Thomas Charles Horne (born March 28, 1945) is an American politician, attorney, businessman, and activist serving as Arizona superintendent of public instruction since 2023, having previously served from 2003 to 2011. Previously, he was attorney general of Arizona from 2011 to 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Horne was first elected Arizona attorney general in 2010. He ran for re-election in 2014, losing renomination to Mark Brnovich in the Republican primary. In 2022 he was elected superintendent of public instruction, defeating incumbent Democrat Kathy Hoffman. He lost renomination in the Republican primary to Kimberly Yee in 2026.
Early life and education Horne was born in Quebec to Polish Jewish parents.Alia Beard Rau, Horne hopes his record will overshadow personal controversy, Arizona Republic (August 11, 2014). He was raised in New York, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1954.Arizona Legislators: Then & Now: Tom Horne, Digital Arizona Library.
He graduated from Mamaroneck High School in the early 1960s. He graduated from Harvard College in 1967 and Harvard Law School in 1970. Soon after graduating from law school, he moved to Arizona.
Horne was a Democrat before becoming a Republican. He attended the March on Washington in 1963.
Early career Horne was first elected to public office in 1979, when he was elected to the Paradise Valley Unified School District board. He served on the board for the next 24 years, and was board chair for ten of those years.
He was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 1996, and served from 1997 to 2001.
In 2000, Horne ran for the Arizona Senate for District 24, but lost the Republican primary to Dean Martin.State of Arizona Official Canvass: 2000 Primary Election - September 12, 2000, Compiled and Issued by the Arizona Secretary of State.
State superintendent of public instruction (2003–2011) In 2003, Horne was elected Arizona superintendent of public instruction; he served two terms, ending in 2011.
Horne oversaw the adoption to new Arizona's social studies standards, implemented beginning in the 2007-08 school year, under which all students "learn lessons in five areas including American history, world history, geography, civics and government, and economics" in each year from kindergarten through high school.
He was an advocate for full-day kindergarten, citing research that showed that such programs reduce the achievement gap between students from poor households and those from more affluent homes.
He also pushed for nutritional standards that removed junk food vending machines from elementary schools and created incentives for secondary schools to do so on a voluntary basis.
Horne, a classically trained pianist and founder of the Phoenix Baroque Ensemble, advocated for increasing arts education in schools.
He also continued to implement the Arizona Instrument to Measure Success standardized test; performance on the AIMS test (either alone or in combination with Advanced Placement exams and International Baccalaureate exams) determines graduating high school students' qualification for a "high honors" diploma, which guarantees free tuition at Arizona's three public universities.
Horne implemented policies that discouraged bilingual education and sought to shut down the Tucson Unified School District's controversial Mexican American Studies Department Programs.Libby Stanford, Divisions on Race, Gender Intensify a Fight for State Superintendent, EdWeek (September 30, 2022). Speaking at Tucson High in 2007, legendary activist Dolores Huerta said that Republicans hate Latinos. Horne brought his Latina deputy, Margaret Garcia Dugan, to offer a rebuttal at the school, but students turned their backs to her and put their fists in the air.
After this event, Horne argued that the Tucson ethnic studies programs "separated students by race, taught them that they are oppressed, and was influenced by Marxist and communist philosophies." He drafted a 2010 state law (which was adopted and went into effect in 2011, as HB 2281) that effectively banned ethnic studies, and led to the Tucson Unified School District board closing its program in January 2012.Astrid Galvan, Shuttered Mexican-American studies program back in court, Associated Press (July 17, 2017).
A group of students and parents sued over the state law, leading to seven years of legal proceedings.Judge blocks Arizona ethnic studies ban he found was racist, Associated Press (December 28, 2017).Taylor Harris, Arizona ban on ethnic studies unconstitutional: U.S. judge, Reuters (August 23, 2017). In July 2017, Horne testified in the litigation; in his testimony, he defended the law and asserted that the Tucson program was led by radical teachers. The federal district court, later in 2017, ultimately issued a permanent injunction blocking Arizona from enforcing the law, determining that the decision to ban the Tucson program was "motivated by a desire to advance a political agenda by capitalizing on race-based fears" and was unconstitutional.
Attorney general of Arizona (2011–2015) On November 2, 2010, Horne defeated Felecia Rotellini in the race for Arizona attorney general in the 2010 elections. Horne defeated Rotellini by a margin of 51.9% to 48.1%.
