Arizona Capitol Times Election Coverage Your Inside Track to Arizona Elections

Flagstaff dentist Paul Gosar had the best fundraising quarter of Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick's GOP challengers, but mining lobbyist Sydney Hay made a strong showing despite her late entry into the race.

David Schweikert and Jim Ward led the Republican field in fundraising in the 5th Congressional District, but incumbent Democratic Rep. Harry Mitchell still eclipsed all challengers.

When state Treasurer Dean Martin entered the race in January, he had long looked like Gov. Jan Brewer’s most dangerous adversary in the Republican primary. Brewer was floundering in her budget battle with the Legislature and reeling from conservative opposition to her proposed sales tax hike.

Northern Arizona businessman, Mills put himself on the political map when he hired Symington Group partner Camilla Strongin to manage his campaign and became the talk of the Capitol in January when he put $2 million of his own money into his campaign.

Terry Goddard greeted the news of Buz Mills’ exit from the governor’s race with an enthusiastic proclamation. “Game on. Sixteen weeks to change Arizona,” the Democratic attorney general wrote on his Twitter account.

Buz Mills didn't end his gubernatorial campaign quietly, lashing out at Gov. Jan Brewer instead of giving her the support she saw from state Treasurer Dean Martin when he bowed out of the race several days earlier.

After spending $3.2 million of his own money on his campaign, Northern Arizona businessman Buz Mills bowed out of the governor’s race, leaving Jan Brewer virtually unopposed in the Republican primary.

State Treasurer Dean Martin dropped out of the governor's race July 9, saying he would stand aside and support Gov. Jan Brewer in her battles with the Obama administration and the federal government. "Governor Brewer is going to need all our help to shoulder the burden of defending Arizona from the federal government. It is our duty to stand together as Arizona residents against an intrusive federal bureaucracy," Martin said in his announcement that he characterized as "suspending" his campaign. "Our state and the residents of Arizona are more important than playing politics."

Democrat Jason Williams is facing a complaint alleging that his campaign for state schools chief has committed a number of Clean Elections violations.

Six months of trying to outflank Sen. John McCain from the right produced less support, less money, fewer endorsements and lower poll numbers than J.D. Hayworth and his dedicated followers had anticipated.