Rather than lose their legislative majorities in the state, Republicans expanded them. And even some more moderate Republicans who were willing to work with Hobbs on some issues lost their seats — not to Democrats in the general election but to strong conservatives in the GOP primary.
It was evidence the national red wave that allowed former President Donald Trump to win another term in the White House and Republicans to retake the Senate had reached Arizona, too. Although Democrat Ruben Gallego narrowly won the state's open U.S. Senate race, Trump carried Arizona this time, four years after losing it to President Joe Biden.
Barrett Marson, a GOP strategist in the state, predicted Hobbs' legislative agenda would be one of the casualties of the Republican gains.
Republicans are poised to use their expanded majority to push forward with an agenda stacked with conservative issues, including school choice and border security, said House Speaker-elect Steve Montenegro.
Montenegro cited the 2024 GOP gains as evidence that Hobbs is out of touch with Arizona voters and said he aimed to build on the successes of outgoing Republican leadership.
Under Hobbs’ tenure, Republicans have largely stalled any Democratic policy agenda she’s tried to push forth. In the most recent legislative session, Republican lawmakers knocked down Hobbs’ attempt to stop expansion of the state's the school voucher program.
"Even though the Democrats spent tens of millions of dollars to try to flip chambers, they were unsuccessful,” Montenegro said. “The people of Arizona rejected that messaging.”
