The stirring words of the late Sen. Barry Goldwater will come alive on March 22 in a one-man presentation of “Goldwater: Mr. Conservative.”

With polls showing him trailing front-runner Mitt Romney only slightly in Arizona, Rick Santorum told an audience here Tuesday that his consistent support of smaller government makes him the best GOP candidate to take on President Barack Obama.

In 2009, this city had so many foreclosures that President Barack Obama appeared at one of its high schools to speak about the national housing crisis. In 2011, a Mesa district recalled its state senator and anti-immigration leader Russell Pearce in a historic election. A month ago, Gov. Jan Brewer shook her finger at Obama at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

A nationally televised Arizona debate for Republican president candidates will be held Nov. 30 in the Mesa Arts Center.

Organizers of Arizona’s Dec. 1 GOP presidential debate are primarily looking at three possible venues.

The venues under consideration are the Mesa Arts Center, the Phoenix Convention Center and Gammage Auditorium, according to Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash.