Politics
Arizona Republican Party’s fundraising abysmal in run up to pivotal 2024 election
The Arizona Republican Party’s fundraising efforts so far this year have been dismal, with Democrats outpacing them seven to one, leaving political operatives wondering if the party’s new chairman can right the ship in time to mount any sort of meaningful campaign in 2024. The party took in only $165,293 in contributions so far in […]
AZ Freedom Caucus & GOP leaders bitterly divided over transportation tax vote
The ultra-conservative Arizona Freedom Caucus has cultivated a highly visual and vocal presence at the Capitol in its first legislative session since launching last summer. But the caucus, which seemed to drive many of the policy priorities of the one-vote GOP majorities in both the state House of Representatives and Senate, ended the session with […]
Gosar shares story from site with a history of antisemitic posts, again
U.S. Congressman from Arizona Paul Gosar once again promoted a website, using his official House.gov newsletter, that has shared antisemitic messages such as denying the Holocaust and told readers to “stand up for Hitler.” In the Prescott Republican’s weekly newsletter to constituents is a link to a story in USSA News that is a repost […]
Wadsack and supporters target critics and recall campaign volunteers
An effort to recall Tucson freshman Republican Sen. Justine Wadsack started in May but as the summer heats up, so have things between the senator and those looking to recall her. “Isn’t this fun? I’m going to be back every week,” a woman driving a pickup truck said to recall volunteers after she stood next […]
Republicans’ weeklong monsoon of dumb rains over Arizona
So Kari Lake was in Tucson last week, playing the victim and reliving how she lost the governorship. Lake just keeps going and going. She’s the Energizer Bunny of defeat. She’s appealing a May ruling that she lost the 2022 election, and her case was automatically picked to be shipped to the state Appeals Court down here in […]
Arizona’s ‘radically different’ and hyper-partisan legislature
The Arizona legislature has been in session for 184 days with no end in sight. Of the many things one could say about this unique session, which has been filled with a half-dozen extended breaks, one thing has been certain for many Capitol regulars: This session has been more tense, more partisan and contentious than […]
County GOP parties say they never agreed to support college event featuring a white nationalist
An event featuring white nationalist Nick Fuentes drew the ire of GOP officials and county Republican parties who said that they were not consulted before their names were listed as speakers and supporters on a flier promoting the event. And one of the scheduled speakers said the organizers flat out lied to her about what […]
A conservative’s conservative on the affirmative action ruling (via ouija board)
Political parties have fundraising arms in Congress which blast out fundraising emails and press releases, the sensationalism of which are matched only by their crude oversimplification. A lot of them end up in my inbox, because every campaign cycle Nevada has a competitive Senate/House race or three. Friday I opened one from the National Republican […]
Judge dismisses lawsuit against dark money law, but legal challenges remain
Conservative groups aiming to strike down a new Arizona law forcing the disclosure of anonymous political donors suffered a setback last week, but the battle is far from over. Last year, more than 70% of Arizonans cast their ballots in support of Proposition 211, the Voters’ Right to Know Act. The act seeks to eliminate […]
After Hobbs’ order on abortion prosecutions, Senate Republicans nix plans to weigh her nominees
Arizona Senate Republicans are retaliating against Gov. Katie Hobbs for her executive order last week that aims to ban county attorneys from prosecuting abortion providers. The three Republican members of the Senate Committee on Director Nominations — Chairman Jake Hoffman, Sine Kerr and T.J. Shope — sent a letter to Hobbs on Monday saying that […]
‘QAnon Shaman’ looks to overturn sentence, says he never renounced QAnon
Jacob Angeli Chansley, who rose to prominence as the self-described “QAnon Shaman” and became, for many, the face of the Jan. 6 insurrection, is trying to get his sentence overturned and says he never renounced QAnon or felt duped by Donald Trump. At the same time, he’s trying to make money on his newfound fame. […]
A Paul Gosar aide is reportedly a white nationalist. Gosar has long associated with racists.
A staffer for Arizona Republican Congressman Paul Gosar was revealed to have close connections to a white nationalist youth movement, the latest example of Gosar’s ties to and support of racists. Earlier this week, Talking Points Memo detailed how Gosar’s digital director has been considered one the “strongest soldiers” for white nationalist leader Nick Fuentes. […]