Rogers was an U.S. Air Force officer from 1976 to 1996. Before winning election to the state Senate, she unsuccessfully ran for various state and federal offices between 2010 and 2018. In 2020, Rogers mounted a successful primary challenge against incumbent State Senator Sylvia Allen and went on to defeat the Democratic nominee in the general election. Rogers was initially elected to represent Legislative District 6, later switching districts in response to redistricting.[1]
In 2016, Rogers unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Arizona's 1st congressional district; she was one of a five-person field, along with Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, former state Senator and Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, rancher and businessman Gary Kiehne, and businessman Shawn Redd.[10] During her primary campaign, Rogers was the sole candidate to support Donald Trump's proposal to build a wall on the border with Mexico.[10] She also supported increasing the number of U.S. military personnel deployed to foreign conflicts.[10] Rogers lost, coming in third place behind Babeu, who won the nomination, and Kiehne, the runner-up.[11] In 2018, Rogers ran again and won the Republican nomination for the 1st congressional district, but lost to incumbent Democratic congressman Tom O'Halleran.[12]
State Senate election and tenure
In 2020, Rogers ran for the Arizona Senate in the 6th legislative district, which encompasses Rim Country and the White Mountains, and extends from Flagstaff to the Arizona–New Mexico border.[13] Rogers unseated longtime Republican incumbent Sylvia Allen in a bitterly contested primary election,[14] and defeated Democratic nominee Felicia French in the general election.[15] During the campaign, Rogers made few public appearances, did not participate in debates, and avoided taking positions on local political issues, such as forest management, education funding, or Arizona's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]Dark money organizations on both sides spent large sums to support and oppose the two candidates.[15] Rogers raised $1 million in campaign contributions, a record for the district.[15] As a candidate and official, she has espoused far-right views and cultivated ties to far-right political causes.[16][17][18][19]
Rogers took office in January 2021.[20] Now serving her second term, she currently serves as Chair of the Arizona Senate Elections Committee, Vice Chair of the Government Committee, and member of the Military Affairs, Public Safety & Border Security Committee and Judiciary Committee, and as a member of the joint legislature's Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Study Committee.[21][22]
Support for overturning the 2020 presidential election
After a mob of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 in a failed attempt to halt the counting of the electoral votes and keep Trump in power, Rogers falsely claimed the attack had been conducted by antifa groups.[23][26] Rogers was one of a number of Republican state legislators in Arizona who either defended and excused the attempted insurrection, or spread disinformation about responsibility for the attack.[26]
Rogers strongly supported the 2021 Maricopa County presidential ballot audit initiated by Arizona Senate Republicans to challenge Joe Biden's victory in the county and the state.[27] Following their outspoken criticism of the audit, Rogers called for the imprisonment of Maricopa County's Board of Supervisors, along with unnamed electronic voting machine company executives.[28] Her false claims of election fraud helped her gain a large following on social media.[29] The Maricopa County results had previously been repeatedly recounted, with no discrepancies found, and the audit found that Biden's margin of victory in the county was actually larger than initially reported. Following this, Rogers began a campaign to audit elections in all 50 states and called for each state to "decertify its electors where it has been shown the elections were certified prematurely and inaccurately".[27] She was one of two Arizona legislators endorsed for reelection by former president Donald Trump in 2022.[30][31]
Legislation
In March 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona, Rogers sponsored legislation to declare gun shops "essential businesses" permitted to remain open during emergencies; the bill passed the Senate on a 16–14 party-line vote.[32] In February 2021, Rogers sponsored legislation seeking to rename a portion of Arizona State Route 260 as the "Donald J. Trump Highway"; State Senator Martín Quezada, a Democrat from Phoenix, described Roger's proposal as "a desperate attempt to really pander to a base of voters even though the state of Arizona rejected Donald Trump".[33] In 2021, Rogers introduced a bill to ban abortions on the grounds of disability and make performing abortions for this reason a felony.[34]
In January 2022, Rogers proposed a bill that, if accepted, would make Arizona the first state to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, though doubts were raised about its compliance with the Contract Clause of the United States Constitution.[35] Rogers subsequently introduced legislation to allow state agencies to accept cryptocurrencies in the payment of debts, and to exclude cryptocurrencies from Arizona taxes.[36][37]
