Kris Mayes

Kris Mayes was born in Prescott, Arizona. She earned a high school diploma from Prescott High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in 1994 and a law degree in 2003, both from Arizona State University. She also earned a graduate degree from Columbia University in 1999. Her career experience includes working as a lawyer.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Kris Mayes is a mom and Arizonan who grew up in Prescott. Raised by a public-school teacher and a neighborhood pharmacist, she began her career as a journalist focused on accountability. She served in the Napolitano administration and was elected to the Arizona Corporation Commission where she created thousands of good-paying jobs and helped save consumers billions. After winning by only 280 votes, Kris Mayes returned the Attorney General’s office to its core mission: protecting Arizona families from the cartels, fraudsters, and scammers; standing up to greedy corporate interests when they break the law; and defending our personal freedoms. She has fought like hell for Arizonans—protecting seniors from scams and abuse, stopping the flow of deadly fentanyl, lowering prices, blocking mega-mergers, addressing rising rent, and protecting working families. She’s defending Arizona’s groundwater from Saudi overpumping, and opposing unfair electricity rate hikes by Arizona’s monopoly utilities. She has recovered more than $1.5 billion Arizona tax dollars from federal overreach and reduced fraudulent Medicaid billing by 92%. A daughter of rural Arizona, she has held over 50 town halls across all 15 counties. She’s the only Arizona official who’s been elected statewide as both a Republican and a Democrat. It is critical to reelect Attorney General Kris Mayes, so she can keep protecting Arizona families and making life more affordable in Arizona.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

As Arizona’s top law enforcement officer, Kris Mayes has prosecuted drug smugglers, fraudsters, and scammers. She’s put dangerous criminals behind bars and protected our seniors and children from abuse. Alongside law enforcement partners, Attorney General Kris Mayes has seized 27 million pills of fentanyl—more than any other Attorney General. She prosecutes about 80% of the drug cases in the state and is stemming the flow of the fentanyl over our Southern border. Kris Mayes has been one of the most aggressive Attorneys General nationwide on prosecuting health fraud. She’s cracked down on Medicaid fraud, reducing fraudulent billing by 92%. She purchased a $2 Million mobile drone jamming unit to share with law enforcement around the state.Kris Mayes is protecting consumers and fighting rising prices by standing up to corporations and prosecuting bad actors in her first term. She sued RealPage and eight major landlords for colluding to artificially inflate rent across Arizona. Attorney General Mayes is taking on the health insurance industry, alleging the use of MultiPlan, an algorithm that undercuts doctors and increases healthcare costs. She intervened against APS and TEP’s unfair 14% rate hike. She blocked the Albertsons and Kroger merger preventing job loss, higher grocery prices, and exacerbated food deserts. When corporations break the law, exploit working families, or try to game the system in Arizona, they have to answer to Attorney General Kris Mayes.Kris Mayes believes every Arizonan deserves to know their vote is secure, their personal information is protected, and the government stays out of their personal lives. As Attorney General, she has defended Arizonans voter rolls and protected our elections system. She fought to protect access to reproductive care, defend Arizonan’s private personal data, and stand up to an overreaching federal government. Her lawsuits have saved Arizonans $1.5 billion in taxpayer dollars by protecting programs like Headstart, Meals on Wheels, and Americorps. Her record is 2-0 for Arizona at the U.S Supreme Court, overturning illegal tariffs costing Arizonans an average $1,500 a year and making sure that every child born in our country is still a citizen.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Kris Mayes has fought to protect Arizona’s most precious resource, our water supply, from powerful corporations that put profits above Arizona communities. She sued a Saudi-owned mega farm for excessive groundwater pumping that harmed rural neighbors and ranchers. She secured an $11 million settlement from a southeastern Arizona corporation to address the groundwater depletion of neighbors.

Kris Mayes has also made protecting Arizona workers a top priority. She created the state's first Worker Protection Unit to investigate wage theft and other workplace abuses. Attorney General Mayes has defended prevailing wage laws and believes Arizona is stronger when corporations are held accountable and working families have a fair shot.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UFCW Local 99, AEA, AFSCME, Unite Here, Worker Power, Boilermakers, Ironworkers Local 75, CWA, Retired Americans International, Association of Fire Fighters, Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, Arizona State Building & Construction Trades Council, IAM, LIUNA, UAW, Emily's List, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, LPAC, Moms Fed Up, End Citizens United, Jewish Democratic Council of America, Fight Corporate Monopolies, Dems of the Red Rocks, Equality Arizona, Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Giffords, NWPC, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, Human Rights Council, Keep Arizona Blue, Arizona College Democrats, UA College Democrats, ASU College Democrats

