Arizona Freedom Caucus slate looks to make a splash in GOP primary
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A slate of GOP candidates recruited and backed by the Arizona Freedom Caucus is likely to shake up next year's Republican primary.
The big picture: The far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus, a coalition of GOP lawmakers led by state Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), has drafted several candidates for next year's statewide races.
- The caucus finalized its lineup Tuesday when state Reps. Ralph Heap (R-Mesa) and David Marshall (R-Snowflake) launched Corporation Commission campaigns.
- Hoffman, who is also a Republican National Committee member for Arizona, told reporters part of his job "is to help find good, strong candidates that match the Republican Party platform, and then to recruit them … [for] every office from the school board to the dog catcher to statewide races."
State of play: The Freedom Caucus slate includes:
- Alexander Kolodin, a GOP state representative from Scottsdale, is running for secretary of state, and so far is the lone Republican looking to unseat Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes.
- Kimberly Yee, the current state treasurer, is challenging incumbent Tom Horne in the GOP primary for superintendent of public instruction.
- On Tuesday, the caucus backed Heap and Marshall in their bids to unseat GOP incumbents Nick Myers and Kevin Thompson in the Corporation Commission race.
1 big race: The Arizona Freedom Caucus also enthusiastically supports U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who's running for governor.
Meanwhile, the caucus isn't recruiting candidates for attorney general or treasurer.
- Hoffman said last month he's a "big fan" of Senate President Warren Petersen, who's running for attorney general.
- Elijah Norton is the sole GOP candidate for treasurer. Hoffman said he'll help Norton to ensure he's "pointed in the right direction."
The intrigue: "The grassroots are on fire" for Freedom Caucus candidates, who should expect "a ton of grassroots support," Hoffman told reporters Tuesday.
What we're watching: Biggs is also backed by conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, a Freedom Caucus ally whose political action committee recently announced it would spend $500,000 on his campaign advertising.
- Turning Point spokesperson Andrew Kolvet told Axios his organization reserves the right to assist other Freedom Caucus-backed candidates, but it's still early.