Elijah Norton seeks $2.6M over alleged rumors about his sexuality

Arizona Republican Elijah Norton followed through on his promise to sue a fellow GOP politician for defamation, accusing state Treasurer Kimberly Yee of trying to "sabotage" him in a lawsuit filed Nov. 10.

Norton's complaint, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, alleges Yee spread false rumors about his personal life and sexuality after he declined to donate to a political group she chaired.

Yee "wanted Elijah Norton’s money," the complaint reads.

"When she didn’t get it, she contrived a series of vile lies about Mr. Norton’s personal life and professional dealings, including that he attempted to 'bribe' her, consorted with a 'boyfriend' who wore women’s clothing, carried out a sexual affair with his male personal assistant ... and threatened her with physical harm."

The lawsuit has made waves in Arizona Republican circles and further exposed tensions in the party after the 2026 midterms dealt the GOP losses up and down the ballot. Norton lost the treasurer's race to Democrat Nick Mansour, according to unofficial results, marking the first time in more than 60 years that the office fell from Republican hands.

Norton's complaint names Yee and her husband, Nelson Mar, as defendants. It accuses Yee of defamation and "false light," an accusation like defamation in which someone is harmed by offensive and misleading statements.

Yee and Mar did not return requests for comment. Norton's lawyer, Kory Langhofer, said that as of Nov. 11, they had not yet been served.

An insurance executive and former Arizona GOP treasurer, Norton made headlines in 2023 when he sued U.S. Rep. David Schweikert and his allies over what Norton called "tropes and misinformation and defamatory comments" about his sexuality. The case ended in a quarter-million-dollar settlement, according to Norton.

He is now seeking $2.6 million in damages.

"Politics should not be about below-the-belt personal attacks," Norton said in an interview with The Arizona Republic.

Conflict stretches back to 2024, complaint says

In the complaint, Norton accuses Yee of a retaliatory campaign against him that stretches back years.

Norton's lawsuit claims that Yee's efforts to undermine him began during the 2024 election cycle, after he declined to donate to her campaign fundraising organization. In an interview, Norton said he was referring to Arizonans Protecting Freedom, a political group chaired by Yee that reported raising and spending roughly $300,000 across 2023 and 2024.

As he launched a bid to succeed Yee as Arizona treasurer, Norton alleged Yee tried to recruit other candidates to run against him.

While his campaign for treasurer ramped up ahead of the 2026 midterms, the complaint alleged various Republicans told Norton they heard that others were "spreading negative information" about him or that Yee was trying to recruit other Republicans to run against him.

Norton's lawsuit mentions a series of high-profile Arizona Republicans who he says helped alert him to the negative rumors: including former Arizona GOP chair Gina Swoboda, Republican operative Pat Aquilina, and Schweikert. They did not return requests for comment.

The lawsuit also references several conversations between Yee, her allies and the Republican activist Merissa Caldwell. In an interview, Caldwell said she recorded some of the remarks because she was "shocked as to what was being said" and concerned about the political consequences because Norton was a large donor to Republicans.

"I just thought it was completely unacceptable to make such accusations," Caldwell said.

Norton's lawsuit claims that Yee recruited Republican Katherine Haley, who Norton defeated in the 2026 GOP primary for Arizona treasurer. He said the false rumors played a role in Haley's decision to run.

"Yee’s statements that Norton has carried on sexual relationships with cross-dressing males and his married male personal assistant were material to Haley’s decision to run for Treasurer," the complaint reads.

Norton's allegations also focus on Elizabeth Simchak Buchanan, a political operative who the lawsuit describes as a paid staffer for Haley. Campaign finance records show Buchanan was on the Haley campaign's payroll.

Buchanan spread the rumors on social media while promoting Haley, according to Norton.

"She is running against a guy whose boyfriend wears girly clothes. That is not who we want representing the Republican Party," Buchanan wrote on Facebook, according to a screenshot of the post which Norton said has since been deleted.

Haley and Buchanan did not respond to requests for comment.

Attacking a candidate's sexuality has become less common in recent years as public opinion has rapidly warmed to same-sex marriage. Arizona leaders like the late Rep. Jim Kolbe helped normalize openly gay political leadership, and a number of gay Republicans now hold high-ranking posts in President Donald Trump's administration, like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and special envoy Ric Grenell.

But the topic has still been used as a political cudgel in Republican primaries, which tend to draw an older electorate with more socially conservative views.

Norton's lawsuit says the claims about him were damaging, forcing him to spend more money on his campaign, causing him emotional distress and harming his reputation in the community. In an interview he called the alleged claims by Yee and her allies "false and ridiculous" and said he does not know where the rumors came from.

"I would have to imagine that she made it up," he said.

Laura Gersony covers politics for The Arizona Republic. Contact her at Laura.Gersony@usatodayco.com or 480-372-0389.