Hoffman political firm collects more than $200,000 from candidates he helped recruit
PHOENIX — A political consulting firm owned by state Sen. Jake Hoffman has received more than $200,000 from two statewide candidates whom Hoffman helped recruit to run for office, according to campaign finance records reviewed by Axios.
Forged Communications, a political advertising and communications firm owned by the Queen Creek Republican, received approximately $121,000 from state Treasurer Kimberly Yee’s campaign for superintendent of public instruction and nearly $90,000 from state Rep. Alexander Kolodin’s campaign for secretary of state through June 30.
The firm was the largest vendor for both campaigns, accounting for roughly two-thirds of each candidate’s spending, Axios reported.
The payments are notable because Hoffman played a public role in recruiting both candidates as part of an effort by the Arizona Freedom Caucus to field a slate of Republicans for statewide office.
Hoffman chairs the Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative Republican lawmakers at the Legislature, and also serves as Arizona’s Republican National Committee member.
In June 2025, Hoffman told reporters that recruiting candidates was part of his political role.
His goal, Hoffman said at the time, was to identify candidates who aligned with the Republican Party platform and recruit them for offices ranging from school boards to statewide positions. The Freedom Caucus slate ultimately included Yee, Kolodin and candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Yee, who currently serves as state treasurer, entered the Republican primary for superintendent of public instruction against incumbent Tom Horne and defeated him in the July primary.
Kolodin, a Scottsdale Republican serving in the state House, won the GOP nomination for secretary of state.
Campaign finance reports filed earlier this summer showed both candidates directing substantial portions of their spending to Hoffman’s company.
According to the Arizona Mirror, Kolodin spent about $82,000 during the second quarter, including approximately $74,000 with Forged Communications for advertising. Yee spent approximately $80,000 during the same reporting period, including more than $68,000 paid to Hoffman’s firm for consulting.
The financial relationships have drawn questions from political observers about the overlap between Hoffman’s role recruiting candidates and his private consulting business.
Richard Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, told Axios that the arrangement created concerns about appearances because Hoffman was helping select candidates who later hired his business.
Tyler Montague, president of the Arizona Public Integrity Alliance and a Republican political consultant who has criticized the Freedom Caucus, similarly told Axios that the relationships presented multiple potential conflicts.
Hoffman rejected those concerns.
In a statement to Axios, Hoffman called Yee and Kolodin highly qualified candidates and accused the outlet of promoting “wild conspiracy theories” about conflicts of interest.
He also argued that restrictions preventing legislators from working in political campaigns could infringe on First Amendment protections involving political association.
Yee told Axios that hundreds of families around Arizona had encouraged her to run for superintendent but did not directly address her campaign’s use of Hoffman’s firm. Neither Yee nor Kolodin answered Axios’ questions about why they selected Forged Communications.
Arizona lawmakers serve in a part-time Legislature, and state law does not generally prohibit legislators from maintaining outside employment, including work in political consulting.
Hoffman has operated political businesses while serving in the Legislature for years.
Another Hoffman-owned business, 1Ten LLC, has also received significant payments connected to the 2026 election. The Arizona Capitol Times reported last year that Turning Point Action routed hundreds of thousands of dollars through 1Ten for advertising supporting U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs’ campaign for governor.
Additional campaign finance reports covering spending later in the election cycle are due this fall and could provide a fuller picture of how much the candidates ultimately pay Hoffman’s businesses.