The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast

On March 21, the Apache Stronghold’s case against the proposed Resolution Copper mine was reopened. The battle is over a proposed copper mine in Oak Flat, just southeast of metro Phoenix. The land sits on top of one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper reserves in the world. The mine, if allowed to go forward, would produce an estimated 40 billion pounds of copper over the next four decades. This is according to Rio Tinto, a global mining corporation of which Resolution Copper is a subsidiary. But the land is sacred to the San Carlos Apache tribe. Tribal members say that Oak Flat is a physical cornerstone of their religious beliefs. In this episode of The Gaggle, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl sit down with indigenous affairs and environmental reporter Debra Krol to discuss the fate of Oak Flat and Resolution Copper, and how this could end up being one of the biggest religious cases in recent decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Democratic representatives in Tennessee were expelled this month over their involvement in gun control protests in the House of Representatives chamber after a deadly school shooting in Nashville. Another was allowed to remain by a one-vote margin. Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, accused the GOP-led House in Tennessee of racism and oppression after their expulsion. House Republicans said it was the representatives' leadership during the protests that took place on the House floor that led to their removal, not race. A few days later, local officials voted Jones and Pearson back in. A representative in Arizona also was expelled, but in a vastly different situation. Rep. Liz Harris, R-Chandler, was expelled from the House of Representatives for disorderly behavior after allowing her guest on an election review panel to falsely accuse lawmakers and other officials of taking bribes from a drug cartel. Expulsion is the strictest form of discipline a member of a legislature can face, and it hadn’t happened in Arizona since 2018. Harris was one of three people whose names were submitted to the county Board of Supervisors, the body that will appoint a replacement. And the two lawmakers from Tennessee swiftly rejoined their colleagues. It all begs the question: Is there a better way to put guardrails on ethical behavior by elected officials? This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Mary Jo Pitzl is joined by two guests to sort through the happenings and differences in the two cases. Arizona Republic state politics reporter Ray Stern discusses the Rep. Liz Harris case. Later, ethics scholar Dr. John Pelissero analyzes the similarities and differences between what happened with the representatives in Tennessee and what happened in Arizona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Katie Hobbs won the governor’s race in 2022, she became the first Democrat in 14 years to hold the seat. It also made her the first governor in 14 years to have to deal with a Legislature controlled by the opposite party. As she marks her 100th day in office this week, her achievements and pushbacks are equally noteworthy. At the time of recording, the governor had vetoed 38 bills, and it's expected more vetoes are to come. Hobbs is in familiar company. Nearly two decades ago, when Democrat Janet Napolitano arrived on the Ninth Floor, she was met with similar opposition. When Napolitano won the governor's race in 2002, it had been a dozen years since a Democrat had been in the Arizona governor’s seat. She tangled with a Republican Legislature that wasn’t willing to embrace her agenda, leading to what became a record-setting number of vetoes from an Arizona governor, a record that Hobbs seems intent on shattering. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Mary Jo Pitzl and guest host Stacey Barchenger, are joined by Dennis Burke, Napolitano's former co-chief of staff. He examined the challenges of presiding over a divided government and how to navigate it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On March 28th, a Maricopa county Superior Court judge, ordered the city of Phoenix to clear out a large homeless camp. This is an area of tents, tarps, sleeping bags and other makeshift housing that lies within view of the state capital. The city hasn't made clear whether it intends to carry out that order or appeal it. What is clear is that Phoenix, and the greater Valley, have an enormous homelessness problem. It's only been exacerbated by rising rents and lack of affordable housing. In this episode of The Gaggle, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl sit down with The Republic's housing team Catherine Reagor and Juliette Rihl to examine the how and why behind the Valley's housing and homelessness crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While you won’t be filling in the bubbles on your ballot in November, the upcoming U.S. Senate race is lurking in the shadows. So far, only one prominent candidate — a Democrat —has announced he's running: U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. As Arizona continues to be one of the most watched swing states in the country, all eyes are on who will be on the Senate ballot in 2024. