AZ AG candidates Abe Hamadeh and Kris Mayes disagree on abortion, elections and more - Axios PhoenixLog InLog InAxios Phoenix is an Axios company.

Abe Hamadeh and Kris Mayes want to be Arizona' s next Attorney General

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photos: Rebecca Noble/Bloomberg via Getty Images and Mario Tama/Getty Images Arizonans will elect a new Attorney General this year. Why it matters: They will likely represent the state in legal issues pertaining to immigration, abortion and other consequential matters. They will also be tasked with prosecuting consumer fraud and white collar crime cases. State of play: Current AG Mark Brnovich ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. Senate seat, leaving his position open for the taking. Republican Abe Hamadeh is a former Army Reserve intelligence officer and a political newcomer endorsed by former President Trump.Democrat Kris Mayes is a former corporation commissioner. She was a Republican until she switched parties in 2019. Abortion: Hamadeh: He's said it's not the AG's job to create laws and that he would enforce whichever abortion laws the legislature passed. Currently, that's a ban on the procedure . Mayes: She has said she would not prosecute doctors or others who facilitate abortion. She's said she believes that the state's constitution, which includes a , makes the 15-week ban and other abortion restrictions illegal. Elections: Hamadeh: He's consistently claimed, without evidence, that the 2020 election was rigged, and during an with former President Trump, he said he would "lock up" and "put handcuffs" on people involved. At a , Hamadeh said his detractors are too quick to dismiss election fraud claims and said an important part of the AG's role is to prosecute this type of fraud and "regain the confidence in our elections." Mayes: She's said she would certify Arizona's fair elections, support voting by mail and prosecute people who harass or attack elections workers.She said people like Hamadeh who spread false claims that the 2020 election was rigged are to blame for an increase in against election employees. Police: Hamadeh: He's got the endorsements of most law enforcement organizations in the state.He's tried to paint Mayes as soft on crime because of her endorsement from , which required endorsees to pledge they would not accept support from police unions. Mayes: She in July that she supports law enforcement, does not want to defund the police and oversaw securities investigators when she was a corporation commissioner.She said she looks forward to working with police agencies across the state to combat human smuggling and drug cartels if elected. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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