In a heated primary debate on Thursday, Republican candidates vying for Arizona’s superintendent of public instruction clashed over policies and personal accusations. This debate marked a stark departure from the previous night’s civil discourse between Democratic candidates.
Tom Horne, the current Superintendent, opened the debate by positioning himself as a defender against “left-wing craziness,” taking aim at his opponent Kimberly Yee, the state’s treasurer. Yee was quick to rebut Horne’s claims about her involvement in a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee.
“He knows that he is lying because he was sent this letter from the National Association of State Treasurers, naming every single committee for which I have served on,” Yee stated, holding firm to her defense. “It’s dated May 4, and this does not list any DEI committee.” Horne responded by producing his own documents, prompting the debate moderator to remind both candidates that props were not permitted during the debate.
Both candidates share a common ground in supporting school choice but diverge on whether private schools should adhere to the same standards as public institutions. Horne dismissed Yee’s criticism of his recent actions regarding Education Savings Account (ESA) purchases.
“If you’re going to deny a Rolex watch, you have to do it right away. You can’t wait a year for the Legislature to act,” Horne argued. “I think that would subject the whole system to not be able to survive because people won’t stand for her allowing a Rolex watch to be paid while waiting for the Legislature to act in one or two years.”
Yee, on the other hand, proposed a technological solution to automatically flag and deny inappropriate expenditures, suggesting it as a more efficient alternative.
For those interested in hearing more from the candidates of the 2026 Arizona primary election, including other statewide and congressional races, debates are being presented by the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission and Arizona Media Association.
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