general supporting Petersen.
Petersen has also received endorsements from the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, Arizona Police Association, Arizona State Troopers Association, Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Arizona, and Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association.
The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police represents more than 9,000 law enforcement professionals across the state, while the Arizona Police Association describes itself as a statewide coalition representing law enforcement, corrections, detention, and probation officers.
Other law enforcement endorsements announced by the campaign include Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes, Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple, Gila County Attorney Brad Beauchamp, Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith, former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and retired Border Patrol agent Art Del Cueto.
The campaign said Petersen is the first challenger to a sitting Arizona attorney general to receive endorsements from the state’s five largest police organizations. That claim could not be independently confirmed through publicly available historical endorsement records.
Petersen has made law enforcement support and criticism of Mayes central themes of his campaign. His campaign website lists enforcing existing laws, supporting law enforcement, and restoring trust in the Attorney General’s Office among his stated priorities.
Arizona Republicans selected their nominees for several of the state’s highest-profile offices on Tuesday, with several races called later in the evening. Additional ballot counting continued Wednesday in closely divided legislative, congressional, and county races.
The Associated Press called Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ05) the winner of the four-way Republican primary for governor, setting up a November contest against Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs. The AP also called the Republican secretary of state primary for state Rep. Alexander Kolodin.
The attorney general primary race was subsequently called for State Senate President Warren Petersen shortly before midnight in Arizona. Petersen led attorney Rodney Glassman by 56.4 percent to 43.6 percent as of publication.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Warren Petersen wins Republican nomination for attorney general in Arizona. #APRaceCall at 2:58 a.m. EDT. https://t.co/TS3eIpQI5W
Republican Elijah Norton defeated Katherine Haley for the state treasurer nomination, leading 56.1 percent to 43.9 percent at the time of publication. Norton will now face Democrat nominee Nick Mansour.
Decision Desk HQ called State Treasurer Kimberly Yee the winner of the Republican primary for superintendent of public instruction. Yee led incumbent Superintendent Tom Horne 53.2 percent to 46.8 percent with approximately 89 percent of the expected vote counted in the highly competitive race. Former state lawmaker, Democrat Teresa Leyba Ruiz, had nearly 80 percent of the vote against Brett Newby and will advance to the general election.
Decision Desk HQ projects Kimberly Yee wins the AZ Superintendent of Public Instruction Republican Primary#DecisionMade: 8:18 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/hCr78WcgTt
Commissioner Kevin Thompson secured one Republican nomination for the Arizona Corporation Commission, while former lawmaker Ralph Heap appeared set to secure the second after Commissioner Nick Myers conceded the race in a statement posted to X. Thompson led with 291,934 votes, or 35.89 percent. Heap followed with 267,085 votes, or 32.84 percent, while Myers had 254,321 votes, or 31.27 percent, leaving Heap ahead by 12,764 votes at the time of publication.
Congressional Primaries
Former state Rep. Amish Shah has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District against former television journalist Marlene Galán-Woods, 39.8 percent to 34.1 percent, according to the AP. Jonathan Treble held 17.62 percent, and Rick McCartney had 8.51 percent. Shah will face Thomas “Jay” Feely in one of Arizona’s most competitive congressional districts.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Amish Shah wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Arizona's 1st Congressional District. #APRaceCall at 10:07 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/TS3eIpQI5W
Rep. Greg Stanton held a commanding lead over progressive challenger Kai Newkirk in the Democratic primary for the Fourth Congressional District, 63.5 percent to 36.5 percent.
Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb won the Republican primary for Biggs’ open Fifth Congressional District seat, defeating Daniel Keenan 58.3 percent to 41.7 percent. The Associated Press also called the Democrat primary for Elizabeth Lee, who received 65.5 percent. Chris James received 21.2 percent, and Brian Hualde received 13.28 percent.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Elizabeth Lee wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Arizona's 5th Congressional District. #APRaceCall at 11:18 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/TS3eIpQI5W
Bernadette Greene-Placentia defeated Raymond Keeler approximately 65 percent to 35 percent in the Democratic primary for the Eighth Congressional District. She will challenge Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh in November.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Bernadette Greene-Placentia wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Arizona's 8th Congressional District. #APRaceCall at 11:20 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/TS3eIpQI5W
Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers of the Arizona Legislature, giving several down-ballot primaries consequences extending well beyond the individual districts.
