Dan Nowicki

The Republic | azcentral.com

Grant Woods, a former two-term Arizona attorney general, is the latest Republican to endorse Democrat Hillary Clinton for president.

“Hillary Clinton is one of the most qualified nominees to ever run for president. Donald Trump is the least qualified ever," Woods said in a written statement provided to The Arizona Republic by Clinton's campaign. "The stakes are too high to stand on the sideline. I stand with Hillary Clinton for president.”

Woods, considered a moderate-to-liberal Republican, was attorney general from 1991 to 1999. In the 1980s, Woods was the first congressional chief of staff for now-U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and is a longtime friend and confidant of McCain's.

McCain is supporting Trump as the Republican Party's presidential nominee.

Endorsement: Hillary Clinton is the only choice to move America ahead

Woods has a history of crossing the aisle to back Democrats. In 2002, Woods endorsed Democrat Terry Goddard for state attorney general. In 2006, he backed Democratic challenger Harry Mitchell over incumbent U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz. Hayworth was ousted in that election.

Also in 2006, Woods was part of "Republicans for Janet," a group of Republicans who supported the re-election of Democratic Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano.

Nowicki is The Republic's national political reporter. Follow him on Twitter at @dannowicki and on his official Facebook page.