QUEEN CREEK, Arizona – State Senate President Warren Petersen held a packed campaign party Saturday, launching his bid to challenge Attorney General Kris Mayes in 2026. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), who is running for governor against Katie Hobbs, attended and spoke to hundreds of attendees, as did several sheriffs and Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller.
Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes said it was “time to take back Arizona’s executive offices” from the Democrats. He said the current elected officials were “not there when you need them.” In contrast, he said Petersen has been there for sheriffs, sponsoring bills like the Arizona ICE Act to crack down on illegal immigration. Hobbs vetoed that bill. In contrast, he said Biggs has pledged to sign it on day one of becoming governor.
Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple said officials are needed who “back the blue.” He said he “has yet to hear from Mayes,” unlike Petersen, who he’s heard from many times. He said Mayes is more interested in suing Trump than stopping illegal immigration.
Previous Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb said he was jealous since “I never had a fundraiser with this many people,” adding, “probably why I lost,” referring to his loss in the primary race for Senate against Kari Lake last year. He also joked about how running for governor and attorney general isn’t that great considering the governor’s salary is only $95,000 and attorney general even less, $90,000. However, he said for Petersen, that would be three to four times his salary as a legislator making $24,000 annually. He pointed out that it was noble that some are willing to “pay” to get jobs like that.
Miller, who defeated a more moderate county attorney last year, said Petersen sponsored one of the first bills in the country to keep men out of competing in women’s sports. He also sponsored one of the first bills to ban transgender surgeries on children. Miller said Petersen “spearheaded” election integrity efforts, “was on the forefront.”
He said Petersen “will stop lawfare here in Arizona.” He said Mayes is a “radical attorney general” who “continues to file lawsuits” to allow illegal immigrant gang members to remain in Arizona.
Biggs said, “Did Donald Trump win this state by more than any other battleground state because he was moderate? … The answer is no. Donald Trump tells it as it is, straight up, conservative, we’re going to fight and guess what happened? He won. He won. We win because our message is the right message. It’s a message of pro-freedom, pro-family, pro-faith.”
He went on, “President Trump has instituted a new era of federalism. He’s giving more authority back to the states where the law is rightfully and that means we have to have time to our state, someone who’s unafraid to prosecute people who violate the law.”
In his speech, Petersen went over his record. As Senate president, Petersen was engaged in numerous court battles. “I have a better record in court than the attorney general,” he said, noting that Mayes sued the legislature over using some opioid funds from her office and lost, resulting in her paying the legislature $40,000 in attorneys fees.
Under his leadership, the Arizona Legislature is “the most conservative legislature ever,” noting that even leftist opinion columnist Laurie Roberts of The Arizona Republic admitted that. Petersen’s lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union is 97.
Petersen said voters can look at his 13-year voting record. He passed hundreds of bills and cast thousands of votes.
He ended his speech by relaying a Bible story from 2 Kings. The prophet Elisha was surrounded by multiple armies. His servant was afraid, not believing they would make it out alive. However, Elisha asked God to open his servant’s eyes. When God did, the servant saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around them. “There are more of them with us,” Petersen dramatically concluded.
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Rachel Alexander is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Rachel on Twitter / X. Email tips to [email protected].
Headline Photo “State Senate President Warren Petersen” by State Senate President Warren Petersen.
