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.

State Senate President Andy Biggs has been called a RINO and a clown, and even compared to Democratic U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, all for opposing an Article V Convention.

Most of those who identified themselves as independents see themselves as conservative or liberal. Most say they want to know who is funding political ads but don’t believe those ads affect their decisions as voters.

Phoenix Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego’s proposed legislation to legalize recreational marijuana in Arizona has some in the medical marijuana industry worried about losing their businesses.

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.

As it reaches a climax, the months-long campaign to reduce a key incentive for residential solar has given Arizonans a glimpse into a nearly obscure but powerful body of regulators that oversees some of Arizona’s biggest industries.