This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances from Arizona's political scene.

Sen. Steve Pierce was under tremendous pressure from forces within and outside the state Capitol – including at least one official from the National Republican Congressional Committee –during the hours before sine die as lawmakers and others tried to influence his vote on a controversial election bill.

When Gov. Jan Brewer walked into the room for her Medicaid expansion signing ceremony, she was met by a standing ovation. After she signed the bill, she let out a sigh of relief.

The Arizona Senate revived an election omnibus bill Thursday that could limit early voting participation after Republican leaders pressured their caucus to pass the measure in the final hours of the 2013 legislative session.

The Arizona Senate’s passage of a budget plan that includes Medicaid expansion on May 16 was a tremendous victory for Gov. Jan Brewer, as well as the lawmakers who stuck their necks out for the governor — most notably Senate Majority Leader John McComish, who sponsored the amendment that added expansion to the budget plan.

This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances from Arizona's political world.

A member of the coalition of Senate Republicans who broke away from the majority party and voted for Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion proposal is contemplating whether to run for office in 2014.

Sen. Bob Worsley, R-Mesa, said that while he intends to run at this point, the decision is one he must still mull over in the coming year – and any reservations he has to running have nothing to do with his vote on Medicaid.

It was heartening to see The Arizona Republic editorial board endorse the Arizona Senate’s action to support Governor Jan Brewer’s Medicaid proposal as “courageous.” While it is always nice to get accolades in politics, I must admit it was not an act of courage, but simply what we were elected to do.

More than a dozen bills have been reconsidered on the floors of the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives after their earlier demise, and while most have passed when given a second thought, a few have stalled or met another death by vote.

This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances from Arizona's political scene.