With the Arizona superintendent of public instruction race heating up, candidates from both major parties are making their cases to voters. While the Republican contenders are seasoned political figures, the Democrats are mostly newcomers eager to make their mark.
Republican Candidates: Horne vs. Yee
Tom Horne, the incumbent superintendent, is a familiar face in Arizona politics, having served in the same role from 2003 to 2011 and later as the state’s attorney general. At a recent debate, Horne described himself as “the only one in statewide elective office who’s fighting for the normal against left-wing craziness.” His campaign focuses on empowering parents through tools like a hotline for reporting controversial school lessons.
Horne is vocal against critical race theory (CRT) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives: “I am fighting hard against CRT and DEI,” he stated. However, advocates argue CRT is not a component of Arizona’s public school curriculum.
Horne’s primary opponent is Kimberly Yee, the current state treasurer. Yee has pushed back against Horne’s DEI committee accusations, asserting her focus on merit-based representation: “I have fought, in fact, against those types of issues that distract from real representation on merit,” she said.
Yee supports the state’s English-only education mandate and champions school choice, though she criticizes Horne for allegedly overstepping in regulating school voucher program expenditures. “These types of decisions with respect to what is considered and defined as educational expenses is done by the legislative authority,” she remarked. Horne countered by emphasizing immediate action: “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.”
The Democratic Newcomers
Teresa Leyba Ruiz, a former educator with 25 years of classroom experience, is running as a Democrat. Ruiz stresses the importance of educational experience, stating, “I am the only certified teacher in this race.” She criticizes Horne for fostering a culture of fear and aims to abolish his parent hotline to redirect funds towards student benefits.
Ruiz also plans to leverage her background as a community college president to address Arizona’s teacher shortage and improve educational partnerships. “Let’s partner with our colleges, our universities and our nonprofits to make sure that we are welcoming in new professionals and that we’re retaining the professionals we have,” she said.
Another Democratic contender, Brett Newby, is a behavior analyst concerned about the struggles faced by teachers and students. He advocates for equitable funding for public schools and enhanced resources for rural districts. “Our rural schools are in dire need of facility upgrades, infrastructure,” Newby emphasized.
Both Ruiz and Newby agree on the need for increased oversight of the state’s school voucher program. As the primary election approaches on July 21, these candidates aim to convince voters of their vision for Arizona’s educational future.
