Thank You, Readers

Readers, it’s no secret that we enjoy being relative insiders to the world of Arizona (and specifically Scottsdale) politics, and this year has been an interesting one. We’ve been fortunate in our ability to carve a successful niche of sharing a wide variety of viewpoints and stances of one of the best areas and states in the world, and we’re … Read More

Speaker’s Corner: Katie Hobbs Only Believes in Democracy When It’s Convenient

By Ronald Sampson Katie Hobbs stood in front of reporters on August 20 and told them she’s worried about the citizen initiative process getting eroded, while in the same breath standing by her override of the Axon vote. Voters gathering signatures to put a question on the ballot, she said, that’s sacred stuff. She opposed messing with it back when … Read More

Scottsdale Deserves Better, Even From Its Best

By Ronald Sampson We ran a guest editorial from Scottsdale Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield this week, “Steady Water Management, Not Campaign Rhetoric.” It’s exactly what it sounds like: a policy argument about how the city should handle its water future, written by someone with a vote on the council. Worth reading, worth debating. Instead, the comment section produced this, aimed at … Read More

Arizona Democrats Lead Down Ballot Races

By HighGround Public Affairs The latest statewide survey from HighGround Public Affairs reveals that the Democratic nominees for statewide down ballot offices have taken the lead with six weeks remaining until early voting starts. In the same survey that showed Governor Katie Hobbs with a fifteen-point advantage in the Governor’s race, the top of the Democratic ticket is also faring … Read More

Thank You + Key Takeaways from the First End-to-End AI Political Campaign

By John Trobough Friends & Colleagues:  I wanted to reach out and express my sincere gratitude for your guidance, partnership, and support throughout our congressional campaign in Arizona’s 1st District. Rebuilding a campaign machine in one of the country’s most competitive open seats was no small feat, and I am deeply grateful for the help you provided along the way. … Read More

Harry Mitchell: A Public Servant Who Put People Before Politics

Arizona lost one of its finest this week. Former Congressman Harry Mitchell died at 86, his family announced on July 29. He was a teacher, a mayor, a state senator, and a congressman. Above all, he was decent. Mitchell spent his career proving that public service could still be honorable. He taught civics at Tempe High School, then lived the … Read More

Too-Early-To-Call Results from Arizona’s Primary Election Day: Primary Validations, Shocks, and Comeback Stories in the Waiting

By Alexander Lomax The first election results dropped from the night, and absolutely nothing is set in stone at this moment, but there is definitely plenty of certainty and more than enough question marks to keep us hitting refresh on our browser constantly. First, Scottsdale. One councilmember is likely advancing and a few incumbents are fighting for their seats. Scroll … Read More

A Birthday Post That Reminded Us What Grace Looks Like

By Alexander Lomax George W. Bush turned 80 this week. Bill Clinton, the man who denied his father a second term in 1992, wrote him a birthday message that said more about American politics than most speeches. Clinton called their friendship one of the great gifts of his life. He said it reminded him that long before politicians take sides, … Read More