Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor ended her exploratory campaign and announced an official run for secretary of state, becoming the first Democrat in the race for Arizona’s number two office.

Mesa businessman Wil Cardon is running for secretary of state, bringing a big name and a lot of self-funding ability to a Republican primary that is growing increasingly crowded.

Cardon, who unsuccessfully challenged Jeff Flake for the GOP nomination in last year’s U.S. Senate race, filed his candidacy with the Secretary of State’s Office on Tuesday, according to a press release.

Former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Wil Cardon says he is returning to politics with a simple goal: destroying the establishment wing of the Republican Party.

As 2012 comes to a close, some Arizona politicos have reached new heights of prominence and power. Others saw once-promising careers hit the wall.

Jeff Flake and Kyrsten Sinema gained influence and stature in the nation’s capital, while Andy Biggs reached the pinnacle of power in the Arizona Senate.

Meanwhile, former Senate President Russell Pearce and his successor, Sen. Steve Pierce, fell from grace, while a slew of Republican candidates once again failed in their bids to reach the halls of Congress.

The once-contentious U.S. Senate primary that dominated the airwaves for months and cost more than $11 million ended with a whimper as Congressman Jeff Flake trounced businessman Wil Cardon in the race for the Republican nomination.

An unexpectedly feisty campaign marked by accusations of hypocrisy, broken promises and flip-flopping positions on the emotional issue of immigration draws to a close Tuesday when Arizona voters narrow the field of candidates to replace retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl.

Arizona's primary election Tuesday features a spirited race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate and heated contests for several U.S. House seats, with outcomes that will set the roster of candidates for the Nov. 6 general election.

Little in Arizona cools off in the middle of August. One exception is the GOP's Senate primary election, where the wealthy businessman who spent $6 million of his own money on the race has scaled back his TV ad presence in what many see as tacit acknowledgment that he's failed to catch up to Rep. Jeff Flake.

Illegal immigration and border security were a combined focus of a televised debate between the two leading Republican candidates for an open U.S. Senate seat from Arizona.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake and businessman Wil Cardon square off late Thursday in a televised debate in the Republican primary race for U.S. Senate.