Some of the 107 candidates who received public money to run for state Legislature this year bought computers, cameras and printers that are theirs to keep and paid relatives as campaign workers and consultants.

“If I’m lucky enough to spot any of them at the Capitol this session, I’ll ask them.” — Rep. John Kavanagh, when asked if he expects Democrats to support a proposal to give the Legislature more authority over money the federal government gives to the state.

Many candidates who spent big and lost big this election cycle were bound by one thread — they’re Democrats.

Indeed, Democrats in several races outraised and outspent their opponents by tens of thousands of dollars while others benefited as much by independent spending aimed at helping their campaigns.

Three incumbent Democratic state senators appear to be on their way out, based on unofficial and preliminary results on Tuesday night, dramatically altering the political landscape at the capitol. If they failed to mount a late comeback, the defeat of ...

Republican challenger Steve Smith has defeated incumbent Sen. Rebecca Rios by nearly 5,000 votes to capture a seat in Legislative District 23 that has been held by the Rios family since the district was first created a decade ago.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has proven that tough immigration policies make it easy to raise cash for political campaigns, and Gov. Jan Brewer has shown that the same rule applies to raising money for legal defense of the state’s new immigration law.

But now, private-sector interests are getting wise as well.

Senate Minority Leader Jorge Garcia had an aura of almost monkish austerity. You saw it in what he wore – earth-colored trousers and a drab polo shirt. And you saw it in how he spoke – plain and direct.

A senior Democrat has introduced a bill to keep lawmakers from receiving a daily allowance during the ongoing special session.

The Legislature has decided to give Arizona residents the option to donate more of their income to the state each tax cycle, even though many lawmakers say the whole thing is a waste of time.

In the final moments before passing a sweeping immigration overhaul, Sen. Russell Pearce, a Republican from Mesa, made some predictions about his bill, S1070. "We'll have less crime. We'll have lower taxes. We'll have safer neighborhoods. We'll have shorter lines in the emergency rooms. We'll have smaller classrooms," the Mesa Republican said on the Senate floor on April 19.