In Legislative District 2, Republican Sen. Shawnna Bolick led Timothy Ferrara 71.4 percent to 28.6 percent. Democrat Amelia Gallitano led Daniel Toporek 77.3 percent to 22.7 percent in the same district.
Republican Sen. John Kavanagh led Robert Wallace 85.2 percent to 14.8 percent in Legislative District 3.
In the Democratic primary for Legislative District 6, former Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai led Rep. Myron Tsosie 54.8 percent to 45.2 percent.
Sen. Lauren Kuby, a former Tempe city councilwoman, led Deborah Nardozzi 76 percent to 24 percent in the Legislative District 8 Democratic primary.
Christopher King led Anthony Dunham 63.2 percent to 36.8 percent in the Republican primary for Legislative District 17.
Rep. Alma Hernandez led Rocque Perez 53.8 percent to 46.2 percent in the Democratic primary for Legislative District 20.
The closest contested Senate primary was in Legislative District 27, where Republican Sen. Kevin Payne led former Sen. Anthony Kern with 8,368 votes to 8,096, a margin of only 272 votes.
State House Primaries
Arizona House districts elect two representatives, meaning the two leading candidates in each party primary generally advance to November.
In Legislative District 1, Republican Reps. Selina Bliss and Quang Nguyen held the two qualifying positions. Bliss led with 42.45 percent, Nguyen followed with 42.04 percent, and Shawn Wildman trailed with 15.51 percent.
George Khalaf led the four-candidate Republican contest in Legislative District 3 with 33.69 percent. Cody Reim held the second nomination position with 27.12 percent, only 612 votes ahead of Jay Schlum, who received 26.21 percent. Thomas Walsh held 12.8 percent.
Republican Rep. Matt Gress led Legislative District 4 with 45.28 percent, while Pamela Carter held the second position with 33.67 percent. Sandra Christensen trailed with 21.05 percent.
In Legislative District 6, Democratic Rep. Mae Peshlakai led with 42.5 percent. Ian Teller held the second qualifying position with 29.76 percent, followed by Angela Maloney with 27.73 percent.
Rep. Walt Blackman led the Legislative District 7 Republican primary with 34.73 percent. Rep. David Cook held second with 27.25 percent, followed by Andrew Costanzo with 21.34 percent and Barby Ingle with 16.67 percent.
Brian Garcia and Janeen Connolly held the two Democratic nomination positions in Legislative District 8 with 42 percent and 32 percent, respectively. Claudia Kline trailed with 26 percent.
Rep. Justin Olson, a former corporation commissioner, led the Republican primary in Legislative District 10 with 43.82 percent. James Rogers held second with 34.41 percent, followed by Ciara Anderson with 21.77 percent.
Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke led the Legislative District 13 Republican primary with 43.31 percent. Janet Weninger held the second nomination position with 34.62 percent, while Debra Schinke trailed with 22.07 percent.
In Legislative District 14, Tyler Farnsworth led with 41.63 percent, and Rep. Laurin Hendrix followed with 38.29 percent. Jed Lyons received 20.08 percent.
Sen. David Gowan, a former Senate president, led the Legislative District 19 Republican House primary with 43.98 percent. Rep. Lupe Diaz held the second position with 32.09 percent, followed by Cheryl Caswell with 23.93 percent.
On the Democrat side, Rep. Sally Ann Gonzales led the Legislative District 20 House primary with 33.37 percent. Rep. Betty Villegas, a former Pima County supervisor, held second with 31.81 percent, followed by Genoveva Diaz with 19.41 percent and Ben Koehler with 15.42 percent.
Rep. Consuelo Hernandez led the four-way Democrat primary in Legislative District 21 with 30.21 percent. Miranda Lopez held the second nomination position with 24.92 percent, ahead of Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton at 24.24 percent. Maritza Higuera held 20.63 percent.
