Conservative LD leaders reprimand GOP lawmakers for pro-Medicaid votes; competitive LD leaders say it’s counterproductive
Long before lawmakers took a vote on Medicaid expansion, Republican precinct committeemen across the state issued a warning to GOP legislators: If you vote for expansion, we will do everything we can to take you out in the next primary election.
The perils of voting yes to Medicaid expansion
Long before casting their votes for Medicaid expansion and a bipartisan budget proposal, Republican lawmakers who chose to support Gov. Jan Brewer had been issued a warning: Vote yes at your own risk.
Livingston scores a perfect legislative batting average
The award for best legislative batting average for the session — the calculation of bills introduced versus bills signed into law — goes to Rep. David Livingston, a freshman Republican lawmaker from Peoria who has been vocally critical of the governor.
Brewer gets her way
House and Senate approve Medicaid expansion, ending months of debate
After a bitter and prolonged debate that ripped apart Republican majorities in the House and Senate, Arizona lawmakers approved Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion proposal and sent it to her for her signature.
Capitol Quotes: May 24, 2013
This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances from Arizona's political world.
Capitol Quotes: March 22, 2013
The most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances to emerge from the political debate in Arizona this week.
‘Firestorm’ over new school standards embroils Republican lawmakers
As Arizona ramps up efforts to invest in Common Core, a tide of opposition has defeated one of the first legislative efforts to implement the new education standards by likening them to a national takeover of Arizona’s school curriculum.
Sailing away? Arizona facing decision to save or do away with Clean Elections
As fewer candidates choose to run for office using Arizona’s Clean Elections system, lawmakers are sensing the system’s vulnerability and are preparing to deal a death blow.
Colorado City shows bizarre voting trends
Nearly every person in Arizona who voted in the 2012 election cast a ballot for some presidential candidate, whether Mitt Romney, Barack Obama or some other candidate — except in the polygamist community of Colorado City.
Capitol Quotes: February 1, 2013
This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances from Arizona's political arena.
Proposal to raise dropout age gets tabled
Rep. Jeff Dial met bipartisan opposition from the House Education Committee on Monday when he testified on behalf of his bill to increase the minimum school dropout age from 16 to 18.
State prepares for debate on costly Common Core educational standards
Those who support Arizona’s new Common Core standards for math and English education say they help turn students into better thinkers and prepare them for college and the workforce.
Those who question the new standards say they could create added expenses for public schools, including new textbooks, teacher training and the need for new technology. They say the price tag, still undete[...]