Analysis
Arizona’s new political reality: A split government
For nearly 14 years, Republicans have controlled the most important levers of power at the state Capitol, allowing them to increasingly become more insular in their governance and oftentimes cut Democrats out of the process entirely. That ends on Monday, when the GOP-majority 56th Legislature convenes and its 90 members take their oath of office. […]
MAGA fails in Arizona for the third straight election
The historically good results for Arizona Democrats at the polls this month are the third cycle in a row that MAGA has faltered at the ballot box, and political observers say it should be a clarion call to Republicans that Trumpism is a loser in the Grand Canyon State. But operatives in both parties say […]
4 important things to know about the FBI’s investigation into Trump and search of Mar-a-Lago
The FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s estate on Aug. 8, 2022, caught Trump by surprise – and prompted immediate speculation about exactly why and how the law enforcement agency secured a search warrant. “My beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of […]
Arizona’s lawmakers are among the most, and least, likely in U.S. House to vote by proxy
WASHINGTON – Two years after the House allowed proxy voting as a pandemic precaution, two Arizona lawmakers remain among the House’s most active proxy voters, while two others are among the stubborn minority that has never cast a vote by proxy. A Cronkite News tally of more than 700 roll call votes since May 27, […]
There’s a big problem with how much teachers are paid, but it’s not because of administrative bloat
Kari Lake is peddling an idea to address Arizona’s teacher shortage — which is on the verge of becoming a crisis — that is built on a lie that is hard-wired into the Republican view of public education. And it’s a lie designed to allow GOP lawmakers, who have had total control of Arizona’s state […]
Kyrsten Sinema is gambling that her filibuster vote will help her win again in 2024
The furious Democrats who revile Kyrsten Sinema don’t know her very well. She may not have single-handedly derailed President Joe Biden’s presidency by ensuring that none of his ambitious legislative agenda ever reaches his desk, but Arizona’s senior senator certainly has become the face of the Democrats’ circular firing squad. And her highly choreographed speech […]
Turning Point USA event brought extremists and politicians together in Phoenix
Far-right extremists, some with white nationalist beliefs, converged and met with politicians from across the country and state at Turning Point USA’s “AmericaFest” just before Christmas in downtown Phoenix for four days. Turning Point, which is headquartered in Phoenix, is a right-leaning organization that aims to mobilize young conservatives, primarily on college campuses, but the […]
Collateral damage: Supreme Court ruling jeopardizes another $600 million in school funding
When the Arizona Supreme Court ruled against an income tax hike that voters approved last year, it illuminated another K-12 funding issue that could strip $600 million a year out of Arizona schools. Funding from the legislature’s 2018 extension of an expiring sales tax is likely to count against an education spending limit that voters […]
Fact vs fiction: Getting to the bottom of what ‘audit’ leaders claimed
Leaders of the Senate’s election review made claims last week that have roiled right-wing media outlets and bolstered claims from Trump supporters that there is definitive evidence of election fraud in Arizona. But several of those claims were swiftly debunked, and others were unsupported by any evidence and have been refuted by elections officials. The […]
Poll: Arizonans don’t want to re-elect Biden, but will support him over Trump
Arizonans don’t want to re-elect President Joe Biden to another term in 2024, but will again give the state’s 11 electoral votes to him if he’s running against Donald Trump, according to a poll released Tuesday. And U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has better job approval ratings from Republican voters than from her fellow Democrats, who […]
A GOP senator marshalled her supporters to back a gun store owner to lead the redistricting panel
A bombastic pro-Trump state senator from Flagstaff is supporting Robert Wilson to be the fifth and final member of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Committee, and residents of her legislative district have flooded the panel with comments urging his selection as chairman.
Some Arizona Republicans defended, excused the violent pro-Trump mob
Several Arizona Republican officials defended Wednesday’s violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, sought to blame political enemies for the pro-Trump mob’s criminal activity or spread conspiracy theories deflecting responsibility away from the president’s supporters.