Cooperation, compromise, and caring for each other, are conservative values. I’m proudly conservative. I hope what that word means can be reclaimed, in time.

Saying the budget agreement crafted by GOP legislative leaders and Gov. Doug Ducey is “not a conservative budget,” Rep. Tony Rivero, R-Peoria, vowed to vote against it Thursday unless his colleagues agreed to several significant changes.

It is understood that mandates and big-government solutions originating in Washington, D.C. may not work for our western state, and therefore, we challenge ourselves, and those around us, to harness the power of free-markets to find long-term solutions.

I have always supported Tom Forese, even if I have not always agreed with him. As a state lawmaker Tom Forese was a champion of free markets, where he advocated for deregulation that enabled ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft to compete in our economy. I was disappointed, however, to see Mr. Forese stray from conservative principles during his time at the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Cathi Herrod, who earned her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, has her share of critics. But to supporters, she is a smart strategist, an effective articulator of the center’s agenda and a fearless apologist of the conservative right.

Christina Sandefur, the executive vice president of the Goldwater Institute, doesn’t think the libertarian think tank is as influential in state government as people give it credit for.

Attorney John Masterson, who represents Olsen, confirmed July 12 that the Goldwater Institute board of directors voted 7-6 to terminate Olsen’s employment agreement on June 27, nearly two weeks before the organization announced her departure.

The Goldwater Institute is losing its top staffer. CEO Darcy Olsen spent 16 years leading the conservative think tank, but is leaving the organization effective today, according to spokeswoman Starlee Coleman.

In the face of a massive push from the governor and GOP legislative leaders for a special session to increase education funding, some conservative Republicans are pushing back, saying the funding proposals contain no metrics to gauge if the additional money actually improves education outcomes.

It isn’t often that Republican Rep. Bob Thorpe of Flagstaff finds himself agreeing with the American Civil Liberties Union. But when it comes to cracking down on law enforcement agencies’ abuse of civil asset forfeiture laws, the conservative Republican finds himself squarely in line with the ACLU’s thinking.