Arizona v. United States Within a few weeks of Horne becoming attorney general, his office filed an appearance in Arizona v. United States, defending the governor and the state against the Obama administration's federal court challenge to S.B. 1070.New Arizona AG says he'll defend immigration law, Associated Press (January 3, 2011). The previous A.G., Terry Goddard, had withdrawn from the case, acceding to the demands of Governor Jan Brewer.Goddard withdraws form S.B. 1070 lawsuit
Consumer and antitrust litigation Shortly after winning the 2010 election, Horne announced his intent to pursue violations of the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act and other consumer protections violations.Horne announces consumer protection initiative azcentral.com, November 18, 2010, Retrieved June 27, 2015 This led to a string of sting operations against auto repair businesses in the Valley.Attorney general: Phoenix auto repair shop closed after sting, Associated Press (June 6, 2013).Mike Sunnucks, Regional auto repair chain to pay $28K after charging for unneeded car AC repairs, Phoenix Business Journal (November 27, 2013).Charlotte Shaff, NARPRO's response to AG Horne’s Auto Repair "Stings", NARPO (December 11, 2013).
Along with state attorney generals in many other states, Horne's office represented Arizona in multi-state settlements with the nation's five largest mortgage servicers (Arizona's share was $1.6 billion of a $25 billion nationwide deal involving 49 AGs);Big Banks, 49 States Reach $25 Billion Deal Over Foreclosure AbusesSettlement of mortgage lawsuit.Homeowners could get damage awards with SiriusXM (Arizona's share was $230,000 of the $3.8 million settlement),$38 million to settle Sirius suitSirius XM fined and with Pfizer Inc. (over allegations of unlawful promotion of Rapamune; Arizona's share was $721,169 out of the nationwide $35 million settlement).Arizona gets tiny slice of $35M Pfizer settlement, Phoenix Daily News
Along with attorneys general of the other 49 states and the District of Columbia, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Federal Communications Commission, Horne reached a $105 million settlement with AT&T Mobility LLC ("AT&T"), resolving allegations that AT&T engaged in "mobile cramming." Arizona received $325,770, and it is estimated that roughly 482,000 accounts in Arizona were eligible for refunds.
Sex trafficking In 2013, Horne requested additional funds to combat sex trafficking, saying the funding was especially crucial as Arizona prepared to host the Super Bowl in 2015. He said the influx of men at events like that tends to increase underage sex trafficking.
Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council case In a 2012 United States Supreme Court case, Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., Horne argued that Arizona's voter registration requirements were not preempted by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The Court ruled in favor of the Native American tribes, and against Horne and Arizona, by a 7–2 vote. The decision stated: "Arizona is correct that the Elections Clause empowers Congress to regulate how federal elections are held, but not who may vote in them. The latter is the province of the states." However, because Horne's predecessor as attorney general had not appealed an adverse decision by the commission, the case was sent back for a new petition to the commission to be appealed. It was consolidated with a 10th Circuit case, which ruled adversely, and the Supreme Court chose not to review a second time. The Court also held that Arizona may petition to have more requirements added to the federal standard.Horne argues Arizona v. Inter Tribal
School resource officers and firearms regulations
In 2012, after the Connecticut school massacre, he proposed that a principal or a designee be trained and armed in each school. "The ideal solution would be to have an armed police officer in each school," Horne stated. "The next best solution is to have one person in the school trained to handle firearms, to handle emergency situations, and possessing a firearm in a secure location."
In 2013, Horne wrote an opinion that defended the state preemption of regulation of firearms; he found that Tucson's city gun laws were unenforceable.City gun laws unenforceable Also in 2013, he proposed legislation that would allow teachers to carry guns in public schools.
Same-sex marriage
Horne threatened to sue the city of Bisbee, Arizona, over its 2013 ordinance recognizing same-sex couples. He withdrew the threat several days later when Bisbee agreed to rewrite the ordinance, removing rights reserved for married couples under Arizona law.John Rosman, Arizona Town Agrees To Change Historic Civil Union Ordinance In Face Of Threat, KPBS (April 30, 2013).Arizona AG to sue to block civil unions in Bisbee, Associated Press (April 3, 2013). In October 2014, a federal judge ruled that Arizona's law banning gay marriage was unconstitutional. Horne did not appeal, stating he felt there was "zero" chance of the ruling being overturned, adding, "I think it is over."Alia Beard Rau and Mary Jo Pitzl, Arizona gay marriage legal; couples marry immediately, Arizona Republic (October 17, 2014).
Immigration