Tim Steller's column: New Sen. Wadsack burns hot in first months, could flame out

A March 8 incident encapsulated Sen. Justine Wadsack’s short, eventful time in the Legislature so far.

Wadsack, a Republican, told the state House Judiciary Committee that day she knew of “hundreds if not over a thousand people that tried to sue doctors, state officials, county officials, city officials” over vaccine and mask mandates.

“These attorneys came to me telling me they were restricted from taking any of those cases,” Wadsack went on. “If they did, the Arizona State Bar would immediately disbar them.”

When state Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Democrat from the Phoenix area, pressed her for evidence, Wadsack snapped, “I don’t owe you anything in the way of proof.”

She told a big story, she got pushback from opponents, she flashed disdain at them, and she went on to win. For that day at least.

It’s been a lively first couple of months in the Legislature for Wadsack. She’s dived head first into culture-war issues, proposing or supporting bills to regulate drag shows, to let parents suggest banning books in schools, and to regulate the use of students’ pronouns in schools, among other things.

She’s tried to ban charter cities, to force cities to destroy homeless camps, and, in the March 8 case, to end the requirement that attorneys belong to the State Bar.

As she’s energetically engaged in the culture wars at the Capitol, she’s also continued to embrace conspiracy theories online and do social-media battle with her opponents.

“#J6 is a lie” she proclaimed on Twitter March 7. She was responding to Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s attempt at showing that the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol was not how it has been portrayed — an act by Trump supporters to stop the transfer of power.

Noting that three hazardous materials spills occurred in one week nationwide, including one in Tucson, she proclaimed “THIS FEELS ORGANIZED” and used the hashtag #BiohazardAttacks.

Criticized for her focus on trans issues, Wadsack told one Twitter critic: “Shame on you for your stalking comments on a sitting senator’s Twitter.” She called another critic “soy boy.”

Wadsack declined to answer 10 questions I emailed her last week about her political approach, her experience in the Legislature and some of her specific battles. She’s asked me not to contact her by cell phone.

Her combative engagement wins her fans among conservative Republicans. Dave Smith, the chair of the Pima County GOP told me, “I think she’s done an outstanding job.”

“I’ve appreciated her ability to generate legislation about issues we’re concerned about,” said Smith, a resident of the Wadsack’s legislative district. “I understand why the Democrats would be upset because she’s not the supine Republican they’re used to.”

Wadsack and the two House members from her district benefited from a redistricting process that created a gerrymandered district wrapped around the Tucson area, from Marana, across the Santa Catalina Mountains, south over the Tanque Verde area and all the way to Vail.

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It resulted from a deliberate effort by the chair of the redistricting commission, Erika Neuberg, to get more representation for “right of center folks” in the Tucson area. The Southern Arizona Leadership Council supported the effort, as did then-Sen. Vince Leach, who fought for his residence to be included in this new district.

He succeeded in helping create the district with a Republican advantage of 5 percentage points only to lose the primary to Wadsack.

While Wadsack’s aggressiveness may please her supporters, she’s also making enemies. Leach has already filed to run against her for the seat in 2024. He told me many of Wadsack’s bills are just “window dressing” — submitted but never even assigned to committees.

“Sometimes people get the horse in front of the cart, and don’t think about the long term ramifications,” he said. “You need to think before you just drop bills.”

In particular, he noted, legislators need to think about what the Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, will sign. In February, Wadsack stood and turned her back to Hobbs when she delivered her state of the state speech, which won’t help her get bills signed.

Democrats, of course, don’t appreciate the disdain that Wadsack sometimes treats them with. The episode with Ortiz certainly rankled. In the exchange, Ortiz was composed, but Wadsack lashed out at being questioned.

“We are elected to make evidence-based decisions, and we owe that to the people we represent,” Ortiz told me Tuesday. “For Ms. Wadsack to say she doesn’t owe me evidence — it wasn’t about me.”

One of Wadsack’s constituents, John Higgins, shared with me email exchanges he’s had with her. On Jan. 19, he wrote to her:

“Dear Sen. Wadsack, I have been looking at the bills you have sponsored or co-sponsored to deal with current housing crisis in Arizona, especially in Pinal and Pima Counites. I see you co-sponsored HB2377 which forbids cities from forcing motels, motels and landlords to accept housing vouchers for poor homeless people. Do you have any other ideas or plans (government, private, voluntary) to deal with the lack of affordable housing for families, and for homeless veterans, youth on their own and mentally ill persons?”

Wadsack’s Jan. 23 response: “Do not contact me. You are a opinion journalist who write hit pieces, but you don’t disclose your intent. Your past communications have been out of line. Please stop.”

What was that all about? Higgins has written letters to the editor of the Star criticizing Wadsack.

Wadsack’s contempt toward Democrats and critics is likely to be her Achilles heel. Already, Democrats in LD 17 are preparing a recall campaign against her.

Christina Rodriguez, who is organizing the recall campaign, said they plan to drum up support in April, then formally launch the 120-day signature-gathering in May.

“This has been kind of a deluge of bad policy,” she said of Wadsack’s performance. “It’s a clear division between district and legislator.”

So, Wadsack may get bills passed in the closely divided Senate, and she may even get some through the House, though her bill about the State Bar is stuck there now.

But it’s undetermined yet whether burning hot with righteousness is a way for her to turn bills into laws and put policies in place.