Newest AZ 2026 Fundraising Numbers Show Clear Money Leads

(Updates highlighted below)

It’s early, but Q1 campaign finance numbers are in! As Arizona’s 2026 state executive races heat up, early reports for the first quarter of 2025 reveal a competitive financial landscape across the gubernatorial, attorney general, and secretary of state contests. With high-profile candidates like Rep. Andy Biggs and businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson vying for the governor’s mansion, incumbent Attorney General Kris Mayes fending off Republican challengers, and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes facing a GOP upstart, the money race is already setting the stage for a fierce battle.

GOVERNOR

Incumbent Governor Hobbs (D) launched her re-election effort with a strong showing, raising over $1.1 million in Q1 2025. She ended the quarter with more than $4 million in cash on hand, giving her a substantial financial edge. No major Democratic primary challenge has emerged, despite Secretary of State Adrian Fontes teasing a run earlier this year. Hobbs has not yet formally announced her candidacy but is widely expected to run.

Karrin Taylor Robson (R), the Arizona businesswoman, officially launched her 2026 campaign in February and raised approximately $860,000 in Q1. She retains significant personal wealth and previously self-funded much of her 2022 run. Robson ended the quarter with an estimated $755,000 cash on hand. Former President Donald Trump issued a dual endorsement of both Robson and Biggs in April, giving Robson a boost, though denying her exclusivity.

Robson has embraced her “Trump-endorsed” status, focusing her campaign on border security and economic issues. In 2022, establishment figures like then-Gov. Doug Ducey supported her, but she now positions herself as more aligned with the MAGA base—even if she once kept them at arm’s length.

Andy Biggs (R-CD5), currently an Arizona Congressman and Freedom Caucus member, entered the governor’s race in early 2025 and raised about $232,000 in Q1—far less than Robson, though her self-funding skews direct comparisons. Biggs’s strengths lie in his name recognition, staunch conservative credentials, and loyal base. He shares Trump’s dual endorsement with Robson and boasts support from hard-right allies such as Rep. Paul Gosar. Biggs’s campaign centers on border issues, election integrity, and loyalty to Trump.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Kris Mayes (D), the incumbent Attorney General, is seeking re-election after narrowly winning her 2022 race by just 280 votes. In Q1 2025, she raised $358,000 and reported $691,000 cash on hand. Mayes has stepped up her public presence and promotes her record, especially her participation in multi-state lawsuits challenging Trump-era policies. She faces no serious Democratic primary challenge at this time.

Rodney Glassman (R), an attorney and former Tucson city councilman who ran for AG in 2022, is back and leading the GOP field in early fundraising. He raised over $600,000 in Q1 and reported nearly $1.9 million in cash on hand, much of which was self-funded. Glassman has received an early endorsement from former Arizona AG Tom Horne. Although he was the 2010 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Glassman later switched parties and is now positioning himself as the establishment-backed Republican to challenge Mayes.

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) filed to run for AG in early 2025, leveraging his role as a top legislative leader. Due to session restrictions, he posted limited Q1 fundraising: he brought in just $46,000 and ended with $307,313 on hand. Petersen has been outspoken in criticizing Mayes, stating, “We have been defending laws she has not. Not only have we done our job but hers as well.” He argues that the legislature has acted as the “de facto AG,” stepping in where he claims Mayes has failed to defend conservative laws.

***UPDATE: Senate President Petersen contacted the Globe to update the reported fundraising numbers. He stated that he had raised $166,630, not $46K as posted in the “official” state political fundraising reports. Our initial reporting addressed solely the funds earmarked specifically for Petersen’s Attorney General campaign. The $166K figure combines fundraising for both positions: AG ($45,955) and Senate ($70,675).

SECRETARY of STATE

Adrian Fontes (D), the incumbent Secretary of State, is seeking re-election after winning in 2022. In Q1 2025, he raised $78,000 and reported about $85,000 cash on hand. He faces no Democratic primary challenger. In late 2024, some Democrats urged Fontes to consider a gubernatorial bid due to dissatisfaction with Hobbs, but Fontes ultimately declined. After briefly expressing interest in AZ’s 7th Congressional District following Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s passing, Fontes reversed course. In March 2025, he confirmed his plans to remain in his current role, stating: “After careful thought and reflection, I have decided that for family, for country, and for democracy, I will continue to defend America as Arizona’s Secretary of State.”

Alexander Kolodin (R-3), attorney and current State House member for District 3, recently announced his campaign to challenge Fontes. A member of the House Freedom Caucus and a vocal advocate for election integrity, Kolodin enters the race with little fundraising reported so far but is expected to energize the GOP base.

***UPDATE: Rep. Kolodin also contacted the Globe post-publication to provide an update on his fundraising efforts. He advised that because of his late filing date (on the Q1 reporting deadline), his fundraising totals were not included in the report. He stated that his campaign has almost as much cash on hand as Fontes, although he did not provide specific numbers.

Gina Swoboda, the current Arizona GOP Chair and a former elections official, may be a wildcard candidate for Secretary of State. She has publicly stated that she is seriously considering a run for Secretary of State. A 2020 Trump elector and key player in post-2020 election integrity efforts, Swoboda could unite both the MAGA base and establishment Republicans if she jumps in.