Recent Articles from Luige del Puerto
Groups spend big, have little to show for it
Outside groups dug deep into their war chests and poured millions of dollars into state Senate races, splurging in amounts unmatched in Arizona history and inundating voters with attack ads.
Senate announces new committee assignments
Incoming Republican leaders have completed the reorganization of Senate committees following last week’s elections. As expected, the Senate will have fewer committees, but the core panels that serve as gatekeepers of the thousands of ideas lawmakers grapple with each year have been retained.
Senate Republicans reach out to Dems
Incoming Republican leaders in the Senate have made overtures to the Democratic caucus, indicating they’re interested in working with the minority.
Landrum Taylor selected as Senate Democratic leader; Lopez, Tovar also win minority posts
Democrats today selected their next set of Senate leaders, following a largely successful campaign to increase their number in the state Legislature and amid hopes for bipartisan cooperation.
Andy Biggs wins bid for Senate president
Incoming Senate President Andy Biggs, a conservative Republican from Gilbert, promised to be inclusive and immediately refrained from weighing in on some of the biggest issues facing Arizona without first consulting his caucus.
Republicans to lose Senate supermajority but still dominate chamber
The wave that carried a Republican supermajority into the Legislature two years ran into a seawall tonight, when the G.O.P. appeared to have lost four seats in the Senate, thereby giving up the power to override a gubernatorial veto.
Senate Republicans preparing to choose leaders
Republican senators who prevailed in yesterday’s elections caucus will meet this afternoon in Phoenix to elect their next set of leaders.
Bradley unseats Antenori in LD10 Senate race
Sen. Frank Antenori, the Republican from Tucson famous for his bluntness and his penchant for using war imagery in speeches, lost his re-election bid.
Doug Quelland no match for Kimberly Yee
In the end, Doug Quelland didn’t spoil Rep. Kimberly Yee’s party.
Ed Ableser beats Jerry Lewis
Voters’ love affair with Sen. Jerry Lewis, the Mesa Republican who unseated Russell Pearce last year, ended tonight. Despite a strong push to the finish, Lewis lost his race to his Democratic opponent, Rep. Ed Ableser of Tempe, the initial vote tally tonight showed.
McComish overcomes attack ads, is poised for victory
The best attack ads money can buy failed to convince voters to unseat Sen. John McComish, R-Phoenix, tonight’s vote tally showed. Opponents spent more than $300,000 to defeat the Republican in what turned out to be the most expensive legislative race in recent memory.
Prop.117 property tax gets voters’ nod
Voters rallied behind a proposal that is meant to check wild swings in property tax bills, the initial count by the Secretary of State’s Office shows.