*Restaurant and bar impresario Mark Drinkwater is re-entering the business at Scottsdale & Lincoln in a building that used to house a breakfast joint and, after that, a failed Italian concept.
*Arizona Governor Doug Ducey raised money last week through the mail for southern Arizona Congresswoman Martha McSally. This week he is doing it for Congressman Trent Franks at a reception in Phoenix. And rural Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar will be in the Northeast Valley this week too, raising dough at an event at Salt River Fields.
*We’re surprised recent polling shows Senate President Andy Biggs as close to former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith in a potential East Valley congressional race match-up. If the two do run against each other it will be one of the better GOP primary match-ups in recent memory.
*Judging from his latest attempt to skewer Phoenix Councilman Michael Nowakowski over a Phoenix land deal Arizona Republic reporter Dustin Gardiner seems more inclined to be an agent for a rival bidder than an objective, journalistic overlord. The real issues about the city real estate are real simple. Who is paying the most for the land? And do they have the track record and resource to pull it off? Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher made a controversial decision to quash the last bid process for a very important project toward downtown Phoenix’s continuing momentum. It’s hard to believe that Zuercher won’t preside over an impeccable process. Controversy over the plans to date will be child’s play if the top bidder is again upended by others looking to not be so kind to taxpayers.
*Bob Littlefield is raising scant money in his quixotic quest to become Mayor of Scottsdale following his 2014 Republican primary loss for the Arizona House of Representatives.
*Arizona State Treasurer Jeff DeWit has equipped himself well as a national surrogate for Donald Trump.
*Former Phoenix Coyotes goalie Sean Burke wants to get into ownership.
*Add John McCain campaign manager Ryan O’Daniel to the list of rising stars that could simply be stars if and hopefully when he shepherds the Senator’s successful re-election later this year.