Arizona AG race heats up as Mayes and Petersen rally supporters ahead of midterms

At a Democratic gathering in Goodyear, Attorney General Kris Mayes invoked her narrow 280-vote win four years ago and urged voters to turn out for the midterms, citing her office’s actions against landlords, technology companies, utilities and the Trump administration, as well as a lawsuit targeting a data-center boom. In Tempe, Republican Senate President Warren Petersen framed the AG role as a defender of public safety and personal freedom, pointing to his experience with more than 130 cases and endorsements from police groups, while supporting a tax-break moratorium for data centers but opposing a construction pause.

The two events, held on consecutive days, highlighted the philosophical divide between the parties on law-enforcement versus corporate regulation. Additional candidates at both forums echoed these themes, addressing local concerns such as water scarcity, healthcare pricing and independent voter outreach. Early voting begins on Oct. 7, and both sides are mobilizing supporters ahead of the November ballot.