Republican AG candidates trade personal attacks in heated primary debate

The two Republicans vying to challenge Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes traded personal attacks Thursday night during their first primary debate, sparring over each other’s legal credentials, party loyalty and allegations that surfaced in the debate’s closing minutes.

The hourlong debate, hosted by the Arizona Clean Elections Commission, gave voters their first side-by-side look at Rodney Glassman and Warren Petersen.

Qualifications dominate opening exchanges

Within minutes of opening statements, the candidates were accusing each other of misrepresenting their qualifications for the state’s top law enforcement job.

Petersen, the Arizona Senate president, repeatedly questioned whether Glassman has actually prosecuted any cases as a military attorney, citing a public records request that he said turned up no evidence of Glassman’s work at Luke Air Force Base. He branded his opponent a “trust fund baby” who has lost six elections in a row.

Glassman, a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps Reserve, fired back by noting Petersen received his law license just 28 months ago and has “never filed a lawsuit as a lawyer” or “prosecuted a criminal as an attorney.”

He accused Petersen of dispatching campaign volunteers to “crank call” an active-duty military base during wartime to dig up opposition research.

“There’s 500,000 veterans in Arizona, and what Warren Petersen just described is that he’s had campaign volunteers cold calling, crank calling the active-duty legal office at Luke Air Force Base asking for me by first name,” Glassman said. “During a time of war, Warren, you’re trying to make political points by harassing the active-duty military base.”

Glassman also produced a past endorsement letter signed by Petersen backing one of Glassman’s earlier campaigns, prompting moderator Steve Goldstein to intervene over the use of props.

“Thank you for your support,” Glassman said, holding up the letter.

Petersen shot back that Glassman was not a serious candidate.

“Rodney Glassman is a charlatan who fooled me. He told me he was a conservative candidate,” Petersen said. “I didn’t know that he was Raul Grijalva’s aide for four years and that he was his mentor. I didn’t know that he was endorsed by Planned Parenthood, and I didn’t know that he had switched his parties four times.”

A philosophical divide over the attorney general’s role

On immigration, Petersen said he would pursue a 287(g) agreement to allow local law enforcement to work more closely with federal immigration authorities. He pointed to his role in advancing the Border Security Act and the Arizona ICE Act.

Petersen added his office speaks with the White House about twice a month. He produced what he described as a letter from the White House thanking him for helping deliver Trump’s agenda this session.

Glassman pledged to withdraw Arizona from all 42 lawsuits Mayes has filed against the Trump administration on day one, calling them “clickbait” litigation.

Petersen also emphasized his standard would be legal, not political, and that he would sue a future Democratic administration, or even Republicans, if they violated the law or Constitution

On election integrity, Glassman acknowledged Joe Biden won Arizona in 2020 and the results were certified but argued Arizonans would “never know” the full extent of fraud allegations because the attorney general at the time did not secure ballots or open a full investigation.

Petersen did not directly answer whether Biden won Arizona in 2020, instead pointing to his support for a “Florida-style” elections bill, his role in the 2020 audit subpoena process and his pledge to rebuild Arizona’s election integrity unit.

A heated closing exchange

The debate closed with one of its most direct exchanges.

When asked whether he would support Glassman if he lost the primary, Petersen answered he would not.

“I cannot support a criminal,” Petersen said, adding that he might leave the race blank on his ballot.

Glassman, in turn, emphasized the Republican priority should be defeating Mayes in November.

“Job number one for us as Republicans is to fire Kris Mayes this November,” he said, pledging to support the eventual Republican nominee.

Millions raised in the AG primary

While Petersen has garnered much higher political committee donations and a longer list of endorsements, Glassman’s campaign holds a commanding cash advantage, according to the most recent campaign finance filing.

Glassman currently has roughly $4 million on hand, buoyed by a $1 million personal loan he made to his own campaign. Petersen has $1.52 million in campaign cash on hand, $123,500 of which came from personal loans to his campaign.

The winner of the GOP primary on July 21 will face Mayes in the November general election. The Arizona Clean Elections Commission is hosting weekly debates through the end of June.

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