The six-way primary for the Republican nomination in the governor’s race is now down to two candidates — at least according to them.

The six Republican gubernatorial candidates argued about illegal immigration, the K-12 education standards known as Common Core and economic development in a televised debate Monday.

Ducey today launched the first candidate-run attack ad of the gubernatorial campaign, hitting Jones for what his campaign deemed “phony” promises regarding border security. “In her TV ads, Christine Jones talks tough on immigration. Jones says she’ll secure the border and make the federal government pay the bill. But Jones is caught on camera admitting that’s not true,” the ad says, followed by footage of Jones talking about her plan to send the federal government an invoice for her border security plan, which she has said will cost about $270 million.

The tax-cutting stance embraced by several candidates for governor is heading straight into a collision course with the reality of a judge’s ruling on school funding.

An attorney for Arizona gubernatorial candidate Doug Ducey filed a complaint with the Arizona Secretary of State Thursday alleging that the IE group Better Leaders for Arizona violated state law by failing to provide Ducey timely notice of an attack.

Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, now a GOP candidate for governor, used his first television ad of the election cycle to take on immigration, the “gay lobby” and liberal judges.

Conservative groups backed by dark money or yet to be-disclosed funding sources are trading blows on the airwaves now that a pro-Christine Jones IE began airing ads attacking Doug Ducey for his own alleged ties to dark money ads.

Having pulled out of the race himself, state Sen. Al Melvin is supporting state Treasurer Doug Ducey for the Republican nomination for Arizona governor.

Thanks to her deep pockets, Jones is leading the money race in the gubernatorial contest. But Ducey, DuVal and Smith have also raked in considerable amounts of cash.

A Virginia-based conservative group is airing ads in Phoenix and Tucson attacking Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Smith for supporting an international agreement to combat global warming.