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., announced in December that she quit the Democratic party and is now an independent. And the Republicans are looking to regain the seat. Although no candidates have formally announced, plenty of names are circulating. Kari Lake, former gubernatorial candidate, is one. And others, such as Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, have indicated their interest. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl are joined by Erin Covey. She’s a political reporter and analyst for Inside Elections, which provides nonpartisan analysis of presidential, congressional and gubernatorial races. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona is one of the nation’s newest swing states — and one of the most competitive. President Joe Biden’s 2020 win in Arizona had the smallest margin of any state in the country. Arizona is working on its fourth straight cycle with a competitive Senate race, which could be a three-way contest next year. U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema left the Democratic Party to register as an independent earlier this year, and the No Labels and Forward parties are raising their profiles across the state. Tech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang was in Phoenix last weekend to promote his Forward Party, just days after the No Labels Party qualified as a new political party in this state. Third parties are nothing new to Arizona or U.S. politics. But they are often viewed as spoilers by both Democrats and Republicans. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl are joined by AJ Simmons. He is the research director at the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois, Springfield, and an Arizona native. He joined the show to discuss the effects of third parties and different voting processes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It didn’t take freshman Congressman Juan Ciscomani long to draw attention in Washington D.C. The Republican who took over a Tucson-based seat from retired Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, prominently threw his backing for the House speakership to Kevin McCarthy, when three of his fellow Arizona Republicans had misgivings. McCarthy rewarded Ciscomani’s loyalty with a coveted seat on the House Appropriations Committee. It was only last year that Ciscomani made his first run for office, narrowly defeating former state Sen. Kirsten Engel to win a seat in the House of Representatives. Today on The Gaggle, Congressman Juan Ciscomani joins hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl on Zoom to talk about the work he's doing in Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s 2023, but if you listened to some of the events around the annual Conservative Political Action Conference or a hearing at the Arizona Legislature in recent days, it could feel like we’re stuck in 2022 or even 2020. Arizona’s lawmakers need to reach an accord with the governor on an annual budget, and there is no shortage of issues to deal with in Washington, D.C. But prominent Republicans remain fixated on election denialism. In this episode of The Gaggle, the political podcast of The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl talk about how the Republican Party looks to move ahead with governing in Arizona and how it will talk to voters about the issues that matter to them before they go to the polls in 2024. Joining them are John Thomas, a Republican strategist who is helping amplify the message of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is all but declared as a GOP presidential candidate, and Ray Stern, who covers the Arizona Legislature for The Republic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

City Council candidates Sam Stone and Kevin Robinson are running to replace longtime seat holder Sal DiCiccio. The NAACP, the National Coalition of 100 Black Voters and the League of Women Voters hosted the District 6 candidates in a public debate. Here it is in full. For analysis on the Phoenix runoff election, be sure to listen to our episode with Republic reporter Taylor Seely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Councilman Carlos Garcia is defending his seat against challenger Kesha Hodge Washington. The editorial department of the Arizona Republic hosted the District 8 candidates in a public debate. Here it is in full. For analysis on the Phoenix runoff election, be sure to listen to our episode with Republic reporter Taylor Seely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last November, no candidate in Phoenix City Council District 6 or District 8 received enough votes to win the election outright. Residents now get a second chance to try to put their favored candidate onto the council in a runoff March 14. Candidates are Kevin Robinson and Sam Stone in District 6 and incumbent Carlos Garcia and Kesha Hodge Washington in District 8. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Mary Jo Pitzl is joined by Arizona Republic reporter Taylor Seely, who covers Phoenix City Hall. Together they discuss the candidates, the issues, and the mechanics of voting in the election. They also go through the details of who will be on the ballot, what they stand for, and what you need to know to vote in the election. Follow The Gaggle and all azcentral.com podcasts on Twitter here. We’re looking to hear from you! Send us a note or a voice memo via email here. Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @amandaluberto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy visited the Arizona-Mexico border for his first time since his election to that position. With him were other GOP House members, including a new lawmaker from Arizona, Rep. Juan Ciscomani. This stop was seen as an indicator of how Republicans plan to handle border security and immigration issues. They now hold a House majority in a split Congress. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl are joined by Arizona Republic reporter Rafael Carranza. He was in Cochise County during the visit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been 14 years since Arizona last had a Democratic governor. At that time, just like today, Arizona’s legislature was ruled by the state GOP. As Gov. Katie Hobbs settles into the business of governing, she’s battling a Republican-controlled legislature she hopes will turn Democratic next year. Today we’re talking to reporters in two states where Democratic governors have been hard to find — and their legislatures took two different paths. In this episode of The Gaggle, national politics reporter Ron Hansen and state reporter Mary Jo Pitzl sit down with two reporters from states whose recent history looks similar to Arizona's present: Michigan and Kansas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everywhere you look, it’s clear that the Super Bowl is here. Murals and banners are up, cities are cleaning up, and the fans are flying in. Many guests are staying and partying in Scottsdale. Football-themed events and entertainment are transforming downtown Phoenix, and the game itself is in Glendale. Experts predict that a large percentage of the people attending these events will be tourists, and the state is projected to make hundreds of millions of dollars from Super Bowl 57. The last time Arizona hosted the Super Bowl in 2015, the Pro Bowl also kicked off the next weekend. That year, the state made more than $700 million in 10 days, according to an estimate from Arizona State University. But the Super Bowl's effects can be uneven, and it does come with costs, too. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl are joined by Arizona Republic reporter Corina Vanek to discuss what goes into putting on a mega-event like the Super Bowl. Ryan Brewer, associate professor of finance at Indiana University, joins the show to break down the costs and economic benefits of hosting the Super Bowl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego announced he was running for U.S. Senate, the Arizona Democrat made clear that it’s in part because of what he views as the misguided priorities of U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Sinema, now an independent, has long made clear she views raw partisan politics as a policy dead end. But the bad vibes between them aren’t really new. It’s part of a split that began 17 years ago that has only widened in recent years. In today's episode of The Gaggle, we take a closer look at how these two politicians operate, and which might appeal more to Arizona voters should they go head-to-head in November 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A joke that is so overused it's not even funny anymore: Congress can't get anything done. But with a new split Congress, the joke might be reality, and Arizona’s congressional delegation is helping set the tone. Republican Rep. Andy Biggs helped lead a rebellious faction within the GOP in a fight over the House speakership that forced days of drama over that normally routine matter. Republican Paul Gosar is among those who have clamored for aggressive investigation of the Biden administration. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s defection from the Democratic Party gives the Senate a new operating dynamic as well. As Capitol Hill adjusts to a new normal, important issues like the debt ceiling and border security hang over the nation’s unresolved policy agenda. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by two political experts, Wendy Schiller of Brown University and Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute, to dissect what to expect from Congress this session. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Residents of the Rio Verde Foothills community just north of Scottsdale are facing dry taps and no immediate solution. The unincorporated land has for years relied on the City of Scottsdale to process the water that gets hauled up to the community. Scottsdale has been warning the community for many years that its water processing services is not a permanent solution, particularly in light of the city's drought plan. Rio Verde is not under Scottsdale's jurisdiction, and as such the city is not required to provide any services to the community. Several solutions have been proposed to address the water crisis, but nothing was solidified before the deadline of January 1, 2023. How did we get here? And why? In this episode of The Gaggle, we explore those questions and try to make sense of a very complicated situation. This week, county watchdog reporter Sasha Hupka, who's been covering the situation, joins us. Audio Producer Kaely Monahan fills in for our regular host Ron Hansen, who is out this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizonans heard the plans from a new Governor for the first time in 8 years as Democrat Katie Hobbs started her second week in office. In her State of the State address, she set the tone for her legislative priorities for 2023 and emphasized a desire for bipartisanship. It didn’t take long for some of the Republicans in the Legislature to make clear they have little desire to find common ground on issues like abortion rights. Hobbs spent much of her speech talking about public education, another area where she and her Republican lawmakers will have to avert a rapidly approaching funding deadline that could abruptly end the school year for some and unleash broad, new doubts about the state’s commitment to education. