Arizona Republican leaders respond to State of the State address

Governor Katie Hobbs spoke to the Arizona legislature on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, to kick off the legislative session. The Governor’s annual speech to the state legislature outlines her priorities for the year.

Earlier this week, we heard from Democrat leadership and are now offering the chance for Republican leadership to give their thoughts on the speech and outline for the legislative session ahead.

President Pro Tempore Senator T.J. Shope (R), District 16, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss Governor Hobbs’ State of the State address.

“We had some commonality, especially when we’re discussing things like the Colorado River,” Senator Shope said, “where obviously we’re gonna have to come together on.”

Arizona is the only state of the seven basin states of the Colorado River that requires legislative approval for anything that the Governor enters into.

“This is our fourth year in a divided government,” Senator Shope said, “and I think both sides are intentional on what we want to get accomplished, and what we know is gonna be a non-starter for either side.”

Senator Shope explained the Republicans’ plan does not include a salt deduction tax, which is a state and local deduction, which means high state tax states, including California, New York and New Jersey, are able to write off their state taxes on their federal income tax.

“We don’t include that because it goes to the highest wage earners,” Senator Shope said. “We want a middle class tax cut that’s gonna affect the most Arizonans that we possibly can in a positive way.”

Senator Shope said there are no plans for guardrails over the controversial ESA vouchers that have sparked major debates among Democrats and Republicans in Arizona.

“The people understand that the fundamental idea of sending your child to the school of their choosing is something we have ingrained in Arizona since the mid 1990’s,” Senator Shope said.