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.
The results are in: former Vice President Joe Biden has overwhelmingly beaten Sen. Bernie Sanders in Arizona's primary.
The results are not a surprise, given Arizona voters’ preference for more moderate candidates over far-left ones. Considering its recent battleground status, moderate Democrats like Sen. Kyrsten Sinema tend to perform best in Arizona, as they're able to capture the votes Democrats, Independents and moderate Republicans turned off by President Donald Trump’s style and policies.
Despite the outcome, Sanders' progressive politics have found a strong foothold in Arizona, particularly among young voters and people of color. As Arizona’s population of young people and people of color continues to rapidly grow, the issues that helped fuel Sanders’ rise here and nationally will be paramount in future elections. For these voters, issues of equity and climate change, plus the rising cost of college and health care, remain top of mind.
In this episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcasts, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen discuss Sanders' lasting impact on Democrats in Arizona – and how his progressive ideals will have traction long after he exits the race.
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Every decade, the U.S. government counts the number of people in the country. That census count helps determine the amount of money each state receives from the federal government.
It also determines how many people each state sends to the House of Representatives.
An inaccurate count means that Arizona could miss out on hundreds of millions of dollars over the decade for public entities like our schools, roads and health care resources. This can be particularly damaging to a state with rapidly growing population and needs.
Several government-sponsored campaigns have been created to encourage participation in the census. This includes Gov. Doug Ducey's Arizona Complete Count Committee.
In this episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen talk to Alec Thomson, the executive director of the Arizona Complete Count Committee, about the importance of the census and how you can participate in a safe way.
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With the 2020 elections around the corner, Democrats are hoping to keep the momentum from their 2018 wins going strong enough to defeat President Donald Trump in 2020 and win back the White House.
But the Democratic presidential candidates continue to fight amongst themselves over how far left they want to take the party. While Democrats have yet to unite behind a single nominee, the GOP is building momentum by invoking Trump's name for all Republican candidates on the 2020 ballot.
This week The Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, digs into the Democratic strategy for winning Arizona in 2020.
Last week on The Gaggle: How Republicans plan to win Arizona in 2020
If the Democrats are successful Arizona in 2020, it will establish a new template for how to win swing states in the future. If they lose, questions will linger over whether the right methods were deployed and the best nominee was selected.
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Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick recently began treatment for alcohol dependence. Her decision to do so came after the Representative, who presides over Congressional District 2 in southern Arizona, took a fall in a Washington-area subway. She was left with staples in her head, cracked ribs and a fractured spine.
In a statement, she said:
“I am finally seeking this help after struggling to do so in the past, and I am ready to admit that I, like countless other Americans, suffer from this disease. Hard work and determination — which have brought me success in life — have not been enough to win this battle. Other than being a wife, mother, and grandmother, the most important job in the world to me is representing my fellow Arizonans. I know I must get better in order to do my best in each of these roles.”
Rep. Kirkpatrick sat down with Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen to discuss how she's doing and what's in store for her political future.
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The day before President Trump landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor, volunteers for the Republican party trained at the Trump Victory Leadership Initiative. The initiative is part of the Republican strategy to keep the White House and win down ballot elections.
In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen pull back the curtain on the Republic Party's plans as the 2020 presidential election heats up.
You'll hear Rick Gorka, the communications director of the Republican National Committee, explain the value of campaign volunteers and how they plan to get out the vote. You'll also hear from Trump voters at the Feb. 19 rally, talking about the top issues they care about.
This episode is part one in a series on how the two largest political parties are activating voters. Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast to catch next week's episode on the Democrat's plan for rallying new voters.
In this episode you'll hear:
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As our population continues to grow, our state's political landscape continues to change.
Once a reliably red state, Arizona has become increasingly purple. It's now a key battleground state in the 2020 election.
Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen, hosts of "The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast," we wanted to see how the purple trend is playing out in person.
To find out, they're traveling to each of Arizona's nine congressional districts, where they'll talk to your elected representatives and neighbors about the issues that matter most to them. These episodes will come out every few weeks until the election.
This mini-series starts in Arizona's seventh congressional district. Located in downtown Phoenix and stretching all the way to Tolleson and Glendale, it's a young, typically blue district. This election cycle, it will be a crucial district for Democrats, who are relying on high voter turnout in the area to offset the gains Republicans will make elsewhere.
The district is home to Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who you'll hear from in today's episode. You'll also hear from voters, including potential first-time voters, on what issues are most likely to drive them to the polls.
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The years-long legal battle over whether Arizona can ban people from delivering ballots from others in bulk remains in flux and as contentious as ever.
On Jan. 27, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals knocked down the state's "ballot harvesting" law, saying it violated the Voting Rights Act and disproportionately affects Native American, Hispanic, and African American voters.
But days after lifting the ban, the court temporarily reinstated it, allowing Arizona officials a chance to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich reminded people on Twitter that the state's ban on collecting ballots from others remains in place, at least for now.
In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen break down the future of ballot harvesting in the state, and how it could impact the 2020 election cycle.
Joining them on the episode are reporters Mary Jo Pitzl and Andrew Oxford, who explain the history and current state of the issue.
In this episode you'll hear:
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Last week the Maricopa Association of Governments sent teams of volunteers across the Valley to count the number of homeless people residing in the state. Arizona Republic reporters followed these volunteers and spoke to the homeless individuals about what led to their homelessness and what the experience is like.
This week on The Gaggle, national political reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen interview Jessica Boehm, city of Phoenix reporter, and Catherine Reagor, real-estate reporter. The four discuss the conditions that led to today's rising homelessness and how the state is responding.
Plus, stick around for the end of this episode. We have a bonus interview with former New York City Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg. He makes his case for why Arizona should vote for him.
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As Senators sit for hours on end listening to the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump,Arizona Republic reporters are reading cues from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat, and Sen. Martha McSally, a Republican, for insight into how they may ultimately vote.
The senators and their colleagues are weighing two articles of impeachment against Trump. He is charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, stemming from leveraging the presidency to convince Ukrainian officials to investigate his political rivals.
This week on The Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, national political reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen dive into the senator's trial votes — and discuss the political implications that could help shape their votes.
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The Invest in Education Initiative Act is making a comeback and could be on your 2020 ballot this fall.
The proposal looks similar to the 2018 initiative. It would increase taxes for high-income earners, including single filers earning more than $250,000 or married filers earning more than $500,000.
But the previous iteration was struck down by the Arizona Supreme Court in 2018 due to its lack of clarity. And the proposal is at odds with Gov. Doug Ducey's plan for education funding.
In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen break down the proposed initiative, including its history. Joining them on the episode is education reporter Lily Altavena, who weighs in on whether Arizona voters are likely to stomach a new tax.
In this episode you'll hear:
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