Warren Petersen


Warren Petersen is an American politician and a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 12 from January 14, 2019. He formerly was a State Senator, also representing District 12. He was elected by his peers to serve as Majority Leader from 2018 - 2019.

Elections

In 2012, Arizona redistricted and Legislative District 12 was drawn to cover Gilbert and Queen Creek. Steve Urie decided to leave the legislature, leaving an open seat in the House. Petersen ran in the three-way August 28, 2012, Republican primary. Incumbent Representative Eddie Farnsworth placed first, Petersen placed second with 12,500 votes, and former state Senator Larry Chesley placed third with 8,688 votes. Farnsworth and Petersen were unopposed in the November 6, 2012, general election, with Farnsworth placing first and Petersen taking second with 52,590 votes.
In 2014, Petersen and Farnsworth were unopposed in the primary, with Petersen placing first with 16,442 votes and Farnsworth placing second with 15,351 votes. In November, there was a three-way general election with Petersen taking first with 34,784 votes, Farnsworth taking second with 32,843 and Rothans receiving 18,446 votes for third place.
In 2016, Andy Biggs left the Arizona Senate to run for Congress in CD5. Petersen ran to replace Biggs in the State Senate. Petersen won the General Election 69,356 votes to Elizabeth Brown's 37,178 votes.

Political rankings

In 2013, he was named Free Market Champion by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. The Goldwater Institute named Petersen a Top Five Scoring Legislator in its 2013 legislative report card. In 2016, Petersen was named Legislator of the Year by the National Federation of Independent Business. In 2018, Petersen was named the Champion of the Taxpayer by the Arizona GOP. In the same year he had an A rating the NRA and held the highest cumulative rating from the American Conservative Union for voting with the Constitution. In 2019, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce named him Legislator of the Year.