House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez came into the 2019 legislative session hopeful that the 31-29 split in the chamber would lead to more opportunities for her Democratic colleagues.

David Bradley, D-Tucson, started his first year as minority leader determined to be the last Democrat to hold that post. By the end of what Bradley described as an “intriguing” session, Senate Democrats came closer to negotiating the state budget than they have in years.

Senate Minority Leader Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, led Democrats in her chamber through yet another session where the minority party tried and failed to substantively change the budget. But the Phoenix Democrat found a few reasons to be pleased with the session, while mostly remaining frustrated by Republican legislative victories.

After eight years fighting – usually unsuccessfully – against Republican-backed policies and budgets, House Minority Leader Eric Meyer is heading into his final year in the House hoping Democrats will fare better.

Each year without failure since the onset of the Great Recession, Democrats have denounced cuts to public education and clamored for more funding for K-12 schools, a demand that has gotten louder as the state’s economy improves.

Now in his final term as a representative, House Democratic Leader Eric Meyer discussed his first session leading House Democrats. The Paradise Valley Democrat also looked back on how things have changed for Democrats in his time at the Capitol, and looked ahead to the future of his caucus, as well as his own plans for the future.

Sen. Katie Hobbs was one of many new leaders at the Capitol this session. She was tasked with leading an entirely-new Democratic leadership team in the Senate while dealing with a new governor and a veteran Senate president in Andy Biggs.

In a dramatic turn of events, Senate Minority Leader Landrum Taylor was ousted as minority leader by her party-mates following a closed-door meeting in the Senate today.

Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Tucson, has stepped down as assistant minority leader to focus on a new job in Tucson.

Gov. Jan Brewer announced that Arizona will use state funds to keep Grand Canyon National Park open for an additional nine days if the federal shutdown persists.