Stay ConnectedHelping you keep up with what matters in Arizona’s political news. Each week we interview politicians, public figures or journalists to break down one local issue and how it affects your life in Arizona.
Coming to you every Wednesday morning, The Gaggle is hosted by The Arizona Republic’s national political reporters Ron Hansen and Stephanie Murray, and is produced by Amanda Luberto.
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 couldbe 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 aluberto@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandaluberto.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
