Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R) has clinched the Republican nomination for state attorney general, according to Decision Desk HQ, positioning himself to challenge Democratic incumbent Kris Mayes in a race likely to be dominated by disputes over the 2020 election.
Petersen, who has led the state Senate since 2023, defeated Rodney Glassman, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps Reserve and an attorney. The primary win sets the stage for a high-stakes general election battle in a state that remains a focal point of election integrity debates.
Petersen's Record and Endorsements
The Arizona Senate president earned endorsements from Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who is running for governor, several Republican attorneys general from other states, and the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. His campaign has emphasized his role in the Senate's independent audit of the 2020 election results, conducted by the firm Cyber Ninjas, which ultimately confirmed President Biden's victory in Maricopa County—a finding that undercut former President Trump's false claims of a stolen election.
In March, Petersen complied with a federal grand jury subpoena and turned over records related to the 2020 election to the FBI, as the Justice Department investigates unsubstantiated allegations of fraud. That move drew sharp criticism from Mayes, who has accused Petersen of spreading dangerous misinformation. “He should stop lying about our elections and Republicans running for office must denounce his dangerous rhetoric,” Mayes said ahead of the primary.
Primary Opponent's Stance
During a GOP debate in May, Glassman—a former Democrat who switched parties—acknowledged that Biden won the 2020 election but suggested that officials had not done enough to investigate purported fraud, according to KTAR. Multiple audits and investigations have consistently confirmed Biden's victory.
The general election contest will also intersect with other key Arizona races. Petersen's ally, Rep. Andy Biggs, is running for governor in a race that could reshape the state's political landscape, as noted in our coverage of Biggs' primary win. Meanwhile, election denial remains a theme in other GOP primaries, such as the secretary of state race, where an election denier won the nomination, as reported in this analysis.
Looking Ahead to November
Mayes, who has held the attorney general's office since 2023, is expected to make election integrity a central issue in her campaign. Petersen's nomination ensures that the race will be a battleground for competing narratives about the 2020 election and the role of the state's top law enforcement officer.
With both candidates now set, Arizona voters will face a clear choice in November between Petersen's conservative, election-focused platform and Mayes' record as a Democratic incumbent who has pledged to uphold the integrity of the state's elections.
