As someone who has watched the Arizona Senate up close, I’ve seen plenty of backroom deals and political maneuvering-but what happened in the final hours of this legislative session was nothing short of a calculated coup against the conservative movement in Arizona. Soon after the vote to close session, behind closed doors, Senate leadership removed Majority Leader Janae Shamp — an unapologetic conservative warrior who refused to play along with establishment insiders and paid the price for standing with true conservatives.
Make no mistake: the ousting of Senate Majority Leader Shamp was a political execution, orchestrated by Senate President Warren Petersen, Senator John Kavanagh, and Senate Pro Tem T.J. Shope—infamously dubbed “T.J. Show-Me-Your-Papers” for siding with Democrats in 2021 to defeat a bill protecting medical privacy during COVID. Their motive? Revenge. Shamp and fellow Senate conservatives defied orders, rejecting a bloated budget—approved by Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs—packed with liberal priorities. Shamp’s removal was a blunt warning to dissenters: conform or be crushed. It was a baseless act of political vengeance, absent any ethics probe or legal breach. This purge exposes the establishment’s fear of conservatives who prioritize principles over party loyalty.
For months, chatter filled the Senate halls about how Petersen was systematically sidelining Shamp—excluding her from budget meetings, stripping her authority, and allowing staffers to insult and berate her without consequence. Petersen had made it clear he wanted Shope to take his place as Senate President after he leaves the chamber, and Shamp, as Majority Leader, was the main obstacle to that plan coming to fruition.
Shamp’s record shows exactly why the establishment sees her as a threat. Under her leadership, and with her close ties to President Trump, she was instrumental in bringing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the legislature to support Arizona’s Make America Healthy Again movement, also known as MAHA. Petersen rushed to participate in the photo opportunity. Still, everyone at the Capitol knew it was Shamp who had built the relationships, made the calls, and championed the effort on behalf of Arizona families.
Shamp is also seatmates with House Speaker Steve Montenegro, whose House championed conservatives by advancing three separate budget proposals—two vetoed by Governor Hobbs—before finally forcing over $100 million in cuts from Petersen’s and Hobbs’ final budget. Combine Petersen’s animosity towards Shamp with his harsh rhetoric towards Montenegro, and it becomes obvious why he did what he did.
For Kavanagh, who was Petersen’s point man in the budget negotiations with Hobbs and who led the Senate floor debate over the measures, the reward is the title of Senate Majority Leader, the highest title he has ever held after nearly 20 years in the Legislature. For Shope, who ironically has built a career on rolling more conservative Republicans and who is best remembered for selling out our pro-lifers during the debate over legalizing abortion in Arizona, his main competition for Senate President has been knocked down a peg. But for the rest of the Senators who were complicit in this coup, including faux MAGA warriors like Wendy Rogers and David Farnsworth, their loyalty to Petersen instead of conservatives will likely come at a cost.
Because here’s what the establishment doesn’t understand: removing Shamp from leadership doesn’t remove her from the Senate, it elevates her. She remains a sitting State Senator, and as long as she keeps fighting for taxpayers, standing with the grassroots, and refusing to be bullied by the backroom elite, her rise to the presidency may be inevitable. Like President Trump, who survived not just political assassination attempts but actual assassination attempts, she’s been handed a gift—the gift of seeing exactly who is good and who is not.
Arizona conservatives are watching. We remember who rolled over on conservative principles, and we remember who fought for us even when it cost them. Shamp isn’t going away—and neither are the voters who sent her there.
Shamp comes in as a total newbie in 2023, and looks to upset their applecart with her impatient passion? <— total prescription for disaster. Get a clue, folks. Unfortunately, the AZ Legislature, both houses, have razor thin majorities for the GOP; if those majorities were larger, Shamp would probably get more consideration. If you live in a Bright Red District, like Lisa Everett, Chair of LD 29…YOU DON'T SEE THE HORDES OF DIMSHEVIKS, some of us do, about to storm the gates. And they have the MEDIA in their corner, and a AZ Congressional Delegation that wasn't there 15-20 yrs ago. Stop this incessant infighting over petty personality bullsh*t, and JUST WIN SOME STATEWIDE ELECTIONS, Mullets.
As long as uninformed voters continue to vote the same clowns into office just because of name recognition things will stay the same. Down in Tucson Grijalva’s daughter is going to assume his seat in congress because of his name. She’s as bad as he was
That is the sorry state of affairs. Until the R Party starts influencing uninformed and low-information voters, nothing will change.
Sleazy Peterson has been a RINO for many years. He’s a creepy, power hungry a**kisser. Cant wait till he’s out with his buddy Hobbs.
The deep state and McCain wing of the democrat party is alive and well in AZ. Now you know why I say AZ will be blue by 28……..no doubt in my mind….Until they are gone, there are no hope for any real conservative republican.
Effectively, AZ turned blue when Sinema was elected senator. Let’s do not fool ourselves, the RINO and McCain types are blue, so as the state.
Revenge : IS A TWO EDGED SWORD! You may think this is OVER – It’ain’t’ put that in your pee water and have a long drink
Now that we have a more complete list of the RINOcrats it’s time to find real conservatives who we can run against them in those districts. It won’t be a problem getting Trump and Co behind the push.
AMEN!!!