Accusations that an Arizona gubernatorial candidate protected leaders of a polygamous sect accused of child abuse have become a central issue in the 2026 race, the Arizona Capitol Times reports.

The candidate, whose office previously handled cases involving fundamentalist LDS communities, faces claims from opponents that investigations were dropped or delayed, allegations the candidate denies. The sect in question is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Polygamy and FLDS-related prosecutions have been politically fraught in Arizona for decades, with some officials accused of either overreach or willful blindness depending on their approach to the insular communities.