Democratic Sen. Carlyle Begay is now a Republican. The Ganado lawmaker announced Monday morning his switch to the Republican Party, a move he said is an extension of his independent streak at the Arizona Capitol. But Democrats categorized the move as no surprise for a lawmaker who often bucked his party to vote in favor of Republican-led bills.
Read More »Another blow for Democrats: State Sen. Carlyle Begay switches parties
New firm Axiom Public Affairs features big names at Capitol 
A trio of big names announced a new lobbying and consulting firm that’s poised to make a big splash at the Capitol and the world of Arizona politics.
Read More »Dark Money 
Specter of anonymous campaign spending looms over 2014
Next year’s elections are shaping up like 2012 — organizations with generic names, big checkbooks and secret contributors spending millions to influence Arizona’s elections.
Small cadre of attorneys share spotlight where law and politics collide 
Bush v. Gore is the ultimate example of politics and law intersecting and it shows how lawyers can affect an election in a dramatic way. But in Arizona, every election cycle brings its own set of controversies to be settled in the courtroom.
Read More »Donor fatigue 
Higher contribution limits don’t translate into avalanche of cash
Legislators who approved a controversial election law this year and are hoping to get a serious bump in their fundraising efforts should not expect to see an avalanche of hefty checks coming their way.
Last city council election in an odd-numbered year? 
At a recent Phoenix City Council District 8 candidate forum in a central Phoenix church, the pews were nearly filled with roughly 80 political junkies getting their fix.
Read More »Trans-Pacific trade agreement must protect U.S. intellectual property
As an Arizonan, when you hear about trade agreements, you might not automatically think about jobs in the great Copper State. However, as the most populous landlocked state in the U.S., we should. Trade is a huge driver of our economy, not only as a nation, but also of our state economies.
Read More »Brewer signs consolidated elections bill over objections by cities 
Despite a flood of letters from cities and towns opposing the bill, Gov. Jan Brewer today signed legislation requiring municipalities to consolidate their elections with the state.
Read More »Brewer signs bill letting ‘religiously oriented’ employers opt out of contraception coverage
Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill Friday that relaxes Arizona's requirement for health plans to cover contraception, legislation that supporters called a protection for religious freedom and that critics called an attack on women.
Read More »Brewer signs bill protecting denial of services on religious grounds
Gov. Jan Brewer has signed a bill that ensures Arizona workers won't lose their professional licenses for denying services on religious grounds.
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