Democratic Party leaders in Arizona are fighting among themselves, with grievances between the Arizona Democratic Party chairman and the state’s U.S. senators becoming public.
Democrats have steadily gained ground in Arizona in recent years, winning several statewide races, though they lost the presidential race in 2024. Ahead of the 2026 elections, where Democrats will be defending several pivotal offices, including the governorship, the party’s leadership appears to be in turmoil.
Arizona Democratic Party Chairman Robert Branscomb II sent a letter to state Democratic committee members accusing Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) of attempting to threaten and intimidate him over who to hire as the new executive director for the party.
Branscomb claimed his decision to appoint Michael Ruff as the party’s executive director caused both senators to threaten to withdraw support for the party.
“I received a text from one of our U.S. Senators stating he would no longer support or participate in state party fundraising. Shortly after, the other Senator called me directly—demeaning me and demanding I reverse my decision within 24 hours or ‘face consequences,’” the letter said.
Branscomb, who was elected as party chairman in January, said he would not be “coerced” or “silenced” by any elected officials.
“Let me be clear: no state party chair should be threatened or intimidated by any elected official for making a decision in the best interest of our party. The idea that both Arizona Senators would withdraw support because I did not choose their preferred candidate is not only troubling—it’s a threat to the integrity and independence of our party. I will not be coerced, and I will not be silenced.”
Both senators, Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ), Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes responded to the claims in their own letter sent to state Democratic committee members, via the party’s vice chair, according to Politico. The leaders all proclaimed that Branscomb “has lost their trust.”
ARIZONA DEMOCRATS WALK OUT OF TOM HOMAN’S ADDRESS TO STATE LEGISLATURE
“His statement today includes many false claims and is the kind of bad-faith response we’ve come to expect from the new leadership over the last several weeks,” the letter said.
The letter comes more than a year before three of those five officials will seek to defend their positions in the 2026 election.
