Author

Jim Small is a native Arizonan and has covered state government, policy and politics since 2004, with a focus on investigative and in-depth policy reporting, first as a reporter for the Arizona Capitol Times, then as editor of the paper and its prestigious sister publications. He has also served as the editor and executive director of the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
How many Arizonans with pre-existing conditions will be hurt if ‘Obamacare’ is struck down?
By: Jim Small - March 2, 2020
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will hear two cases brought by a coalition of Republican attorneys general that seek to have the Obama-era Affordable Care Act declared unconstitutional. If that happens, millions of Arizonans would be affected, a new analysis finds.
Ex-regulator Forese now lobbying Corp Comm for a water company
By: Jim Small - February 28, 2020
Former Corporation Commissioner Tom Forese spent four years in the regulatory body’s building on Jefferson Street. A little more than a year out of office, he’s returning to his old digs – this time as a lobbyist.
New group forms to challenge McSally as too partisan
By: Jim Small - February 27, 2020
A new "dark money" nonprofit is knocking U.S. Sen. Martha McSally for being too partisan and not standing up for the needs of Arizonans.
Farnsworth accused of trying to protect spousal rape. Not for the first time.
By: Jim Small - February 21, 2020
The sponsor of a bill that would let rape survivors terminate the parental rights of their rapists, even without a criminal conviction, said yesterday that her bill was dead because Republican Sen. Eddie Farnsworth demanded it include a carve-out for husbands who rape their wives.
Ducey, GOP leaders abandon sanctuary cities constitutional ban
By: Jim Small - February 20, 2020
In his state of the state speech less than six weeks ago, Gov. Doug Ducey said one of his priorities for 2020 was a constitutional amendment banning sanctuary cities in Arizona. Now, amid opposition from civil rights groups and the business community, the governor says the legislation he helped author to do just that is dead.
Elizabeth Warren announces endorsements as AZ early voting begins
By: Jim Small - February 19, 2020
On the first day of early voting for Democrats in Arizona's presidential preference election, three women state senators announced they were endorsing Elizabeth Warren.
Arizona a top Dem priority for president, Senate, legislature
By: Jim Small - February 18, 2020
In their effort to defeat President Donald Trump, win a U.S. Senate seat and flip control of the state legislature, Arizona Democrats are launching what they say will be their largest-ever effort to organize voter outreach.
House Democrats: ‘Offensive and wrong’ to assume we won’t be unified
By: Jim Small - February 13, 2020
In a letter to Arizona Mirror, every Democrat in the Arizona House of Representatives pledged to vote for one of their own to lead the chamber if Democrats take control of the legislative chamber in this year’s elections.
Ducey flip-flops on red flag laws, says they won’t happen on his watch
By: Jim Small - February 13, 2020
Gov. Doug Ducey has reversed his position on so-called “red flag laws” that have been a core piece of his public safety agenda since 2018, telling a crowd in Lake Havasu City on Thursday that such laws won’t be enacted while he is governor. “As long as I am governor, there will be no red […]
Ruling on discriminatory AZ election laws on hold, likely until after 2020 election
By: Jim Small - February 11, 2020
An appellate court ruling last month that found Arizona laws barring the collection and delivery of early ballots and the state’s discarding of ballots cast in the wrong precinct are discriminatory likely won’t affect the 2020 election after that court halted its ruling to give the U.S. Supreme Court time to take up the matter.
Ducey signs ‘electronic adjudication’ bill to speed ballot counting
By: Jim Small - February 3, 2020
Gov. Doug Ducey on Monday signed Senate Bill 1135, which allows county elections officials to use a process called “electronic adjudication” to identify ballots that can’t be read by standard vote-counting machines.
Never-Trumpers: McSally is a ‘Trump hack’ who won’t be remembered
By: Jim Small - January 29, 2020
A conservative anti-Trump group has launched a scathing ad of Sen. Martha McSally, dubbing her a “Trump hack” who is headed for defeat – again – in 2020 because of her decision to support the president in the impeachment trial.