Arizona Democrats running for reelection in 2026 are circumventing the state party

Arizona Democrats running for reelection in 2026 are circumventing the state party. Instead, they’re running a campaign through the Navajo County Democratic Committee.

The decision follows months of party infighting and calls to oust the current state party chair.

Democratic consultant Stacy Pearson said the new campaign — called Copper State Victory — is a way for Democrats to refocus on what matters: raising money and registering voters.

“So, they need to keep their eye on the ball. And if that means going around the state party? Great. If that's going to eliminate distractions and get back to basics? Perfect,” Pearson said.

Pearson pointed to the fact that Democratic voter registration numbers have dropped while Republican numbers have swelled.

“The state Democratic party lost focus in the last cycle in that and the proof is in the pudding – 100,000 raw Democrats short where we were four years ago, and we’ve lost ground to both independents and Republicans,” she said.

The strategy is not unprecedented. Both Democrats and Republicans have worked through various county parties to get around the state party when relations are strained, perhaps most notably when late Sen. John McCain fundraised through the Yuma County Republican Party for his 2010 campaign, when he faced opposition from the Republicans running the state party.

In 2023, when Kelli Ward was the chair of the Arizona Republican Party, the Republican Governor’s Association (led by former Republican Governor Doug Ducey) fundraised for Kari Lake through the Yuma County Republican Party.

“We sent our money to Yuma because we couldn’t trust you to spend it wisely had we sent it to you,” former RGA Political Director J.P. Twist told Ward on social media.

In a statement announcing the new campaign Gopv. Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, and Attorney General Kris Mayes made no mention of the state party.

Arizona’s highest ranking Democratic officials have been opposed to state party chair Robert Branscomb since he was elected. The new campaign announcement comes after the officials formally censured Branscomb on Sunday. Branscomb did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hobbs skirted questions about the new campaign at a press conference on Tuesday.

“I’d rather not talk about politics in this government building, but that is our statewide campaign for 2026,” she said.

As for the significance of Navajo County, Pearson said it may have to do with larger counties dealing with more work on their plates, and that it’s not a slight on Maricopa or Pima Counties.

“By launching the coordinated campaign in partnership with the Navajo County Democratic Committee, Arizona Democrats are making it clear that every community, no matter how big or small, has a voice in this election and a stake in our state’s future,” Navajo County Democratic Committee Chair Missa Foy said in a statement. “When we organize everywhere, we can win anywhere. And that’s how we build a future that reflects the voices and values of all Arizonans.”

In fact, the Maricopa County Democratic Party put out a statement praising the new strategy.

“MCDP strongly supports the formation of Copper State Victory. It is imperative that we reelect Governor Hobbs, Secretary Fontes, and Attorney General Mayes in next year’s crucial midterm elections. Having a strong, focused, coordinated campaign is essential. We applaud the decision to utilize the resources of the Navajo County Democratic Party,” the statement said. “We stand ready to support Copper State Victory and encourage all Arizona Democrats to do the same.”