Arizona Mirror

Deborah Begay won the Democratic primary for justice of the peace in the Encanto precinct but faces judicial misconduct charges related to a Facebook post about calling judges to assist her friend’s son after his detention. The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct reprimanded Begay, citing the post as evidence of using judicial connections for personal advantage, which she denies.

Save Our Schools Arizona is suing Republican lawmakers over HCR2048, a bill accused of using military families as a pretext to block the Protect Education Act, a voter-approved initiative to reform Arizona's private school voucher program. The lawsuit claims HCR2048 is unconstitutional, violating Arizona's separate amendment rule by linking unrelated provisions to invalidate the voter initiative.

A federal appeals court in the 5th Circuit blocked the release of three immigrants in Texas, marking a rare victory for the Trump administration's mandatory detention policy. The decision, which applies to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, will be reviewed in a September court hearing.

The U.S. House passed a GOP bill combining new voter ID requirements with restrictions on congressional stock trading. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Steil, requires voters to present state-issued IDs and prohibits lawmakers from purchasing certain stocks, but faces potential obstacles in the Senate. Democrats criticized the bill for removing funding for voter IDs and exceeding existing state laws.

The Trump administration is shifting federal teen pregnancy prevention funding toward programs emphasizing fertility tracking, abstinence, and marriage, moving away from contraception and evidence-based methods. The new approach aligns with restorative reproductive medicine, which prioritizes fertility awareness over birth control, and affects organizations like Children’s Aid in New York City.

Kimberly Yee leads Tom Horne in the GOP primary for Arizona's Superintendent of Public Instruction, with the race centered on oversight of the state's school voucher program. Yee, a former state treasurer, aims to unseat Horne, an 81-year-old incumbent. The winner will face Democrat Teresa Leyba Ruiz in November.

Warren Petersen leads Rodney Glassman by over 47,000 votes in the Arizona GOP attorney general primary. Petersen secured support from law enforcement associations and Andy Biggs, while the winner will face Democratic incumbent Kris Mayes in November. Mayes previously won a narrow 2022 election against Petersen, who has opposed Trump administration policies through legal challenges.

Alexander Kolodin, an attorney who supported unfounded election fraud claims, won the GOP nomination for Arizona secretary of state, defeating Gina Swoboda. Kolodin was sanctioned in 2023 for lawsuits challenging the 2020 election and claims Arizona elections are a 'disaster.'

Andy Biggs won the Republican primary for Arizona governor, defeating David Schweikert with a decisive lead. The race was called by the Associated Press shortly after results began, and Biggs plans to challenge Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs in November. Schweikert criticized Biggs for ties to Turning Point USA but failed to prevent his primary loss.

Neil DeSanti, a GOP candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives, was indicted for false voter registration and illegal voting after failing to have his voting rights restored following two felony convictions in 2010 and 2011. A court denied his petition to restore rights related to a 2010 felony burglary tools charge, citing public safety concerns, and he was later indicted on four counts of false voter registration and two counts of illegal voting.

Arizona’s primary election on July 21 allows all registered voters to participate, with party-affiliated voters receiving their party’s ballot and independents choosing a party’s primary. Voters must present acceptable ID, and early ballots can be dropped off at polling locations until 7 p.m. Election results will be released after 8 p.m., starting with early ballots.

The Goldwater Institute is challenging the 'Protect Education, Accountability Now Act' initiative's voter signatures to prevent it from appearing on the November ballot. The initiative, supported by Save Our Schools Arizona, submitted over 420,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot, but the Goldwater Institute alleges over 73,000 signatures are invalid. The Protect Education Act aims to reform Arizona's school voucher program by imposing income caps, clawing back unused funds, and restricting ESA spending.

The Trump administration is urging the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to detain three immigrants freed by Texas judges, arguing that a surge of court cases freeing immigrants violates the mandatory detention policy. The immigrants, who have no criminal records and U.S. citizen children, were held in facilities like Louisiana State Penitentiary’s Camp 57, where conditions included poor food and medical care. The full appeals court will hear the case in September.

Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, announced that ICE officers will wear body cameras during traffic stops following two fatal shootings in Texas and Maine. Federal immigration officers have killed six people, including three U.S. citizens, in 22 shootings since the second Trump administration began, with Homan blaming Democrats for obstructing body camera requirements through congressional funding disputes.

Yagiz Doruk Hallac, a Turkish national granted U.S. torture protections due to his Alevi faith, was detained by ICE and deported to the Central African Republic despite his legal protections. An internal ICE policy change enabled expedited third-country removals, bypassing due process for migrants with CAT designations.

A federal judge appointed Annette Chambers-Smith to oversee Arizona's prison healthcare system, granting her exclusive authority to address constitutional violations caused by substandard medical care. The judge emphasized her control over personnel, contracts, budget, policies, and facility access, while noting potential conflicts with existing state laws.

Republican legislative leaders and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes are defending a 2024 law (Proposition 314) that authorizes state judges to issue deportation orders and local police to arrest migrants. The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project sued the state, arguing the law violates the Supremacy Clause by conflicting with federal immigration authority. The law could take effect by July 14, pending a court hearing on a potential block.

Arizona's Supreme Court ruled the state's Election Procedures Manual (EPM) does not require public comment under the Arizona Administrative Procedures Act, overturning a lower court decision. The Republican National Committee and others had sued over the 2023 EPM's limited comment period, but the court found the EPM exempt due to a separate legislative process. The 2025 EPM faces ongoing legal challenges over specific provisions.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatened to prosecute election officials in states refusing to comply with federal election security mandates, including the use of the SAVE program to verify voter eligibility. The Trump administration warned of fines, prison time, and withheld grants for noncompliant states, citing vulnerabilities in voting machines and over 250,000 noncitizens on voter rolls in reviewed states.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Attorney General Kris Mayes criticized President Donald Trump and his administration for promoting false claims of widespread voter fraud and pressuring states to cooperate with federal election security measures. Fontes rejected threats from the Department of Homeland Security to penalize states resisting federal demands for voter data, while Mayes affirmed the integrity of Arizona's 2020 election.