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by reporter Stacey Barchenger and partner at Ascent Media, Daniel Scarpinato. Daniel helped write these speeches as an aide to former Gov. Doug Ducey. He ended his tenure with the governor as Ducey’s chief of staff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s 2023 and Arizona has a new governor, a U.S. senator without a party affiliation, a more conservative Legislature and familiar issues to face in this new year. So how will all that play out? Today on The Gaggle, host Ron Hansen is joined by The Arizona Republic's Mary Jo Pitzl and Stacey Barchenger to hash out what the start of a new political era looks like for Arizona. Tops on the list are issues surrounding abortion access, how to tame inflation and how to get approved funding into school budgets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re taking a break this week to celebrate the holidays with our loved ones. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2022 retrospective episode from last week. Or catch up on our exit interview with Governor Doug Ducey. We’ll be back with a fresh episode in the new year. As always, thank you for listening, subscribing, and sharing our show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The year 2022 was filled with political ups and downs and drama seemingly from every corner in Arizona. The year began with Gov. Doug Ducey’s final State of the State address. Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, shared his firm views that the 2020 election was not stolen. We covered Ukraine, Uvalde and Roe v. Wade, all before diving into the 2022 midterm elections. We heard from the youth, the independents, and from candidates themselves. We sadly said goodbye to Yvonne Wingett Sanchez as she embarked on her next endeavor, but welcomed The Arizona Republic’s politics team as regulars whom you’ve grown to know. In this episode, we have a special roundtable with some familiar voices to our podcast: Mary Jo Pitzl, Ray Stern, Stacey Barchenger, Robert Anglen, Sasha Hupka and Ryan Randazzo. Together, each reporter will discuss 2022's politics and give their roses – the good things; thorns – the not so good things; and buds – things they are hopeful about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Jan. 2, 2023, Katie Hobbs will take up the mantel as governor of Arizona. Passing the baton is Gov. Doug Ducey, who is ending his second term in the highest elected position in the state. Ducey entered the Governor's Office at a turbulent time. Arizona was dusting off the vestiges of the Great Recession. His tenure included a teacher-led revolt at the state Capitol for higher wages and a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. Through it all, Ducey kept Arizona's budget in the black, stood firm to his oath to support the state and U.S. Constitutions, and secured a long-term goal of giving Arizona parents the right to choose the school they want to send their children to. The Gaggle sat down with the governor in his office at the state Capitol to reflect on his eight years in office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A generation ago Arizona voters chose to bar college students who are undocumented from receiving in-state tuition discounts. It came amid a rising climate of frustration about the southern border and a stalemate on immigration reforms. Today, Arizonans are still frustrated about the border and immigration laws haven’t changed, but Arizona voters have. During the recent elections, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 308, which allows undocumented students to pay for college at in-state tuition levels. In this episode of The Gaggle, we'll take a closer look at what Prop. 308 will do, who it will help, and how it will impacts Arizona as a whole. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For some Republicans, the fight for the midterm election isn't over. Raising doubts over Arizona's voting machines and complaints that the state takes too long to tally votes was the fuel behind those who showed up at the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday morning. These normally forgettable functions of election administration are suddenly the subject of a pair of lawsuits that add a chaotic coda to a disappointing election for Republicans in Arizona and across the country. After illegally going through with a hand count of their votes, Cochise County did not reach their deadline for certification. And officials in GOP-controlled Mohave County threatened to delay their election certification, before relenting late Monday. This could result in two Republicans losing their races. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by reporters Sasha Hupka and Mary Jo Pitzl to make sense of what the issues are, what is being done about it, and what Maricopa County has said in response. