Former Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who led the state’s top law office for eight years and once sought a U.S. Senate seat, has died at the age of 59. His family announced his passing Tuesday, saying he died of a heart attack.
“It is with profound sorrow that the Brnovich family announces the passing of Mark Brnovich,” his loved ones said in a statement. “He will forever be remembered as a devoted husband, father, and public servant.”
Born in Detroit in 1966 to Serbian parents, Brnovich moved to Arizona as a child. He earned a political science degree from Arizona State University and a law degree from the University of San Diego before beginning a career in public service that spanned three decades.
Brnovich’s early career included time as an Army National Guard Judge Advocate and later as an assistant attorney general, where he represented the Arizona Department of Gaming. He also served as director of the state’s Department of Gaming and held roles at the Goldwater Institute and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Arizona.
Elected in 2014, Brnovich became Arizona’s 26th attorney general, serving two terms through 2023. His tenure was marked by high-profile consumer protection settlements, including multimillion-dollar agreements with Theranos, General Motors, Volkswagen, and Ticketmaster — cases that collectively returned tens of millions to Arizonans.
Brnovich also gained national attention for his legal challenges to federal immigration policy and his bid for the U.S. Senate in 2022, where he ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary against Blake Masters.
Following his time in office, Brnovich joined Boies Schiller Flexner LLP as a partner. In 2025, he was nominated by then-President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to Serbia, though the nomination was later withdrawn without explanation, according to the Arizona Capitol Times.
Brnovich is survived by his wife, U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich, and their two daughters. The family has requested privacy as memorial plans are being arranged.
