Arizona Capitol Times Your Inside Source for Arizona Government, Politics and Business

Steve Gaynor finally conceded late Friday he isn't going to be secretary of state.

That record number of Arizonans who turned out to vote this year has a dark side for direct democracy: It's going to be harder for voters to propose their own laws or get rid of ones they don't like.

Spending on campaign ads in Arizona reached a record $129 million this year, part of a national trend that saw cable and broadcast election ad spending top $3 billion for the first time in a midterm election cycle.

Despite a record number of women running for office this year, Arizona will actually lose one female elected official when congressional and legislative delegations take office in January.

Katie Hobbs is going to be Arizona’s next secretary of state – and a heartbeat away from governor – absent a sudden and unlikely last-minute burst of votes from Maricopa County favoring Steve Gaynor, her Republican opponent.

Republican Justin Olson will be taking the second open spot on the Arizona Corporation Commission, and Democrat Katie Hobbs is making headway in her bid to be the next secretary of state.

The latest votes counted appear to put Democrat Sandra Kennedy close to being able to reclaim a seat on the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Kathy Hoffman was buoyed by the Red for Ed movement and Democratic energy across Arizona, but now, she’s looking for moderate voices to guide her administration.

The latest batch of votes counted Monday put the U.S. Senate out of the reach of Republican Martha McSally and into the hands of an Arizona Democrat for the first time since 1994.

Any losing candidate in the general election who is counting on an automatic recount needs to come close to winning. Really close.