If you’ve lived in the Valley for more than a minute, you know the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) is basically the center of the universe for Arizona law and order. It’s one of the largest prosecutorial agencies in the entire country. Honestly, the person in that chair has more impact on your daily life than most people in D.C. ever will.
But following the maricopa county attorney candidates over the last few years has been a bit of a rollercoaster. We’ve seen resignations, interim appointments, and high-stakes elections that turned into national talking points.
The 2024 Shakedown: Mitchell vs. Wooten
The most recent showdown in November 2024 saw incumbent Rachel Mitchell (the Republican) face off against Tamika Wooten (the Democrat). Mitchell isn't a newcomer. She’s been in the office since 1992. You might remember her from the national stage back in 2018 when she was the "investigative counsel" during the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings.
Mitchell won the 2024 general election with roughly 54.4% of the vote, which sounds like a comfortable lead, but in Maricopa County, nothing is ever truly "safe." She secured over a million votes—1,037,586 to be exact—to keep her seat until January 2029.
Her challenger, Tamika Wooten, brought a pretty different vibe to the race. She had a background as a chief prosecutor in Glendale and a pro tem judge. Her campaign was built on three big pillars: protecting reproductive rights (specifically promising not to prosecute women or doctors over abortion), ensuring fair justice, and treating things like addiction as health issues rather than just criminal ones. She pulled in about 45.5% of the vote. That’s a lot of people in the county who were looking for a shift in how the MCAO operates.
🔗 Read more: The Brutal Reality of the Russian Mail Order Bride Locked in Basement Headlines
Why this office is a lightning rod
It's not just about who wins; it's about what they do with the power. The MCAO handles tens of thousands of cases every year. Everything from retail theft and DUI to the heavy stuff like homicide and sex crimes.
Under Mitchell, the office has doubled down on a "tough on crime" stance, especially regarding organized retail theft and violent offenses. But the office hasn't been without its drama. Remember Allister Adel? She was the previous County Attorney who resigned in 2022 after a whirlwind of controversies involving her sobriety and the handling of the office. Mitchell was appointed to fill that vacuum and has been trying to steady the ship ever since.
Who Else Was in the Mix?
Before we got to the Mitchell-Wooten showdown, the primaries were where the real sparks flew. Mitchell didn't just walk into the nomination. She had to fend off a challenge from Gina Godbehere, a former prosecutor herself, in the Republican primary. Mitchell won that with 56.4% of the vote. It was a clear signal that the GOP base wanted to stick with the incumbent rather than gambling on a new face.
On the Democratic side, Tamika Wooten was essentially the lone wolf, sweeping her primary with 99.5% because no other major candidates stepped up to the plate.
💡 You might also like: The Battle of the Chesapeake: Why Washington Should Have Lost
What’s Next for the Maricopa County Attorney?
Since we’re currently in early 2026, the dust has settled on the 2024 race, but the political machine never really stops. Mitchell is now in her first full four-year term. Her current term doesn't end until January 1, 2029.
That means for the next three years, she is the one making the calls on:
- How the county handles abortion-related cases (a massive point of contention).
- The relationship between the MCAO and the Phoenix Police Department.
- The prosecution of election-related crimes, which has been a hot-button issue in Arizona for years.
If you’re wondering about 2026, the focus in Arizona has shifted to the Attorney General race. Incumbent Democrat Kris Mayes is up for re-election, and that's going to be a bloodbath. You’ve got names like Rodney Glassman and Warren Petersen already making moves on the Republican side. While the Maricopa County Attorney isn't on the ballot this year, the outcome of the AG race will directly affect how Mitchell’s office interacts with state-level law enforcement.
Getting involved in the process
Most people think about the maricopa county attorney candidates only when a ballot shows up in their mail. That’s a mistake. The decisions made by this office happen every single Tuesday in courtrooms across downtown Phoenix.
📖 Related: Texas Flash Floods: What Really Happens When a Summer Camp Underwater Becomes the Story
If you want to keep tabs on what’s actually happening, you should:
- Watch the Board of Supervisors meetings: They control the MCAO’s budget. If the office wants more money for specific task forces, this is where it happens.
- Check the MCAO’s transparency portal: They often release data on prosecution rates and crime trends.
- Keep an eye on the 2026 AG race: Since the State Attorney General has "supervisory" power over county attorneys in certain situations, who wins that race matters for Maricopa.
The reality is that Maricopa County is the ultimate swing county in a swing state. The County Attorney isn't just a lawyer; they’re a policy-maker. Whether you like Mitchell’s traditional approach or wanted Wooten’s reform-minded strategy, the 2024 results set the stage for how law is enforced here until 2029.
Actionable Insight for Voters:
Don't wait for 2028 to care about the MCAO. Start by looking at the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors agendas. They are currently reviewing budget allocations for 2026-2027, which determines how many prosecutors are on the street and what programs (like drug courts or diversionary programs) get funded. Your input during public comment sessions is the most direct way to influence the "policy" of the office between election cycles.