Arizona Senate Renews GOP Chair Gina Swoboda’s Controversial Consulting Contract

Swoboda will continue to advise Arizona Senate Elections for third straight year.

The Arizona Senate Republicans have once again hired Gina Swoboda, now the state GOP chair, as a consultant to advise on election-related legislation. This renewal of her contract comes as Swoboda’s profile in state politics continues to grow following her leadership role in securing significant Republican electoral gains in Arizona during the 2024 cycle.

Republicans picked up Arizona’s 11 electoral votes, kept their 6-3 advantage for Congress, took complete control over the Corporation Commission, gained seats in the Arizona House and Senate, picked up the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and held the Board of Supervisors’ 4-1 GOP advantage, all with Swoboda at the helm of the party. It’s the first time Republicans have gained seats in the Legislature since the Tea Party movement in 2010.

Under the new agreement, effective November 13, 2024, Swoboda will receive $15,000 per month as an independent consultant through Agrippa Consulting Group, LLC. The contract runs through the 2025 session of the Fifty-seventh Legislature. This mirrors her 2023 agreement in terms of compensation but instead $7,500 per month for November and December, the contract puts each month at $15,000 but November was prorated. The updated contract also explicitly prohibits Swoboda from engaging in other Arizona election-related work that directly conflicts with her Senate role, though the effectiveness of this clause remains weak since there have already been questions during the first year of her contract that Senate President Warren Petersen did not seem inclined to want to enforce.

Swoboda's previous consulting work in 2023 also drew criticism for the lack of transparency surrounding her status as a contractor rather than a state employee. Critics noted that her role, initially announced as a "Senior Policy Advisor for the Senate Elections Committee," was clarified only after public records inquiries revealed her contractor status. Petersen defended her hiring, citing her extensive election expertise and partisan alignment with the conservative majority.

Swoboda’s dual roles have sparked scrutiny. As GOP chair, a position she assumed following a contentious internal party struggle, her influence extends beyond the legislature. Critics, including watchdog group American Oversight, have raised concerns about her continued involvement with Voter Reference Foundation, an organization linked to election conspiracy theories and backed by dark money from billionaire Richard Uihlein. Swoboda’s work there includes advocating for publishing voter registration data online, a practice prohibited under Arizona law but allowed in other states.

Her prior association with Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign and Kari Lake’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign has further fueled concerns about her suitability for advising on election policy. Both campaigns pushed baseless claims of election fraud following their losses, and Swoboda herself has echoed skepticism about Arizona's election processes, particularly in Maricopa County. At least until Republicans won the majority of races this year.

Swoboda’s $15,000 monthly consulting fee remains one of the highest at the Arizona Legislature for a contracted advisor, which raises questions about taxpayer-funded compensation for politically aligned roles. By comparison, policy advisors on both sides of the aisle earn six-figure salaries but also receive state benefits, unlike Swoboda. Her legislative work occurs alongside her unpaid GOP leadership, a dual role that has some questioning whether taxpayer resources indirectly support partisan activities.

Politicos will often say the appearance of unethical behavior is just as bad as unethical behavior itself. It seems shady and if the Dems did the same thing, Republicans would be calling them out for it.

This renewed contract underscores the Arizona Senate GOP's commitment to advancing their electoral priorities but comes with significant public accountability concerns. As Swoboda continues to navigate these overlapping responsibilities, scrutiny of her role is unlikely to abate.

She will be up for re-election as AZGOP chair next month and it would be shocking if she didn’t win that one in a landslide (if someone dares to even challenge her at this point.)