Mark Brnovich: Former Arizona attorney general has died

Newsmaker: Exit interview with Arizona AG Mark Brnovich

FOX 10's John Hook speaks one-on-one with Arizona's Attorney General Mark Brnovich as he leaves office, and remarks on how he never expected to run for any political office. He discusses the election cycles while in office, immigration and his stance on the death penalty as he carried out the first execution in nearly a decade in Arizona.

PHOENIX - Mark Brnovich, the former Arizona attorney general who was once tipped to be a U.S. ambassador, has died. 

What we know:

Brnovich's family released a statement on his passing via a spokesperson, which reads:

"It is with profound sorrow that the Brnovich family announces the passing of Mark Brnovich. Best known as Arizona’s 26th Attorney General, a state and federal prosecutor, and champion of justice, he will forever be remembered and cherished by us as a beloved father, husband, son, and brother. We are heartbroken with this loss and are deeply moved by the outpouring of love and support from so many wonderful people across the state and country."

The family asks for privacy during this difficult time. Memorial service arrangements will be made public as they become available."

Brnovich was 59 years old, and he is survived by his wife, Susan, and their two daughters.

Local perspective:

As news of Brnovich's death spread, various current and former Arizona leaders have spoken out on the former Attorney General.

In a post made to X, former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said it was "an honor to campaign with and serve alongside" Brnovich.

"His passion for the law, justice, and victims were hallmarks of his career in public service," read a portion of Ducey's statement. "For those of us blessed to call him a friend, his humor, positivity, and happy warrior spirit were infectious."

Brnovich's successor as Attorney General, Kris Mayes, issued a statement on Brnovich's passing as well, stating that he "dedicated many years to public service in Arizona, including his two terms as Attorney General."

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, who is also Brnovich's predecessor as Attorney General, also issued a statement that reads:

"Mark Brnovich was an outstanding, dedicated public servant and a devoted family man. He will be missed. At one time we were political opponents, but we eventually became friends, for which I am grateful. My hope is that his family finds peace as they mourn this wonderful person."

The backstory:

Brnovich, a Republican and the son of Yugoslavian immigrants, was elected as attorney general in 2014. He was reelected to a second term four years later. Before becoming attorney general, Brnovich worked as a federal prosecutor. He was also the director of gaming in Arizona.

(Courtesy: Brnovich Family)

Brnovich entered the 2022 U.S. Senate race, but his bid was unsuccessful. Republican Blake Masters won the primary before losing to Democrat and current Senator Mark Kelly.

Last March, Brnovich was named as a U.S. ambassador to Serbia by President Donald Trump. According to Congress's website, however, the nomination was withdrawn in October the same year.

What we don't know:

Brnovich's cause of death is unknown.

2020 election

Dig deeper:

In 2023, current Attorney General Kris Mayes, who succeeded Brnovich, released thousands of documents pertaining to the investigation into the 2020 election in Arizona, saying there was no evidence of alleged widespread voter fraud in the election.

"In each instance and in each matter, the aforementioned parties did not provide any evidence to support their allegations," Mayes said. "The information that was provided was speculative in many instances and when investigated by our agents and support staff, was found to be inaccurate."

When the report was released, Brnovich released a statement, saying: "I am proud of the work our office did with the election integrity unit that was created by the Arizona legislature. While subjected to severe criticism from all sides of the political spectrum during the course of our investigations, we did our due diligence to run all complaints to ground. Where we were able to debunk rumors and conspiracies, we did so. Nevertheless, we also identified areas we believe the legislature and county officials should address to ensure confidence in future elections."

A March 2022 summary of investigative findings into the election ruled out most of the claims of fraud. The report was never released by Brnovich. Instead, a month later, he released an "interim report" saying that an investigation "revealed serious vulnerabilities that must be addressed and raises questions about the 2020 election in Arizona."

Abortion

In 2022, Brnovich filed a motion to fully reinstate Arizona's ban on abortions, asking the court to lift a 50-year-old injunction that put the state's total abortion ban on hold.

ARS 13-3603 has been on the books since at least 1901, when Arizona was a U.S. territory. The law has been blocked since shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade.

Later that year, a Pima County judge lifted the injunction.

In 2024, Arizona voters approved Proposition 139, which amended Article II of the state constitution, declaring a fundamental right to abortion for every individual.