A debate between Republican candidates for Arizona superintendent of public instruction turned combative as incumbent Tom Horne questioned challenger Kimberly Yee’s education experience and accused her of serving on a diversity, equity and inclusion committee, a claim Yee emphatically denied.
The June 27 forum, hosted by the Sun City West Republican Club at Palm Ridge Recreation Center, highlighted broad agreement between the candidates on expanding school choice and opposing DEI initiatives. But disagreements over qualifications and each other’s records dominated the discussion.
Horne argued his years leading the Arizona Department of Education make him uniquely qualified to continue in the role.
