A bill that would have directed public funds to conservative activist groups has been vetoed by Katie Hobbs, the governor of Arizona. The Democratic governor rejected a GOP-led Senate proposal that would have donated $17 from the sale of $25 license plates honoring the late right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk to Turning Point USA, the youth conservative organization he founded. Turning Point USA has been accused of promoting anti-trans and anti-immigration rhetoric.
In her March 6 veto letter, Hobbs said the legislation did not benefit residents and unnecessarily introduced “politics into a function of government that should remain non-partisan.” According to the Arizona Mirror, Turning Point USA raised $84 million in 2024. Its political action committee, Turning Point Action, which backs far-right Republican candidates and registers conservative voters, raised more than $27 million that same year. Democratic lawmakers also raised concerns that the well-funded organization would receive taxpayer-supported donations while similar proposals for LGBTQ+ Pride license plates have repeatedly been blocked by Republican legislators.
