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.
In less than a year, Arizonans will have a chance to decide who to send to Washington for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second administration.
David Schweikert stepping away from CD1 makes his open seat a hot competition for Republicans to keep and Democrats to flip.
In CD6, candidates are already lined up to take the district for the Dems away from Rep. Juan Ciscomani.
This week, we talk with a House races expert about how the races are shaping up so far, what each party has to do to win and what it would mean for the political atmosphere.
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Guest: Erin Covey
Host: Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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Most Arizonans see the end of summer as a reprieve. But for some, it's a sign of survival.
Since 2020, at least 270 people in Maricopa County have died at home when their cooling systems failed or were shut off completely. The Arizona Republic dug into the records of these quiet casualties of extreme heat.
This week on The Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, we ask an expert what can be done to fix this and what policies could be put into place.
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Guest: David Konisky
Host: Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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A key hang up causing the government shutdown involves a pandemic-era provision for Americans impacting health insurance and medical bills.
Currently, about 300,000 Arizonans earn too much to receive Medicaid help, but don't have affordable insurance options through work. This group has qualified for subsidies that cut their insurance costs from the Affordable Care Act insurers since 2021.
This relief stops at the end of the year unless Congress moves to extend it, and if aid ends, Arizonans face premium hikes that could jump by nearly $500 per month.
This week on The Gaggle, we talk with Will Humble, former state health director.
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Guest: Will Humble
Host: Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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On September 23, Congressional District 7 elected Democrat Adelita Grijalva to Congress and the narrow Republican majority in the United States House of Representatives is about to be slightly thinner.
Adelita's win serves as no surprise in Arizona, but it still matters on the national scale. With her win, the GOP edge over Democrats will effectively shrink to two votes separating any measure from passing the House.
Her role could become crucial in Congress' anticipated votes over the Jeffery Epstein files, government funding and more.
This week on The Gaggle, we talk with a Republic reporter covering the race and Norman Ornstein of The American Enterprise Institute.
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Guest: Laura Gersony, Norman Ornstein
Host: Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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A vigil was held at Arizona State University for Charlie Kirk, conservative influencer and founder of Turning Point USA, after his assassination on September 10th.
His career was kickstarted and his identity as a fierce debater was solidified on the ASU campus, and his message resonated with many young people.
Charlie Kirk is not the only news personality connecting with a younger generation. According to research by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, nearly 40% of adults under 30 get their news from content creators.
This week on The Gaggle, we hear from Gen Z about what Charlie Kirk meant to them, the legacy he's leaving behind and research on where young people turn to for their news.
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Guest: Katerina Matsa
Host: Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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It's nine months into 2025 and there may have been some Arizona politics stories you bookmarked for later but haven't just yet read them. There's a lot to keep up with, and The Gaggle gets that.
This week on The Gaggle, we run through the top stories in Arizona politics so far this year and discuss their long-term impact on Arizona.
Plus, a farewell to Mary Jo Pitzl, an icon of Arizona news!
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Guest: Mary Jo Pitzl, Ron Hansen
Host, producer: Amanda Luberto
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Arizona has been a reliable and long-standing national leader in job growth. But so far this year, the state has taken a big step backwards.
Through the first seven months, Arizona has ranked 46th in bringing in new jobs. Despite the steep drop, it doesn't indicate yet that the state is spiraling toward a recession. But it does surprise economic experts and signal a bit of a slowdown.
This week on The Gaggle, we're joined by The Republic's business reporter to analyze his annual jobs report and what it means for Arizona's economy.
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Guest: Russ Wiles
Hosts: Mary Jo Pitzl, Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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There’s a conservative wave washing over some local governments in the Valley’s suburbs.
Some point to Donald Trump’s aggressive efforts to erase DEI policies in city businesses. Others contend it’s a natural swing of the pendulum to correct governing bodies that they say have leaned too far left.
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by an associate professor of public policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Together we discuss why this phenomenon is happening and what the consequences of knowing the political allegiances of local councils are.
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Guest: Justin de Benedictis-Kessner
Hosts: Mary Jo Pitzl, Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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It's been three years since the 2022 gubernatorial debate went from a discussion to a debacle and the Arizona Republic just received the public records.
The reports show behind-the-scenes deliberations involving ASU President Michael Crow and some of his top aides over how to handle known election denier Kari Lake.
Since reporting has come out, ASU, Kari Lake and even Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen have commented on the complicated situation and on what comes next.
And it raises complex journalistic questions, too.
This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, a Republic reporter joins us to discuss her story about the 2022 debate and what happens now that it's been exposed.
Then, an attorney who advocates for free expression on college campuses, talks about whether ethical and even legal lines were crossed, and where journalists, politicos and the public all go from here.
Read Stacey Barchenger's article here
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Guest: Stacey Barchenger, Robert Corn-Revere
Hosts: Mary Jo Pitzl, Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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Anxieties you might assume are from a liberal law professor against President Donald Trump and his administration are coming from an unexpected source: Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick.
Appointed by Republican Governor Doug Ducey and a described "rockstar of the right" Bolick is no lefty, but he can't help but worry about the way the President is disregarding court decisions.
This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we are joined by an Arizona Republic reporter who spoke candidly with Bolick about why he sees the current moment as so perilous and how people on both sides of the aisle have responded to his call-out.
Read Taylor Seely's article here
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Guest: Taylor Seely
Hosts: Mary Jo Pitzl, Ron Hansen
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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