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Gaggle team is taking the week off to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family. We'll be back next week with a brand new full episode. As always, thank you for listening and subscribing. We all wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A week after the 2022 midterm elections, Arizonans mostly know who won and who did not. Some of the surprise outcomes that will make the next few years more interesting politically in America’s premier purple state. The biggest news of the cycle is that Democrat Katie Hobbs won the Arizona governor’s race against Republican Kari Lake on Monday evening. Hobbs will be Arizona’s first Democratic governor since Janet Napolitano left office in 2009 to join the Obama administration. Hobbs likely will be working with a Republican-controlled Legislature. So what will that mean for the state? And what still isn’t decided after a week of counting? This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by reporters Stacey Barchenger and Ray Stern. Together they discuss where the election is now and what might be in Arizona's future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three days after Election Day, Arizona is still counting votes with lots of key races still hanging in the balance, including the governor’s race and a Senate race that will help determine control of the chamber in Washington. In this bonus edition of the Gaggle, we’ll update you on Arizona’s biggest unsettled races and we’ll go over one of the more pressing subplots to the election so far: Did glitches overshadow the results? As a disclaimer for our listeners, this episode was recorded November 11 in the morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After months of talking about election denialism, abortion, inflation and other contentious topics, candidates have put their futures in the hands of Arizonans. And the future on this day after the midterm election remains unclear. Election tabulation problems drew attention in Maricopa County and Democrats made a strong showing with early voting. But the outcome of the state’s top races is unknown because the Republican-leaning Election Day vote totals are still trickling in, and ballots dropped off at vote centers haven't been counted at all. Eyes are still on some of the most contentious races: governor, secretary of state and Senate, where Trump-supported candidates weren't yet a part of a Red Wave. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen gives an inside look into the Republic newsroom on election night. He is joined by reporters Stacey Barchenger, Mary Jo Pitzl, Tara Kavaler, Yana Kunichoff and Ray Stern as they analyze the early results and discuss what the races' outcomes could mean for the state's future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting is underway in Arizona for the midterm election. And every race matters, from the governor to the U.S. Senate, the state Legislature and school boards. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so that you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This is part of a series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle appearing throughout the voting period. In this bonus episode you’ll hear from Democratic candidate Kirsten Engel who is running for the 6th Congressional District. This district covers parts of Tucson, Pima County and sections of others. This is Arizona's only U.S. House race without an incumbent running. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick is stepping down. We reached out to the Republican candidate for this race, Juan Ciscomani, but he didn’t respond to our request to participate. You will hear Tara Kavaler, a politics reporter for the Arizona Republic, ask the questions. This interview was recorded on speaker phone, so please be aware of the lower sound quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Election day is creeping ever closer for Arizona’s midterms. And if you’re still filling out your ballot or plan to vote on November 8, you’re probably still researching who you want to cast your ballot for. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This is a continuation of our series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle throughout the voting period. In this bonus Gaggle episode, we are taking a slight detour and speaking with our education reporters about school board elections including the candidates, their responsibilities, and why their role is so important to Arizona’s education system. You will hear our K-12 reporter, Yana Kunichoff speaking with our Arizona schools reporter, Renata Cló. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting is underway for the midterm elections. And every race matters, from the governor to the U.S. Senate, the Legislature and on down to school boards. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This is part of a series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle throughout the voting period. In this bonus episode you'll hear from Democratic candidate Tom O'Halleran who is running for the 2nd Congressional District. This district covers more rural Arizona in Apache, Pima and Coconino County, among others. It is a retiree-heavy and traditionally Republican leaning district. The Arizona Republic reached out to Republican candidate for this race, Eli Crane, but he didn’t respond to our request to participate. You will hear Tara Kavaler, a politics reporter for the Arizona Republic, ask the questions. This interview was recorded on speaker phone so please be aware of the lower sound quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona voters will play an outsized role in determining the nation's political direction in next week's midterm election. The national focus on Arizona inevitably revives interest in the baseless election denialism that has defined many Republican candidates across the country and in this state. After last year’s state Senate Republicans ordered a partisan review of ballots in Maricopa County, and after nearly two full years of former President Donald Trump falsely claiming widespread fraud in Arizona, the state’s election officials will face a big test. