Meraj Hashmi
Canva.com
1. 27th Attorney General
Kris Mayes is the 27th Attorney General of Arizona, assuming office on January 2, 2023. She is the second woman to hold this position in Arizona, following Janet Napolitano.
2. Early Life
Kris Mayes was born and raised on a tree farm in Prescott, Arizona.
3. Career Beginnings
Mayes began her career as a journalist with the Phoenix Gazette, where she covered John McCain's 2000 presidential campaign.
4. Service in Arizona Corporation Commission
Mayes was appointed to the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2003 by Governor Napolitano and served there until 2010.
5. Before Becoming Attorney General
Before becoming Attorney General, Mayes was a professor at Arizona State University. She holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University and a law degree from the ASU College of Law.
6. Switch from Republican to Democratic Party
Mayes is a member of the Democratic Party. She began her political career in 2002 with the Republican Party but switched to the Democratic Party in 2019.
7. Prolific Author
Mayes co-authored the book Spin Priests: Campaign Advisors and the 2000 Race for the White House.
8. Lawsuit Against Software Company
In 2024, Mayes filed a lawsuit against nine landlords and a software company over allegations of rent price-fixing.
9. Resuming the Death Penalty
Mayes initiated the process to resume the death penalty in Arizona, identifying 25 inmates as eligible for execution.
10. Opposition to Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship
On January 21, 2025, Mayes announced Arizona’s participation in a multi-state federal lawsuit opposing an executive order by President Donald Trump that sought to end birthright citizenship.