The Arizona Technology Council has thrown its weight behind candidates running in 30 legislative districts across the state, wading into Arizona Senate and House races ahead of the 2026 election with a slate built around a technology-focused policy agenda. The endorsements reflect the industry group's push around that agenda.
The Council released its endorsements on June 10, saying the picks reflect a mix of incumbent voting records, written candidate-survey responses and interviews with both newcomers and sitting lawmakers, according to aztechcouncil.org. The organization describes itself as nonpartisan, stating it endorses candidates who support its technology-centered agenda and have either participated in its evaluation process or established a voting record the group could review.
Among the House of Representatives candidates named in the endorsement release are Selina Bliss, Quang Nguyen and Justin Wilmeth, all Republicans, per the aztechcouncil.org announcement. The Council says the full slate spans both Senate and House races for the 2026 cycle.
What the Council Says It's Looking For
The group's stated priorities read like a checklist for Arizona's tech sector: strengthening the state's STEM pipeline, supporting workforce development and education funding from pre-K through postsecondary programs, and advancing policies that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. The same release lists infrastructure, economic development and sustainable energy and transportation solutions among its guiding concerns.
Steven G. Zylstra, the Council's president and CEO, has described the group's priorities in terms of technology, innovation, workforce growth, infrastructure and competitiveness. The Council's candidate-evaluation process involves screening candidates and comparing their records against the group's guiding principles and policy positions.
The endorsements are tied to the Arizona Technology Council PAC, which the organization says supports pro-technology candidates for state and local offices regardless of political affiliation. The Council also said it plans to publish its 2026 Vote TechSmart voter guide in early July, intended to lay out official recommendations alongside its broader public policy priorities for voters heading into the election.
Part of a Broader Wave of Business Endorsements
The tech council's slate arrives alongside endorsement rounds from other business and labor groups watching the same legislative races. The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry announced its own endorsements for the 2026 primary in June, backing what it described as a bipartisan slate of Arizona Legislature candidates, according to Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The Communications Workers of America has also published its own list of endorsed candidates for Arizona Senate seats, as reported by Communications Workers of America, reflecting a labor-aligned counterpart to the business-sector picks.
Those parallel endorsement efforts underscore how competitive this cycle is shaping up to be. A guide published by azcentral.com in late September framed the broader election in stark terms, noting that voters will decide which party controls the state Legislature in several key swing districts. Against that backdrop, the tech council's 30-district push represents a sizable bet on shaping policy outcomes well beyond any single race.