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by Arizona Republic reporters Sasha Hupka and Mary Jo Pitzl. They talk us through how voting is shaping up as of now and what complications are already evident. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona’s midterms are in full swing. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This question and answer with attorney general candidates is part of a series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle throughout the voting period. The candidates are Republican Abe Hamadeh and Democrat Kris Mayes. One of them will be replacing Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who has served the maximum two terms. Hamadeh did not respond to requests to participate in this interview. In this Q&A, you will hear our politics reporter Tara Kavaler asking the questions to Kris Mayes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting is underway for the midterm elections. And every race matters, from the governor to the U.S. Senate, the Legislature and on down to school boards. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This is part of a series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle throughout the voting period. In this bonus episode, you'll hear from Incumbent Democrat Mark Kelly who is running for U.S. Senate. We reached out to the Republican candidate for this race, Blake Masters, but he didn’t respond to our request to participate. Libertarian candidate Marc Victor did participate, but has since dropped out of the race. You will hear Ron Hansen, a politics reporter for the Arizona Republic, ask the questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting is underway for the midterm elections. And every race matters, from the governor to the U.S. Senate, the Legislature and on down to school boards. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This is part of a series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle throughout the voting period. I’m Amanda Luberto, one of the producers for The Gaggle. In this bonus episode we’ll hear from Democratic candidate Greg Stanton who is running for the 4th Congressional District. This district covers Tempe, parts of Mesa, Phoenix and Chandler. It’s been referred to as the “big purple corridor” because of its independent-leaning nature. The Arizona Republic reached out to Republican candidate for this race, Kelly Cooper, but he didn’t respond to our request to participate. You will hear Tara Kavaler, a politics reporter for the Arizona Republic, ask the questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Votes are pouring in across the state and the candidates are making their closing arguments for every race, from governor to Congress to the state Legislature. The ads on your screens, the flyers in your mailbox, the signs on seemingly every open corner are targeting the most coveted bloc of voters in Arizona: those who refuse to be beholden to either camp. Independents. In today's episode of The Gaggle, we hand over the mic to them. We hear how some plan to vote, why they choose to be independent, and their concerns for our state and nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting is underway for the midterm elections. And every race matters, from the governor to the U.S. Senate, the Legislature and on down to school boards. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This is part of a series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle throughout the voting period. In this bonus episode we’ll hear from the two candidates running for the 1st Congressional District, which spans the northeast valley and reaches into parts of north-central Phoenix. It is a newly created district, which was mostly the 6th Congressional District before. Incumbent Republican David Schweikert is facing Democrat Jevin Hodge to represent one of Arizona’s wealthiest districts. You will hear Tara Kavaler, a politics reporter for the Arizona Republic, ask the questions to each of the candidates. First you will hear from David Schewikert, followed by Jevin Hodge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ten years ago, Mexican teenager José Antonio Elena Rodríguez was shot through the border fence by a U.S. Border Patrol agent. The agent believed the teen, standing in Nogales, Sonora, was throwing rocks at him and that he was in danger. The death launched a historic cross-border investigation that ultimately changed how the Border Patrol functions. But José Antonio isn’t the only person to have been killed across the border between Mexico and the United States. His story became an example of those families who are still fighting for justice. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by Arizona Republic reporters Rafael Carranza and Maritza Dominguez. Alongside producer Amanda Luberto, they told José Antonio's story in season three of the Republic's investigation podcast, Rediscovering. After visiting Ambos Nogales for the 10-year memorial celebration, Rafael and Maritza share how José Antonio's case is still impacting the family and our legal system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting is underway for the midterm elections. And every race matters, from the governor to the U.S. Senate, the Legislature and on down to school boards. