Mesa Mayor Scott Smith ended his long flirtation with the Republican gubernatorial primary and officially announced his candidacy, likely setting the GOP field for 2014 and setting the stage for a bruising contest.

A poll shows Secretary of State Ken Bennett as the early favorite in the Republican primary for the 2014 governor’s race, though more than half of the respondents were undecided.

Bennett and Treasurer Doug Ducey also hold narrow leads over presumptive Democratic nominee Fred DuVal in the general election, according to the poll.

Lone Democrat outweighed by crowded Republican field for governor

Next year’s primary is shaping up to be the hottest contest for a Republican gubernatorial nomination in more than 20 years.

Gubernatorial candidate Christine Jones was convicted of drunk driving in 2006.

Clear path to general election provides a boost to DuVal, but …

After five Republican gubernatorial hopefuls held their first candidate forum, some observers said the big winner was a candidate who wasn’t in the room — Democratic nominee-in-waiting Fred DuVal.

There was a lot of agreement as five candidates took the stage for what was billed as the first Republican gubernatorial candidate forum of the 2014 election.