As session shifts into gear, bipartisan overtures turn to politicking
In the past few weeks, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and top Republican lawmakers have engaged in some public mudslinging.
House Speaker Bowers reflects on session’s successes, work to come
Republican House Speaker Rusty Bowers said it was a "blessing" to be forced to have to work with Democrats on bills involving education, water and other issues in the past legislative session.
Infrastructure bill gives Sinema bipartisan victory
Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has faced unrelenting tension with activists in her party over her insistence that bipartisan deal-making is still the way to do big things during a hyper-partisan era in Washington.
Q&A with House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez
House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez has seen the full scope of Democratic legislative power, from the bad old days when Democrats had only 23 seats to the present day, when they’ve accumulated enough power that a single defection from the other side has huge implications.
Q&A with Speaker of the House Rusty Bowers
Looking forward to what could very well be his last term as speaker of the House, Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, reflected to the Arizona Capitol Times about his expectations for the upcoming session
Legislature is more bipartisan than most people realize
If you are ever asked what you do for a living and you reply, “I am a lobbyist” what usually follows is a rant about how the Legislature can never get anything done, that everything is so partisan and that there is incredible gridlock.
Flake, N.M. senator stage their own ‘Survivor’ show
Jeff Flake and Martin Heinrich were willing to go to great lengths to prove that a Democratic and Republican U.S. senator could work together.
Christie: GOP needs to ‘show up’ and engage groups that disagree
Believing that Republicans can win support from Hispanics just by supporting immigration reform “is insulting to Hispanic voters all over the country,” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Friday. “The... […]
Election reform must be bipartisan and transparent
In the days after the 2012 general election, Arizona made national headlines for all the wrong reasons. A large number of provisional and early ballots remained uncounted from election night, and the multi- week process of counting these ballots provided the national media fodder to continue the theme of dysfunction in Arizona government.
Landrum Taylor’s 14-year career was nearly over soon after it started
As Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor discusses her 14-year career in the House and Senate with pride in her accomplishments, she reveals that it all almost didn’t happen. She nearly quit after her first term.
Bipartisanship, political civility are possible
Many people have asked me whether I believe there is a real chance for bipartisanship, political civility and statesmanship to prevail in our current political climate. They are surprised when I say, “yes!”
O’Connor’s project: Usher in second century of statehood with new direction
Years ago, an old adobe house in Paradise Valley was known as a place where politicians and community leaders gathered for Mexican food, beer and cross-party solidarity.