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This is part of a series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle throughout the voting period. In this bonus episode we’ll hear from the two candidates running for the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the state’s top education boss. Incumbent Democrat Kathy Hoffman is facing Tom Horne, the Republican former attorney general and former superintendent from 2003 -2011, where he served two terms. You will also hear from Yana Kunichoff, our K-12 reporter, who spoke with each candidate. You will hear Yana ask the questions first, with incumbent Kathy Hoffman answering first followed by Tom Horne. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The midterm election is less than a month away. And while many voters may have decided which candidates they are supporting, there is much more on the ballot this year. Ballot measures play a big role in deciding how Arizonans want their state run, but it can be confusing to sort through what each really stands for and if you want to vote yes or no. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by Arizona Republic reporters Mary Jo Pitzl and Ryan Randazzo, who have written about the different measures now before voters. They discuss the key initiatives, how they got to be on the ballot, who supports them, and who opposes them. Follow The Gaggle and all azcentral.com podcasts on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The midterm elections are about a month away and both political parties are furiously trying to make their cases to the electorate. In a year marked by historic inflation and a seismic Supreme Court ruling on abortion, many political experts are expecting unusually heavy turnout. If that happens, America’s young adults could play a big role. But what do they want, or care about? Are they Democrats? Republicans? Or independents? In this episode of The Gaggle, we’re talking to some young adults to find out what’s on their minds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late on September 23rd, a Pima County Superior Court judge effectively allowed Arizona’s 19th Century ban on nearly all abortions to go back into effect. That is at odds with a 2022 law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Just this week, Maricopa County’s top prosecutor reversed herself and said she wouldn’t prosecute women for getting an abortion. Facing a charged political environment, Arizona officials have struggled to clarify what is legal and what is now forbidden after the U.S. Supreme Court in June erased federal abortion rights. The Pima County ruling sparked another round of anger and anguish from Democrats. Most Republicans preferred to let the latest development pass quietly. In this episode of The Gaggle, Brookings senior fellow and founding director Center for Effective Public ManagementElaine Kamarck (@EKamarck) joins our host, Ron Hansen to discuss how abortion restrictions may impact midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On election night in 2020, Fox News made the first formal projection suggesting that Joe Biden could win the presidency by saying Biden had won Arizona. Almost immediately, that projection set off a firestorm in the White House, capped by then-President Donald Trump suggesting that the election was stolen. The backlash in Arizona came swiftly. Protesters gathered at the state Capitol, claiming a stolen election even as the votes were still being counted. Maricopa County became the national epicenter of the so-called “big lie” that widespread fraud allowed Biden to claim victory. By the end of 2020, the Arizona Republican Party assembled “alternate electors” to justify setting aside election results in Washington, D.C. About the same time, Arizona state Senate President Karen Fann, a Republican, set her chamber on a fateful path as well. She launched an unprecedented review of Maricopa County’s ballots in search of the fraud so many had claimed in Arizona. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by Arizona Republic reporters Mary Jo Pitzl and Robert Anglen, who helped cover the ballot review and the fallout since then. They discuss the year since the ballot review concluded, what it accomplished, and how it will affect the 2022 elections come November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few things are a safe bet when the Arizona Legislature reconvenes in January, including who will be sitting in the seats. What can be expected is that there will be a representative for the whole spectrum of opinions: from election deniers to abortion rights supporters. This is the expected outgrowth of a newly drawn political map where most races are not competitive in general elections. But what about the 11 state house races around Arizona where there is a little suspense over who will sit in the state Legislature for the next two years? This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by state politics and issues reporter Ray Stern to make sense of the many Legislative races that will be on your ballot come November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While it’s September and still in the triple digits here in Arizona, the change in the calendar means summer recess is over. The kids are back to school. Members of Congress are back in Washington. The midterm elections are looming, and control of both chambers of Congress is in question. Currently, Democrats lead with 220 members in the 435-person House of Representatives, which has lit a fire under Republicans to regain the House. But a Republican takeover might not be as easy as predicted. For answers, some are looking right here in Arizona. