Arizona’s Senate president took aim at viral comments about the future of golf from the state’s Democratic attorney general as their battle to be the state’s top law enforcement officer entered its final stretch before next week’s midterm elections. A remark about potentially restricting golf courses and the Grand Canyon State having "too much grass" turned a debate over water conservation into a campaign flashpoint, with Sen. Warren Petersen accusing Attorney General Kris Mayes of targeting a multibillion-dollar industry in the desert state while Mayes later insisted her remarks were taken out of context.
"Kris Mayes thinks Arizona has too many golf courses. I think Arizona has too many radical politicians who believe government should dictate which industries get to thrive," Petersen, R-Maricopa, told Fox News Digital Tuesday. 100 DAYS UNTIL MIDTERMS AND DEMOCRATS ARE WINNING BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A MESSAGE "Our golf courses support jobs, tourism, small businesses and communities across this state. Instead of attacking an industry that contributes to our economy, the attorney general should be focused on enforcing the law, protecting consumers and defending Arizona families." In an interview with Politico delving into the data center debate and whether the proliferation of water-intensive buildings is wise, particularly in an arid state, Mayes cited neighboring states allegedly "backed by" the Trump administration as hindrances to Arizona’s local supply.
Mayes' golf course remarks came shortly after she warned that Arizona was headed toward a potential Supreme Court showdown over Colorado River water supplies. "We could do a hell of a lot more when it comes to conservation," she said, citing tax incentives for catchment and removal of lawns. GRAND CANYON WATER PIPELINE DAMAGED AGAIN AS FLOODING COMPLICATES REPAIRS "We have way, way too much grass in Arizona.
We probably, frankly — and I'm sure the golf industry is not going to like this when I say this — we probably have too many golf courses in Arizona right now." That remark sparked blowback from Petersen and many others. "We don’t have a golf course problem in Arizona. We have a dumocrat (sic) problem in Arizona," quipped Rep.
"Kris Mayes is promising to get rid of golf courses. I promise to get rid of Kris Mayes," Petersen added in his own tweet. E-procurement software CEO Tom Spengler added that Arizona "honestly need[s] more golf courses." "Tee times are very hard to get and rates have doubled or tripled since COVID," he said.
"We have too much grass — said no one ever, other than Kris Mayes," added Turning Point USA executive Justin Streiff. Arizona’s business community also took notice, and Arizona Chamber of Commerce Vice President Courtney Coolidge responded to Mayes with several statistics about golf’s impact on the state. Coolidge reported a $6 billion economic impact, 66,000 jobs, $2.3 billion in wages and $520 million in tax revenue.
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