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A Senate leader today vigorously defended Sen. Frank Antenori from allegations he asked a Republican committee, through Senate President Steve Pierce, to spend money on his race.

With less than a week to go before Nov. 6, the spending by outside groups against five Republican candidates alone is already unprecedented in state history: nearly $800,000.

A proposal that seeks to prevent wild swings in property tax bills is encountering a late surge of opposition from tax consultants, who argue it would create inequities among property owners.

A Democratic candidate for the Senate said Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction, called him to offer negative information against Sen. Rich Crandall, R-Mesa, who defeated Fillmore in the Republican primary last August.

The dueling campaigns over an initiative to keep a one-penny tax increase are awash with cash.

The No New Taxes, No on Prop 204 campaign has collected nearly $900,000 in October alone.

A newly-created independent expenditure committee is making a big push — and creating a huge splash — to help defeat Republicans in hotly-contested Senate races.

The spending appeared to be timed for early voting, which started on Oct. 11.

The local chapter of Planned Parenthood is firing back through its political action arm after being on the defensive during the last few years.

After sliding slightly in August, state revenues picked up in September, the Legislature’s budget research arm reported this month.

Sen. Frank Antenori, a Republican from Tucson who is famous for being blunt, made a compelling case for his re-election at a park named after the late Morris K. Udall, southern Arizona’s beloved Democrat.

But nothing Antenori said on that nippy Oct. 13 afternoon was aimed at courting voters who hold moderate views.

It was all red meat to a crowd of adoring supporters, who view him as southern Arizona’s warrior-politician, the guy who’s holding back a horde of big spenders who are itching to raise people’s taxes at the first opportunity.

The proposal to permanently keep a one-penny sales tax increase is in big trouble, based on the results of a recent survey among likely voters.