With a surge of new candidates seeking state and legislative offices this fall, the Secretary of State’s Office has seen a jump in the number of candidate challenges this year.

Sen. Bob Worsley won’t seek re-election this fall, leaving the Arizona Senate short one of its more moderate Republican lawmakers.

In his gubernatorial bid, David Garcia is running to the left of where he was four years ago when, as the more mainstream candidate in the general election, he garnered some Republican support.

Democrats are fielding a candidate in nearly every federal, statewide and legislative race this year, using a strategy of saturation that has been successful elsewhere.

This year, the Democratic Party is by design fielding a candidate in nearly every federal, statewide and legislative race, with the exception of one, a strategy that has paid off in other states.

In his second year at the helm of the House and in his final year in the chamber, Speaker J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, navigated uncharted waters when he asked members to expel one of their own.

After more than two decades at the Legislature, Minority Leader Rebecca Rios, D-Phoenix, said she thought it was pretty safe to assume how her last session in the House would play out.

In her last year as a senator, Minority Leader Katie Hobbs experienced the usual highs and lows of session. The Phoenix Democrat now leaves office to run for secretary of state.

Putting aside the adversarial relationship between the Governor’s Office and leaders of the teacher pay movement, both Ducey and Arizona teachers have benefitted from the “Red for Ed” momentum that swept through Arizona this legislative session.

After marathon sessions, Arizona lawmakers passed a $10.4-billion spending plan early May 3 that fully funds Gov. Doug Ducey’s promise to boost teacher pay this fall and in the following two school years.