Campaign websiteMayes' campaign website stated the following:PrioritiesAttorney General Kris Mayes is the fighter Arizona families need: someone who leaves politics at the door, stands up for everyday Arizonans, and gets results. A former Republican, Mayes has picked a lot of fights — and won. She took on Saudi Arabian mega-farms draining Arizona’s water supply. She fought greedy corporations that gouged Arizonans on rent and groceries. She went after drug smugglers, elder abusers, and scammers. And who benefited? Everyday Arizonans — small business owners, farmers and ranchers, parents, and kids. But the work isn’t done. There are still powerful interests taking advantage of Arizona families, and Kris Mayes isn’t backing down:Taking on the Cartels, Drug Smugglers, and Violent CriminalsAs Attorney General, Mayes has been a partner to law enforcement, delivering millions of dollars in funding and resources so border sheriffs and Arizona police can keep us safe. She has locked up drug cartel members, seized more than 27 million deadly fentanyl pills off our streets, and gone after criminals trying to take advantage of our kids. That’s why Mayes is endorsed by sheriffs across Arizona.Going After Greedy Corporations That Are Price Gouging and Ripping Arizonans OffMayes takes on anyone who rips off Arizonans — and doesn't back down. Mayes fought to protect Arizonans from corporate price gouging, prosecuting corporate landlords for inflating housing costs and ending monopolistic tactics that raise prices on groceries and utilities. She's standing up to data centers driving up our utility bills. Mayes will keep fighting to keep us safe and make life more affordable.Protecting Seniors from Fraud and ScamsMayes’s office has aggressively prosecuted those who scammed vulnerable Arizonans out of more than a billion dollars in Medicaid funds, as well as those who made fraudulent claims for pandemic small business loans and unemployment benefits – achieving justice for seniors who were neglected and abused in the facilities that were supposed to care for them. Mayes created an Elder Affairs Unit dedicated to investigating abuse and scams against our seniors. She’s cracking down on mobile home and apartment landlords letting their residents illegally suffer without electricity digit heat.Protecting Arizona's Water Supply and Rural GroundwaterAs Attorney General, Mayes knows how important protecting Arizona’s scarce water supply is. That’s why her office has taken on Saudi Arabian mega-farms that have drained our rural water supplies, sued polluters who contaminated Arizonans’ drinking water, and pushed for more regulation to stop corporations from depriving families and small farms of water resources. She also reached a historic agreement with Riverview Dairy that required the dairy to pay $11 million into a fund that is already helping families in rural Arizona redrill their wells. Mayes is protecting our water supply for the next generation.Prosecuting Sexual Predators and Cracking Down on AI That Targets KidsAttorney General Kris Mayes will always fight to protect Arizona children and families from sexual predators. Mayes has prosecuted rapists, child abusers, online predators, and sex traffickers across the state, partnering with local law enforcement and prosecutors to hold these dangerous criminals accountable. Mayes has also demanded that artificial intelligence companies put up safeguards and are held accountable for violent, sexually explicit AI-generated images of minors.Overturning Tariffs and Protecting $2.3 Billion Arizona TaxdollarsAttorney General Kris Mayes will always stand up to anyone to protect the best interests of Arizonans. Mayes sued the federal government for breaking the law in order to fire Arizona workers, trying to raise prices with reckless tariffs, gutting funding for public education, and cutting funding for our veterans and seniors. And, Mayes has successfully gotten back $2.3 billion dollars in federal funds for Arizona.Protecting Arizonans' FreedomsAttorney General Kris Mayes will always stand up for Arizonans’ freedoms. She led the fight against Arizona’s near-total abortion ban and worked to uphold voters’ decision to make abortion a fundamental right. She has also fought to protect Arizonans’ right to vote, defend secure and fair elections, and ensure every eligible voter can make their voice heard. As attacks on these fundamental freedoms continue, Mayes will keep standing up for Arizona women and Arizona voters.— Kris Mayes' campaign website (August 27, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Campaign ads

"Not Finished" – Mayes campaign ad, released August 13, 2026

"Adelante" – Mayes campaign ad, released August 4, 2026

"Meet the Losers" – Mayes campaign ad, released July 14, 2026

"Home Game" – Mayes campaign ad, released June 9, 2026

"Team Arizona" – Mayes campaign ad, released June 9, 2026

View more ads here:

YouTube

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in Prescott, Arizona and graduated from Arizona State University.

From 2003-2011, I served as Arizona Corporation Commissioner, during which I helped create high-paying jobs, saved Arizona consumers tens of billions of dollars, and fought climate change by requiring utilities to produce more clean energy -- including solar, wind and energy efficiency.