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by Kyle Kondik. He is the managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, a non-partisan newsletter from the University of Virginia on campaigns and elections. Together they discuss the status of Arizona's federal races, the Senate and the House races, which could offer clues to how the country might be voting as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the beginning of August, the U.S. Interior Department has announced a water shortage that will trigger cuts in the water supply in Arizona and other parts of the Southwest. A United Nations environmental program said Lake Powell and Lake Mead have reached “dangerously low levels.” The federal Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees the nation’s water projects, gave the seven states and 30 tribes that use the Colorado River eight weeks to come up with a plan to conserve more water. The goal was to conserve an extra 2 to 4 million acre-feet of water, thereby stabilizing the rapidly dwindling reservoirs. However, no plan was reached and the clock keeps ticking. In this episode, we’re talking about an issue many of you have sent our way: Arizona’s water crisis. How bad is it? And what are government and policy leaders doing about it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As his two terms as governor wind down, Doug Ducey crossed off one of the goals he's had on his list for nearly eight years. He signed into law House Bill 2853, expanding school vouchers to allow all parents to use them for private school tuition or other educational costs. It's being lauded as the biggest school-choice victory in the nation. Supporters say it will increase opportunities for Arizona students and families to choose the education they want without being limited by financial situations, but critics argue it casts a blind eye to the already struggling public school system in the state. This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by K-12 education reporter Yana Kunichoff to break down what the law really means for the future of the state and what it means for Ducey's legacy as governor. Later in the show, Darleen Opfer, vice president and director of RAND Education and Labor, discusses potential obstacles Arizona parents could still face and where the expanded voucher program places the state in the national conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden on Aug. 9 signed into law the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act.. The historic legislation provides up to $52 billion dollars from the U.S. government to help spur production of semiconductor factories, advanced technologies and research facilities across the country. The Biden administration hopes it will open doors to new commercial breakthroughs in emerging fields such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence. With the passage of the CHIPS Act, the U.S. is ready to once more become a world leader in semiconductor production and challenge China’s domination in that industry. One of the states that could stand to benefit from the law is Arizona, which has long been a desirable location for tech companies from Motorola to Intel. In today’s episode, The Gaggle investigates what the new federal initiative could mean in a state trying to expand its high-tech footprint. The president of Arizona State University Michael Crow and Mesa Mayor John Giles join our host Ron Hansen in the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After distinguishing themselves from the pack, Trump-endorsed candidates won big at Arizona's primaries. Kari Lake clinched the Republican nomination for governor and will go head-to-head with Democrat Katie Hobbs. Republican Blake Masters will face off with incumbent Democratic Mark Kelly for a seat in the U.S. Senate. In the Secretary of State race, Republican, and notorious conspiracy theorist, Mark Finchem will face off with Adrian Fontes, the Democratic former Maricopa County Recorder. So what does this say about Arizona’s electorate as we head into November? Are Trump-style Republicans primed to take hold in our state? Or will the majority of Arizonans turn to Democrats in the fall? In this episode of The Gaggle, we’re setting the table for the midterm elections. We’ll talk about how voter choices in the primaries will help determine what happens in November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Election day is over. As of Thursday evening, gubernatorial candidate, Kari Lake, clinched the GOP nomination. Adrian Fontes beat Reginald Bolding for the Democratic nomination for secretary of state. But there are still ballots to count, and it hasn’t been smooth sailing. From pens smudging ballots in Maricopa County to Pinal County running out of ballots, the August primaries gave those suspicious of elections more to complain about. In this special bonus episode of The Gaggle, we’re taking a closer look at issues that have handicapped the election process and what the response has been. We’ll also take a look at the gubernatorial race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices