Arizona Attorney General's Golf Course Remark Sparks Campaign Firestorm

A comment about golf courses by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has become a flashpoint in the state's race for top law enforcement officer, just days before the midterm elections. The Democrat said Arizona probably has too many courses, and her Republican opponents wasted little time in pushing back.

Mayes made the remark in an interview with Politico about data centers and whether water-intensive buildings make sense in an arid state. She pointed to neighboring states she described as "backed by" the Trump administration as a hindrance to Arizona's water supply. She had also just warned that the state was heading toward a possible Supreme Court fight over Colorado River water.

On conservation, Mayes said Arizona could "do a hell of a lot more," citing tax incentives for rainwater catchment and for removing lawns. "We have way, way too much grass in Arizona," she said. She added that the golf industry would not like hearing it, but that the state "probably" has too many golf courses right now.

Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican from Maricopa, answered in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. He said Arizona has too many "radical politicians who believe government should dictate which industries get to thrive." He argued that golf courses support jobs, tourism, small businesses and communities, and that the attorney general should focus on enforcing the law and protecting consumers. In a post of his own, he wrote: "I promise to get rid of Kris Mayes."

Other critics joined in. Republican Rep. Eli Crane said Arizona has a problem with Democrats, not golf courses. Tom Spengler, CEO of an e-procurement software company, said the state needs more courses, noting that tee times are hard to get and rates have doubled or tripled since COVID. Justin Streiff, a Turning Point USA executive, said no one other than Mayes has ever claimed Arizona has too much grass.

The business community also weighed in. Courtney Coolidge, vice president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, cited a $6 billion economic impact from golf, 66,000 jobs, $2.3 billion in wages and $520 million in tax revenue. On the water question, she said golf courses together use 2% or less of the state's water. Those numbers closely match figures in a 2023 study by the Arizona Alliance for Golf. The golf satire site PGA Tuor shared a clip of the remarks with the caption "How to not get re-elected 101."

Mayes responded separately on social media, saying she was making a broader point about water use. "Relax, nobody's closing golf courses," she wrote. She said the state needs incentives to help residents and major industries replace thirsty grass and capture rainwater, particularly if the water situation worsens, while she takes on foreign mega-farms and data centers that she said are draining the water supply. She also accused Petersen of spreading "false claims."

That reply drew its own mockery on X, where some critics called it condescending. One user wrote, "you relax, we all heard you," and others labeled her approach to the golf industry as "communist." Fox News Digital said it asked Mayes for comment on the reaction to her remarks.

With Election Day approaching, Petersen is betting the controversy will resonate beyond golf. He is framing Mayes' comments as part of a larger dispute over government intervention in Arizona's economy, as Republicans try to regain control of a state government they once reliably held.