Rogers was reelected to the Arizona Senate in the 7th legislative district in 2022.[38] During the preceding redistricting cycle, Rogers' district went from leaning Republican to heavily Republican.[39] She benefited from a "last-minute change" by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, which altered 7th district boundaries to shift more Democratic-leaning voters to a neighboring district.[40][1] Rogers was drawn into the same legislative district as fellow incumbent Republican senator Kelly Townsend from Apache Junction.[39] Former president Donald Trump endorsed Rogers, and by January 2022, Rogers had raised a record $2.5 million for her reelection campaign.[41][42][43]
On July 4, 2022, Donald Glenn Brown, a former Tucson middle school music teacher, sent a death threat to a store in Show Low where Rogers was attending the city's Independence Day parade. Brown's email, sent from a fake account, threatened to fatally shoot Rogers and others at the store.[44] Brown was charged with attempting to make a terroristic threat, a Class 4 felony. He pled guilty in April 2023 and was sentenced on June 6, 2023 to two and a half years in prison by Navajo CountySuperior Court Judge Joseph Clark.[45] Reacting to the sentence, Rogers praised the ruling for protecting the interests of her constituents.[46]
Rogers defeated Townsend in the Republican primary on August 22, 2022, having received 59.7% percent of the vote (24,023 votes) to Townsend's 40.3% (16,185).[47][48] Rogers went on to defeat Democrat Kyle Nitschke in the general election, where she received 63.6% of the vote (63,019 votes) to Nitschke's 36.4% (36,030 votes).[38]
2024 campaign
In 2023, Republican state representative David Cook, who is term-limited from running for re-election to the Arizona House, announced that he would challenge Rogers in the 2024 primary election for the state Senate. Cook stated that he chose to enter the race after Rogers retweeted a video containing sexually-explicit content from Hunter Biden's laptop.[49]
Controversies
Defamation lawsuit
While running for Congress in 2018, Rogers ran ads attacking one of her Republican primary opponents, Steve Smith, calling him a "slimy character" and linking his employer, a modeling agency, to "websites linked to sex trafficking".[50][51] The modeling agency and its owner sued Rogers for defamation in October 2018.[52][50] In a 4–3 decision issued in February 2022, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Rogers's ad was protected by the First Amendment. The majority ruled that allowing the case to proceed would "inevitably and intolerably chill political speech" by opening the door to lawsuits by "any third party who might indirectly be identified in a passing reference in a political advertisement"; the dissenting justices criticized the decision, writing that it "effectively weaponizes the First Amendment against innocent bystanders ensnared by often-vitriolic political campaigns, disregards well-established precedent, and is unnecessary for protecting political speech."[53][54]
Workplace harassment allegation by former aide
In January 2021, Michael Polloni, a former legislative aide to Rogers, filed a complaint with the Arizona State Senate Ethics Committee accusing Rogers of workplace abuse. In his complaint, Polloni claimed that Rogers subjected him to verbal abuse, removed and damaged his belongings, demanded that he perform campaign work on government time, and demanded that he work while on sick leave for COVID-19.[55] An investigation by a Senate attorney found that Rogers cursed at Polloni during a heated argument, but found "little evidence" to corroborate other claims. In March 2021, the Republican-led Ethics Committee dismissed the complaint, finding no clear and convincing evidence of an ethics violation. Both Democrats on the Committee disagreed with the decision.[56][57][58] Polloni subsequently filed a $500,000 notice of claim (a precursor to a lawsuit) against the state, alleging wrongful termination and harassment.[59] In December 2021, Polloni filed suit in Maricopa County Superior Court, alleging wrongful termination, assault and emotional distress.[60]
Embrace of far-right extremism; AFPAC speech and censure; ethics investigation
In 2018, Rogers claimed to be a "charter member" of the Oath Keepers, a militia group known to promote conspiracy theories and violent, extremist rhetoric, including talk of a new civil war. During her 2020 campaign for the Arizona Senate, she promoted her membership in the group.[13] Many Oath Keepers were prosecuted for their roles in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.[61] After more than two dozen members of the organization were criminally indicted, Rogers wrote on Twitter: "I am a member of the Oathkeepers and I really like their dedication to our Constitution and to our country," and included a photo of her speaking to the Cottonwood chapter of the organization.[61]
In December 2020, as a state senator-elect, Rogers praised Confederate general Robert E. Lee as a "great patriot and a great leader".[62]
In June 2021, Rogers appeared on the streaming channelTruNews on a show hosted by Christian nationalist commentator Lauren Witzke. TruNews, along with its founder Rick Wiles, is known for its promotion of antisemitic conspiracy theories, including a claim Trump's impeachment was orchestrated by "seditious Jews" and that Americans are "oppressed by Jewish tyrants".[63][64] Rogers appeared on TruNews a second time the next month; during this appearance, Witzke called Rogers her "favorite state legislator" and said that the TruNews crew were "really big fans" of hers.[64]
