WASHINGTON, DC – A new article from the Financial Times takes a look at the rise of investments into the races for state attorney general while the role and importance of AGs in shaping national policy has also become increasingly prevalent.

“The surge in contributions reflects the growing clout of attorneys-general, who have emerged as a formidable check on the Trump administration’s policies as well as on industries such as tech and AI by imposing regulation,” The Financial Times wrote.

Key highlights:

• “‘In the last year and a half [or] two years, the federal government has melted away when it comes to being a partner with the states,’ Arizona attorney-general Kris Mayes, a Democrat, told the FT.”
• “‘In the absence of a federal standard, [attorneys-general] begin to create a national standard based on how they are regulating businesses or industries that are participating in their states,’ said Sean Rankin, president of the Democratic Attorneys General Association.”
• “Arizona is among the most competitive attorney-general contests in the midterms. Mayes won the position by just 280 votes in 2022. She says her victory allowed the state to sue the Trump administration 52 times and save Arizonans billions of dollars.”
• “‘There’s never been a more important moment for attorneys-general,” said Rankin.  “It’s obvious and clear to all who are paying attention that the only lever to limit Trump’s power are the actions that Democratic attorneys-general take,’ he added.”
• “Rankin explained that Democratic attorneys-general had filed more than 130 lawsuits against the administration since Trump’s second presidency began.”
• “Attorneys-general, alongside small businesses, successfully challenged the president’s use of emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs at the Supreme Court. They have also successfully blocked a number of his attempts to freeze billions of dollars in federal funding.”
• “‘If you don’t have an AG who is willing to stand up to this administration, that could have significant costs and significant harms resulting from it for your state,’ Wisconsin attorney-general Josh Kaul told the FT.”
• “As voting day nears, Democrats see the typically Republican heartland states of Iowa and Kansas as vulnerable…”

###