Arizona’s 2026 general election has reshaped the state’s political landscape in a significant way, with voters deciding who will oversee public education for millions of students across the state. The race for superintendent of public instruction — a position that directly influences how Arizona schools are run, how teachers are recruited and retained, and how public education funding works — has now been called.
Democrat Teresa Leyba Ruiz has won the race for Arizona superintendent of public instruction, according to a Thursday night projection by the Associated Press. Leyba Ruiz, a first-time candidate and former president of Glendale Community College, captured 53% of the vote over Republican Kimberly Yee, flipping the office back to Democratic control after a four-year gap.
What This Race Was About
The two candidates offered voters a clear contrast on education policy. Leyba Ruiz has said her immediate focus will be on addressing Arizona’s persistent teacher shortage — a challenge that affects student learning in classrooms across the state. She also supports placing additional requirements on Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program, the state’s school voucher system that allows public education funds to be used for private schooling.
Yee, who defeated incumbent Republican Superintendent Tom Horne in the GOP primary, made improving Arizona students’ test scores her central campaign promise. She was a strong advocate for the ESA voucher program and received backing from Turning Point USA, the state Legislature’s far-right Freedom Caucus, and the No Labels Party — though she did not earn an endorsement from President Trump.
A Broader Democratic Sweep in Arizona
Leyba Ruiz’s win is part of a wider Democratic wave in Arizona’s 2026 statewide races. With this victory, Democrats have now won every major statewide office on the ballot this cycle. You can follow the full picture of how these races played out through 2026 Arizona election results and updates from Arizona’s 2026 general election.
Among the other notable results: Democrat Nick Mansour made history by winning the Arizona treasurer’s race, becoming the first Democrat to hold that office since the 1960s. Meanwhile, Democrat Joanna Mendoza ousted Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, adding to the Democratic majority in Congress.
Voters also weighed in on election administration itself. Arizona voters rejected Proposition 144, a Republican-backed measure that would have required mail-in voters to provide identification and made other significant changes to how Arizonans vote. The measure’s defeat signals that many Arizona voters want to preserve access to existing voting methods.
Democrats last controlled the superintendent of public instruction office from 2019 to 2023. Leyba Ruiz’s victory returns them to that seat and gives the party a commanding presence in Arizona’s statewide government. For voters who cast ballots on education priorities — from school funding structures to teacher pipelines — the outcome will shape Arizona’s public school system for years to come. For complete Arizona elections coverage, including ongoing result updates reported by Wayne Schutsky and Camryn Sanchez, KJZZ continues to track the latest figures as they become available.