In a Twitter post in July 2021, Rogers cited a Breitbart News article to claim that "Americans who love this country" are "being replaced and invaded," echoing the racist and populist Great Replacement conspiracy theory popular among Republicans.[65][66] After she was criticized for her statement, Rogers doubled down, asserting that "communists & our enemies" were "using mass immigration, education, big tech, big corporations & other strategies to accomplish this."[67] Rogers has embraced white nationalism and promoted various antisemitic conspiracy theories about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, George Soros, and the Rothschild family.[68][69][70][71][72][73] In February 2022, she gave a speech to the America First Political Action Conference (AFPAC), an organization founded by white nationalist Nick Fuentes. In her pre-recorded remarks, Rogers said that her political enemies (unspecified "traitors") should be publicly hanged, and praised Fuentes, calling him "the most persecuted man in America".[40][72][74] Rogers had previously stated to Fuentes on Twitter, "We love you."[75] Following the conference, Rogers praised white nationalist Vincent James Foxx and suggested he run for political office.[74]
On March 1, 2022, Republican Arizona Senate Majority Leader Rick Gray responded by moving to censure Rogers for "conduct unbecoming of a senator, including publicly issuing and promoting social media and video messages encouraging violence."[72] On the Senate floor, Rogers refused to apologize or "back down" and accused Senate Republican leadership of "colluding with the Democrats".[76] Rogers had previously threatened to "destroy the careers" of any Republican senators who voted to censure her.[77] The censure resolution criticized Rogers for "encouraging violence against and punishment of American citizens" and "making threatening statements declaring 'political destruction' of those who disagree with her views"; references to Rogers' antisemitic remarks (condemning her for "inciting general racial and religious discrimination") were removed from the final text of the resolution.[69] The Senate voted 24–3 to censure her, with Rogers and two other Republicans voting no.[78] Rogers was the first Arizona senator to be censured in at least four decades.[79]
In June 2022, QAnon conspiracy theorist Ron Watkins filed an ethics complaint against Rogers with the Arizona Senate. In support of his complaint, Watkins cited Rogers' request on the instant messaging service Telegram for the Groypers to "hit" Watkins after he alleged that Rogers had cut a "backroom deal" to prevent election equipment from being examined.[80]
Following the May 2022 mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, Rogers suggested on a social media site that the shooting was a false flag operation perpetrated by U.S. federal government agents.[81][82] The Republican-controlled Arizona Senate decided two days later, by a 24–3 vote, to open an ethics investigation of Rogers over the comment. Rogers was one of the three Republicans who voted against the investigation.[83][84] In June 2022, the Senate Ethics Committee counsel issued its report, which made no determination as to whether Rogers violated Senate rules, and concluded that the full Senate was responsible for deciding whether to take any further action with respect to Senator Rogers' remarks."[85]
Residence
Members of the Arizona legislature are required to live in the districts they represent.[40] Rogers and her husband, Hal Kunnen, own three residences: a single-family residence in Tempe, a single-family residence in the Stellar Airpark in Chandler, and a mobile home in Flagstaff.[86] Questions regarding Rogers' residency have swirled for years.[49] In filing papers to run for state Senate, Rogers listed her residence as the 708-square-foot mobile home in Flagstaff.[40] On a trust document signed by Rogers, however, she stated she lives in Tempe.[86]David Cook, Rogers' 2024 challenger in the Republican primary accused her of having "a million dollar home getting tax breaks while claiming to live in a trailer park in Flagstaff."[49]
In 2023, as part of investigative journalism into Roger's residence, Arizona Capitol Times reporter Camryn Sanchez rang a doorbell at Roger's home and asked her questions on the floor of the Arizona Senate. Rogers responded by obtaining a restraining order against Sanchez,[40] which the Flagstaff Justice Court granted without notice to the reporter.[86] The order was criticized by the Freedom of the Press Foundation,[87] and the Capitol Times challenged it as a baseless and unconstitutional prior restraint infringement upon the freedom of the press.[88] One week after it was issued, a different judge, following a hearing, dissolved the order, ruling that Sanchez was engaged in "legitimate" news-gathering activity, and that the reporter did not engage in activity that would cause a "reasonable person to be seriously alarmed, annoyed or harassed."[86]
Personal life
Rogers married Hal Kunnen in 1978; they have two children and own a home inspection business.[10] Like Rogers, Kunnen is a retired Air Force officer.[89]
Bibliography
Rogers, Wendy (July 2, 2011). The First 100: The Life and Times of a Woman Air Force Pilot. Amazon. ASINB0059Y6W1I.
^ abc"Wendy Rogers". Archives of Women's Political Communication. Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, Iowa State University. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
United States
United States Air Force
Lieutenant Colonel