Rep. Elda Luna-Nájera led the five-candidate Democratic primary in Legislative District 22 with 29.36 percent. Betsy Munoz held second with 27.60 percent, followed by Veronica Bejarano-Malone with 24.78 percent, Steve Chapman with 9.86 percent, and Gwen Johnston with 8.4 percent.
Rep. Mariana Sandoval led the Legislative District 23 Democratic primary with 38.35 percent. Emilia Cortez held the second nomination position with 25.49 percent, followed by Juan Manuel Guerrero at 18.3 percent and Naomi Miguel at 18.19 percent.
In Legislative District 24, Alberto Flores and Lisbeth Arescurenaga held the two qualifying positions with 39.87 percent and 37.02 percent. Democratic Rep. Lydia Hernandez trailed with 14.34 percent, followed by Rosa Cantu with 8.77 percent.
Republican Reps. Beverly Pingerelli and David Livingston led the Legislative District 28 contest with 41.72 percent and 38.98 percent, respectively. Heather Rooks received 19.30 percent.
Mike Gannuscio led the five-candidate Republican primary in Legislative District 30 with 33.97 percent. David Rose held the second nomination position with 29.16 percent, followed by Grace Hecht with 19.89 percent, Catherine Lopez-Rajaniemi with 10.68 percent, and Caroline Strecker with 6.29 percent.
County Races
Most countywide offices on Tuesday’s ballot had only one candidate seeking each party’s nomination. Contested county and local races included the Apache County clerk of the Superior Court primary, the Santa Cruz County school superintendent primary, the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors District 2 primary, and the Yuma County clerk of the Superior Court primary.
In Apache County, Samceita Begay led Wendy Shepherd in the Democratic primary for clerk of the Superior Court. Begay received 5,653 votes to Shepherd’s 4,195 at the time of publication.
In Santa Cruz County, incumbent County School Superintendent Maya Donnelly led Sonia Sanchez by 2,545 votes to 2,222 in the Democratic primary. Miguel López also led Adriana Olaiz by 2,754 votes to 2,066 in the Democratic primary for justice of the peace at the time of publication.
Camp Verde Mayor Marie Moore led Wiley Cline in the Republican primary for the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors District 2 seat. Moore received 3,633 votes, approximately 57 percent, while Cline received 2,746 votes or approximately 43 percent.
In Yuma County, Chief Deputy Clerk Bobbie Jo Daily led Malba Alvarez by 6,801 votes to 2,530, or 72.9 percent to 27.1 percent, in the Republican primary for clerk of the Superior Court. The Arizona Secretary of State’s county-results portal continued to list Yuma County’s results as pending Wednesday afternoon, although the county had opened its separate online results system.
Additional Ballots Remain
The results remained unofficial on Wednesday as county election officials continued processing ballots. The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office estimated that voters deposited 93,368 early ballots at polling locations on Election Day. That figure represents Election Day ballot drop-offs and does not represent the number of ballots remaining to be counted. The Secretary of State’s Office reports outstanding ballots separately through its ballot-progress reports.
The early results demonstrated President Donald Trump’s continued influence in Arizona’s Republican statewide and congressional primaries. The legislative contests followed a more localized pattern, with incumbency, district organizations, and candidate-specific disputes producing several close races beneath a decisive statewide result.
Margins of only a few hundred votes in several legislative primaries could shape the composition of Arizona’s Republican and Democrat legislative caucuses as the parties prepare for the larger fight over control of the House and Senate in November. The statewide canvass is scheduled for Aug. 6.
Vote totals and percentages are current as of 8 p.m. MST on July 22.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) has widened his lead over attorney Rodney Glassman in the Republican primary for attorney general according to a new statewide poll released by NextGen Polling.
The survey found Petersen leading Glassman 43.4 percent to 28.2 percent, with 28.5 percent of likely Republican primary voters undecided. The poll was conducted July 8-9 among 1,707 likely voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
Petersen’s advantage increased from approximately six points in a June survey conducted by the same firm. That poll placed Petersen at 25.8 percent and Glassman at 19.5 percent, while 54.6 percent of respondents remained undecided.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
JUNE 18TH: Petersen: 26% (+6%) Glassman: 20%
JULY 9TH: Petersen: 43% (+15%) Glassman: 28%
The most genuinely competitive race of the five down-ballot contests, but @votewarren's structural depth means he has a floor that Glassman cannot easily breach. Glassman… pic.twitter.com/QrZb1us5VB
Between the two surveys, Petersen’s support increased by nearly 18 percentage points, while Glassman gained approximately nine points. The undecided share fell by more than 26 points.
