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.
More votes cast early in 2018 than in all of 2014
By: Jim Small - November 5, 2018
The number of ballots voted early in 2018 has surpassed the total number of votes cast in the 2014 elections, the last time Arizona voters went to the polls to elect statewide officers.
Federal civil rights observers coming to AZ for Election Day
By: Jim Small - November 5, 2018
The U.S. Department of Justice is deploying personnel from its Civil Rights Division to four Arizona counties tomorrow to “monitor for compliance with... federal voting rights laws.”
National spotlight shines on Christine Marsh
By: Jim Small - October 31, 2018
The race for the state Senate in Legislative District 28 got some national press today, courtesy of a piece in Teen Vogue on Christine Marsh’s transformation from high school teacher to Democratic candidate for elected office.
Ducey’s border security whopper
By: Jim Small - October 30, 2018
No one would ever confuse Doug Ducey with Donald Trump on the campaign trail, but when the governor talks about immigration issues, he has a downright Trumpian claim that he goes to time and again.
AZ GOP lawmakers take ‘truther’ approach to spate of pipe bombs
By: Jim Small - October 26, 2018
A couple of Arizona Republican lawmakers, one of whom is the No. 3 ranking official in the Arizona House of Representatives, seem convinced they know who is behind the attempt to assassinate the liberals with pipe bombs: the liberals!
AZ GOP lawmakers targeted by Dem group for ‘extremist ties’
By: Jim Small - October 23, 2018
The Huffington Post yesterday reported on how D.C.-based groups that help elect Republicans to state legislatures across the country are silent when GOP lawmakers voice racist views and embrace extremist groups. Among them are two Arizona legislators. HuffPo singled out Rep. Bob Thorpe, R-Flagstaff, and Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, for their ties to radical […]
AZ a case-study in billionaire ballot spending
By: Jim Small - October 18, 2018
The Arizona efforts of California billionaire Tom Steyer to bankroll an Arizona ballot measure to increase the renewable energy requirements on utilities was highlighted today in a report by the Center for Public Integrity on out-of-state billionaires influencing ballot measure elections across the country.
Arizona ACT scores dip, state ranks near bottom
By: Jim Small - October 17, 2018
Arizona high school students graduating in 2018 placed 45th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in performance on the ACT college-entrance exam.
Most expensive legislative races in LD28, LD18
By: Jim Small - October 17, 2018
Sen. Kate Brophy McGee’s reelection bid is on pace to be one of the most expensive legislative campaigns in Arizona history. As of Sept. 30, the Phoenix Republican had raised nearly $370,000 and spent more than $245,000 to retain her seat in the state Senate.
Garcia posts best fundraising report yet, still lags behind Ducey
By: Jeremy Duda and Jim Small - October 16, 2018
Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Garcia brought in $779,000 during the last campaign finance reporting period, by far the strongest showing yet by a campaign that has been plagued by poor fundraising since its beginning. But Garcia still trailed Gov. Doug Ducey for the reporting period, which ran from Aug. 12 to Sept. 30. Ducey reported […]
Do Latinos make Arizona worse? Conservatives, Republicans think so
By: Jim Small - October 15, 2018
When Rep. David Stringer made national news in June for saying “there aren’t enough white kids to go around” in public schools and that immigration is “an existential threat” to the United States, prominent Republicans distanced themselves from him. Some, like Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Lines, went so far as to call on him to resign for the nakedly racist comments.
Trump coming to Mesa to rally for McSally
By: Jim Small - October 13, 2018
President Donald Trump is coming to Mesa Oct. 19 for a rally to support U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, the Repbulican nominee for Arizona’s U.S. Senate seat. Most polling of the race shows McSally slightly trailing U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, the Democratic nominee, in the race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake. Though McSally has […]