I pushed utilities to stop spending ratepayer money on corporate bonuses and advertising, in an effort to keep rates low. When a major natural gas company was charging too much in the wintertime, I required the company to provide customers rebates. In 2003, I took on one of the biggest gasoline pipeline companies in America and persuaded its CEO to repair or replace most of the company’s 617 miles of pipelines in Arizona after a major line ruptured in Tucson. In 2006, I spearheaded the passage of Arizona’s 15 percent Renewable Energy Standard.  In 2009, I co- authored and passed one of the nation’s best Energy Efficiency Resource Standards, which saved Arizona ratepayers $9 billion.

As Corporation Commissioner, I walked into the office every day with one thing on my mind: ‘How can I make Arizonans’ lives better?’ We got big things done by working with both Republicans and Democrats, including the largest expansion of water conservation in Arizona history. That’s what you can accomplish when you focus on looking out for the people instead of focusing on politics.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am running for Attorney General to be an independent watchdog for the people of Arizona, protecting Arizonans against consumer fraud, elder abuse, and attacks on our constitutional rights. It’s long past time to take politics out of the Attorney General’s office and restore it to its core mission:    Consumer Protection - especially from fraud and scams aimed at elderly Arizonans  Water security and clean air - protecting Arizonans from pollution  Voting Rights and Secure Elections - protecting every Arizonan’s right to vote and have that vote counted  Protecting constitutional rights – including abortion rights – from politicians who want to meddle in private, family decisionsI am running for Arizona Attorney General to prevent the ongoing effort in our state to undermine democracy. Republicans in the Legislature and Governor Ducey have passed a series of measures designed to make it tougher for Arizonans to vote, and they have engaged in an ongoing assault on the 2020 election via the “audit” which was conducted last year. Our current Attorney General did nothing to stop this so-called audit from happening, even though it was both funded and conducted by partisan interests. As Attorney General I will legally intervene against such efforts and testify against them when they are launched at the Legislature.I support full reproductive rights and freedoms and have been campaigning strongly in Arizona on this issue. I believe that we need a Democratic Attorney General who will fight the recently passed 15-week abortion ban, as well as the pre-existing law that would ban abortion in the event Roe is overturned. We also need an Attorney General who will fight for reproductive rights before the U.S. Supreme Court. Arizona’s constitution includes a privacy clause which is considered to be more broad than the 4th amendment to the US constitution. I believe that this privacy clause protects the right to abortion as well as many other rights, including the right to marry a same-sex partner.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am the only candidate running for Attorney General to make fighting climate change a top priority. As Attorney General I will appoint a Climate Director within the Environmental Enforcement section who will take the lead on fighting climate change, expand the number of lawyers in the Environmental Enforcement section, and will certify any clean energy rules that the Arizona Corporation Commission passes, in the hope of establishing the requirement for our state’s utilities of a 100 percent clean energy standard. I will also testify before the Arizona Corporation Commission and intervene where appropriate on clean energy and environmental issues.

Given the reality of climate change, public opinion has shifted in recent years. The change in the

public discourse from discussing “global warming” to discussing “climate change,” demonstrates

the salience of public education. Arizona’s leaders need to speak openly to the public about the

challenges we face and how we can meet them. Extreme heat, drought and wildfires are realities

that Arizonans are aware of. As Attorney General, I will work with leaders from both parties to

help the public understand why we need to address clean air and water. The Attorney General

can advocate for clean air and clean water programs and use her or his bully pulpit before

entities such as the Legislature and Arizona Corporation Commission on these issues. The AG can

also approve rulemakings by the ACC on clean energy.

The National Association of Attorneys General has described the office as being at the "intersection of law and public policy." What does that mean to you?

The Attorney General essentially leads a large public interest law firm which seeks to right wrongs, crack down on bad actors, and protect the public from powerful interests who run afoul of the law. At the same time, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal advisor to state agencies, specifically to the legal counsel in each agency.

Helping the state agencies to follow the law is part of the same mission as serving the larger public, but there are six separate Divisions (including Operations), each of which has sections within it. The State Government Division is responsible for advising most state agencies.

The attorney general often sets policy priorities for law enforcement. For example, a state's attorney general may decide to dedicate extra resources to combat human trafficking. Are there certain areas of law enforcement that you would emphasize?

I believe that the Attorney General’s office should expand the Environmental Enforcement section so there will be more bandwidth to protect Arizona from polluters. This is especially true with our air and water, which must be protected. Arizona relies on three sources of water to make life in the desert possible: groundwater, Colorado River water, and surface water. With the Colorado River water diminishing, it’s only practical to do whatever we can to protect the health of surface water such as intermittent streams.