¶ How To Win Against Warren Petersen
As a member of the Arizona state legislature, Republican Arizona attorney general candidate Warren Petersen supported policies that threatened reproductive rights and public education funding, and increased the cost of health care and everyday goods for Arizonans. Petersen voted multiple times against reproductive rights, including supporting an 1864 near-total abortion ban, and advocated for overturning Roe v. Wade. He also refused to compromise on Arizona’s public school funding mechanism, but supported charter schools and education savings accounts that siphoned funding from public education. Petersen supported Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which stripped health care from millions of Americans, and Trump’s tariffs which increased costs and threatened jobs. Petersen also used his role as Senate President to further question the integrity of the 2020 election and threaten the state of democracy in Arizona.
¶ Petersen Was An Anti-Abortion Extremist
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Petersen voted multiple times against legislation affirming abortion rights and for legislation that increased abortion restrictions. Petersen voted against repealing a near-total abortion ban, and co-sponsored legislation banning abortions after 15 weeks and mailing abortion drugs. Petersen also co-sponsored legislation protecting fetuses “born alive” from an abortion. When Attorney General Kris Mayes refused to defend abortion restrictions the ACLU challenged as unconstitutional, Petersen used taxpayer dollars to hire private lawyers to defend the laws.
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Petersen also used extreme anti-abortion rhetoric, calling abortions “heinous” and accusing Planned Parenthood of “murdering babies.” After Arizona voters approved an abortion rights amendment, Petersen defended existing laws that contradicted the amendment and criticized Attorney General Kris Mayes for wanting to strike them down. Petersen advocated for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and once it was overturned, celebrated the Arizona Supreme Court determining that an 1864 near-total abortion ban could go into effect. Petersen also associated with anti-abortion organizations and dismissed the need for legislation protecting access to contraception.
Message: Petersen was a threat to the reproductive rights of women in Arizona.
¶ Petersen Threatened Public School Funding And Championed “School Choice”
- During 2026 budget negotiations while serving as senate president, Petersen refused to compromise with Governor Katie Hobbs on renewing the state’s public school funding mechanism, Proposition 123. Prop 123 gave $300 million annually to the school system from the state land trust, but had expired after 10 years and needed voter approval to be renewed. Petersen said Hobbs’ plan to renew Prop 123 was “irresponsible and risky,” but did not provide an alternative means for school funding. Additionally, Petersen refused to participate in discussions on Arizona’s public school capital finance system after it was ruled unconstitutional for disadvantaging schools in lower income areas. Petersen instead appealed the ruling while Arizona schools faced infrastructure failures.
- Petersen was also an advocate for charter schools even when their students were underperforming. When the Arizona Charter School Board threatened to revoke the charter of Primavera, an online charter school, Petersen called the inquiry a “witch hunt” even though the students were performing significantly below state averages. Instead, Petersen supported reclassifying Primavera as an “alternative school,” which had lower academic standards.
- Petersen called himself a “longtime champion of school choice,” celebrated allowing parents to opt their children out of sex education, and supported education savings accounts as a means to save taxpayers money, but opposed giving teachers a $200 tax credit for buying school supplies. Petersen also had Arizona teachers removed from the Senate gallery over their opposition to bills that would effectively block school voucher reform and defund the teachers union.
Message: Petersen promoted charter schools, education savings accounts, and tax policies that took funding from Arizona public schools.
¶ Petersen Supported Massive Cuts To Medicaid And The Affordable Care Act
- In 2026, Petersen led efforts to conform Arizona’s tax statutes to Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which is estimated to kick 17 million Americans off their health insurance, including nearly 12 million Americans who rely on Medicaid. Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” more than 342,000 Arizonans could lose their health insurance, including 193,981 Medicaid recipients and 148,500 Affordable Care Act enrollees, and rural hospitals in Arizona were in jeopardy with at least five at risk of closing.
- Between 2013 and 2015, Petersen voted against enforcing the Affordable Care Act in Arizona, voted for Medicaid work requirements, and called Medicaid expansion “unsustainable.” In 2026, 357,144 Arizonans relied on Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for their health care.
Message: Petersen supported ripping health care away from hundreds of thousands of Arizonans to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.
¶ Petersen Supported Trump’s Devastating Tariffs
- In 2025, Petersen supported Trump’s tariffs, calling them “a tool to enact positive changes” and dismissed concerns that they would increase the costs of American goods. Tariffs are contributing to higher food prices, are hurting Arizona businesses and farmers, and could increase car insurance rates.
- At the end of 2025, Petersen claimed Trump's economic policies were working and had proved “experts” wrong, even though the U.S. stock market crashed due to Trump’s escalating global trade war.
Message: Petersen championed Trump’s tariffs that increased everyday costs for Arizonans and threatened jobs.
¶ Petersen Platformed 2020 Election Fraud Conspiracy Theories Continuing Into 2026
- In 2026, Petersen responded to a subpoena from the Department of Justice seeking documents in an investigation of the 2020 election in Maricopa County, which potentially contained confidential voter information. When Attorney General Kris Mayes sought more information on what was included in the documents, Petersen accused her of “obstruction of justice” and interfering with the investigation.
- In 2020, Petersen associated with election deniers and helped lead an “audit” into Maricopa County elections with a team of inexperienced conspiracy theorists tied to the “Stop The Steal” movement. The team included lead auditor Doug Logan, who wrote a report on “election fraud facts” and worked with a pro-trump lawyer to challenge the election results, and a lawyer, Stefanie Lambert, who was involved in a lawsuit challenging the results of the election known as “The Kraken.” Petersen was also allegedly aware of a controversial member of the “audit” team described as an “eccentric treasure hunter/inventor,” but wanted to keep the individual’s name out of the final report.
Message: Petersen’s continued promotion of election fraud theories posed a threat to democracy in Arizona.
¶ Petersen Would Not Protect Arizonans From Trump’s Federal Forces Overreach
- In 2026, Petersen would not commit to protecting Arizonans from Trump’s federal immigration operations, instead indicating that he would welcome them and assist Trump with mass deportations.
- In September 2026, Petersen was asked on a Spanish-language show if he would file lawsuits against the Trump administration if they conducted immigration raids in Arizona. Petersen dodged the question, dismissing it as “a federal matter.”
- In May 2026, Petersen criticized Attorney General Kris Mayes for determining that local governments in Arizona could refuse to allow federal immigration agents from using county property. He claimed Arizona law was “crystal clear” that local governments did not have the authority to do so. In January 2026, amid rumors that Trump planned to send federal immigration forces to Arizona, Petersen said he would “welcome” them and “support whatever we need to do to keep Arizona safe.”
- Petersen repeatedly pledged his loyalty to Trump and his immigration agenda. In June 2026, Petersen said he would assist Trump with deporting “everyone who enters this country illegally,” including DACA recipients, who Petersen said were “illegals” because DACA was not in the Constitution. In April 2026, after receiving a shoutout from Trump, Petersen said he was looking forward to working with Trump “to restore law and order.”
Message: Petersen would allow Trump to overreach his authority and send federal forces against Arizonans.
¶ Issue Back-Ups
¶ Warren Petersen's Policies Have Hurt Everyday People
Petersen Was An Anti-Abortion Extremist
Petersen Threatened Public School Funding And Championed “School Choice”
Petersen Supported Massive Cuts To Medicaid And The Affordable Care Act
Petersen Supported Trump’s Devastating Tariffs
Petersen Platformed 2020 Election Fraud Conspiracy Theories Continuing Into 2026
Petersen Would Not Protect Arizonans From Trump’s Federal Forces Overreach