“This race proves again that Arizona voters continue to reject political charlatans who attempt to buy their seats in public office,” Petersen said in a statement released by his campaign. “I am truly grateful for the trust voters have placed in my candidacy for Attorney General. These polls demonstrate that Republicans understand we need a candidate who can defeat liberal Kris Mayes in November.”
Petersen’s campaign pointed to Glassman’s spending advantage while announcing the polling results. Campaign finance data compiled by Transparency USA through March 31 showed Glassman reporting nearly $284,000 in expenditures, compared with approximately $107,000 by Petersen, a ratio of about 2.7-to-1.
The same records showed Glassman reporting more than $2.3 million in contributions and Petersen reporting approximately $1.2 million. Those figures cover activity through the end of March and do not include spending during the final months of the primary campaign.
The July 21 primary will determine which Republican advances to face Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes in the Nov. 3 general election. Mayes is seeking a second term and faces no opposition in the Democratic primary.
Petersen and Glassman have centered much of their campaign on their respective qualifications to oversee the Attorney General’s Office and their ability to defeat Mayes in November.
Petersen represents Legislative District 14 and has served as president of the Arizona Senate since 2023. He earned his law degree from Arizona State University in 2019 and was admitted to the State Bar of Arizona in December 2023.
Glassman is a private attorney, former Tucson City Council member, and lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and has since sought several offices as a Republican, including attorney general in 2022 and the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2018.
Both candidates have said they would place greater emphasis on working with law enforcement, prosecuting crime, addressing border security, and cooperating with the Trump administration. A May primary debate between the candidates focused heavily on their legal experience and political records.
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Arizona Pac announced its endorsement of Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen in the race for Arizona Attorney General. The group cited Petersen’s record of supporting small businesses and advocating for policies aimed at economic growth.
“Warren Petersen is a consistent champion of Arizona’s small businesses,” stated NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich. “He brings a rare combination of real-world business experience and proven legislative leadership as Senate President. That combination of Main Street experience and executive-level policymaking is exactly what Arizona needs in an Attorney General.”
Heinrich noted that small businesses play a significant role in Arizona’s economy, creating the majority of new jobs in the state and employing more than four out of every ten workers. He said Petersen’s policy positions align closely with the priorities of Arizona’s small business community.
The endorsement comes as the Republican primary for Attorney General continues to take shape ahead of early voting, which begins June 24.
Primary Election Day is scheduled for July 21.
🚨 NFIB ENDORSES!
“Warren Petersen is a consistent champion of Arizona’s small businesses,” NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich said. “He brings a rare combination of real-world business experience and proven legislative leadership as Senate President. That combination of Main… https://t.co/wh3ii6UE8Q
According to the survey of 816 likely Arizona GOP primary voters, Petersen holds a lead over fellow Republican candidate Rodney Glassman.
The poll found Petersen receiving 35% support compared to Glassman’s 19%, while 46% of respondents remained undecided.
The poll’s support breakdown categorized voters as definite, probable, or leaning supporters. Petersen’s 35% total included 20% definite supporters, 10% probable supporters, and 5% leaning supporters.
Glassman’s 19% consisted of 5% definite supporters, 8% probable supporters, and 6% leaning supporters.
Petersen’s campaign has also accumulated more than 50 endorsements from elected officials, organizations, and political leaders. Supporters include law enforcement organizations and officials at the city, county, and state levels, attorney generals from around the country, Arizona legislators, members of Congress, county supervisors, and multiple PACs.
Earlier this week, the NFIB Arizona PAC also announced endorsements of 48 legislative candidates whom the organization identified as supportive of small-business priorities.
NFIB officials noted that small business owners and their employees traditionally participate in elections at high rates and often encourage family members, friends, and colleagues to vote, The organization’s endorsements are based on candidates’ positions and voting records on issues affecting small businesses.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
