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Recent Articles from Luige del Puerto
Supermajority GOP chalked up big gains, but not with immigration, guns and anti-union bills
Nearly two years after Republicans took advantage of an insurgent mood that swept the nation and secured supermajority control of the Legislature, the GOP in Arizona can boast of enacting state budgets that eschewed accounting gimmicks, assumed cautious revenue estimates and earmarked money for anticipated rainy days ahead.
David Schapira: Keeping spotlight on GOP helped block anti-labor bills
The most challenging task for Democrats at the state Capitol is to stay relevant in a place where you’re greatly outnumbered.
That job fell to Senate Minority Leader David Schapira, whose caucus shrank to only nine members following the 2010 elections.
Steve Pierce: Keeping GOP out of the news was biggest challenge
Extraordinary events put Steve Pierce at the helm of the Arizona Senate — and those same events made the job of leading the chamber, which is already difficult by itself, even more challenging.
The Prescott rancher was elected as Senate president following the ouster of Russell Pearce, who lost a November recall election to a rival Republican. While some of Pearce’s colleagues had n[...]
A rare GOP-Dem budget that almost happened
The most remarkable thing about Republican leaders’ decision to explore a budget compromise with the minority party this year is that it happened at all — much less that the two sides came within a hair’s breadth of striking what would have been a rare bargain.
As new Senate president, rancher Pierce deftly stepped through political minefields
Senate President Steve Pierce, a rancher from Prescott, has a habit of walking into difficult situations.
He did it once three years ago, when he became the de facto majority whip, and he did it again last year, when he vied for the position and became Senate president after Russell Pearce was ousted in a special recall election in November.
Poll suggests tight race between Gould and Gosar
A poll released today by Ron Gould’s congressional campaign suggests a tight race between the state senator and U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar.
The two are vying for the Republican nomination in newly drawn 4th Congressional District.
GOLDWATER-ed down: Think tank’s issues generate big splash, few ripples
The Goldwater Institute, a think tank known for its dogged pursuit of conservative ideals, laid down an ambitious — and combative — agenda at the state Capitol this year.
Economic update: April revenues strong
State tax collections continue to outpace expectations, and April general fund revenues were boosted by an unexpected spike in individual income tax collections.
Morning-after pill avoids spotlight in new contraception law
While a bill allowing religiously motivated employers to deny contraception coverage to workers spurred heated debate on its path to becoming law this session, one of its provisions was largely overlooked.
Mayor Smith endorses Worsley
Businessman Bob Worsley has bagged the coveted endorsement of Mesa Mayor Scott Smith in his race to capture a seat in the Arizona Senate.
ASU economists: Arizona is slowly recovering
Arizona’s economy is picking up, albeit full recovery is still a few years away, economists from Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business said at a forum today.
Ken Bennett collecting signatures for potential Arizona gubernatorial run
Secretary of State Ken Bennett, who helped pioneer the state’s online signature-gathering system for political candidates, has started using the system for his potential gubernatorial race two years away.
