As the former Attorney General and current Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, I know the critical importance of the Attorney General’s job. Its role is to defend Arizona law and protect Arizonans. Our current Attorney General is failing to do the job.

Prior to winning her election statewide, by less than 300 votes, Attorney General Kris Mayes had never prosecuted a single criminal or billed an hour as a private sector attorney. She was objectively unqualified for the job.

She has no understanding of the duties of the Attorney General. Those are to defend Arizona laws when challenged as unconstitutional, and to defend Arizona departments when they are sued.  She violated both duties when she refused to defend a law prohibiting biological boys from competing in girls’ sports.  She claimed a conflict of interest but disagreeing with a position is not a conflict of interest.  Attorneys General routinely defend laws they disagree with as I did.  If they don’t want to argue the case, they typically have had their solicitor general do it.

Another example is litigating to stop enforcement of an initiative overwhelmingly passed by  the voters to require English language learners to be in structured English immersion rather than bilingual education. This showed a total failure to respect Arizona laws and the authoritative will of the voters. Arizona deserves an Attorney General who actually worked as an attorney. An Attorney General who is a seasoned prosecutor to support our law enforcement, an experienced litigator to enforce our laws and protect families, and someone who embodies the same commitment to family as the Arizonans they work for. 

That is why I agreed to be chairman of the campaign for 2026 of candidate for Attorney General Rodney Glassman, an Air Force prosecutor and Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps, a private sector attorney, husband, father, and community volunteer leader to run for Attorney General in 2026. 

Rodney has served for almost two decades as an Air Force JAG prosecutor. He’s prosecuted drug dealers, financial crimes, and fought for victims of sexual assault. He knows how damaging the government’s attacks have been on local police officers. He’s built a successful private sector law practice, collecting millions of dollars for his clients and he’s married to his law school sweetheart and is an active father to his two daughters.

Like Ronald Reagan, President Trump, and many Arizonans, Rodney used to be a Democrat. He registered as a Republican on June 16, 2015, the day that Donald Trump first announced his candidacy for President. In law school Rodney was elected and served on the Tucson City Council. He possesses a unique combination of strong litigation experience and a successful private sector legal background, along with a commitment to family, community and serving others that will make him an excellent Attorney General.

Rodney Glassman will protect Arizonans, support law enforcement, and defend our laws. He will be an incredible ally in my fight to eliminate Critical Race Theory, protect our girls, and empower parents. That’s why I urge Republicans across the state to join me to support Rodney Glassman for Attorney General.

Tom Horne is the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction and may be reached at tomhorne2824@gmail.com