Political Observations in Scottsdale: If Signs Could Vote

By Ronald Sampson As a political nerd, I love to read the tea leaves of an election by strolling through the area. You can learn a lot about the dynamics of a race by simply driving around and seeing the street signs in the area. Granted, signs don’t vote, and sometimes an overabundance of street signs is more of an … Read More

No Longer 1864: Reversal of the Abortion Bill Potentially Upending Election

For a number of weeks, Arizona Republicans were extremely nervous, Democrats were furious, and the eyes of the country (sometimes even the world) were once again on Arizona, as the state Supreme Court ruled that an abortion law from all the way back in 1864 was once again the law of the land. This ruling would ensure that abortion was … Read More

Does Justin Laos Really Want to Be on the Scottsdale City Council?

This year’s Scottsdale city council race so far is a race of haves and have nots when it comes to money (read our coverage here). When candidates are overmatched from a financial perspective, it’s imperative that they stand out in other ways. Some candidates make goofy videos or take outlandish stances. In the case of candidate Justin Laos, apparently it’s … Read More

Bombshells in the Legislature: Two Incumbents Won’t Qualify for Ballot

Arizona legislators (and all candidates for those seats) have a few hurdles to qualify for the ballot. One of them is gathering enough signatures from voters in the district. The precise amount depends on a few factors, but is generally in the ballpark of 400 signatures. Considering that voters can sign online in what are essentially pre-qualified signatures, this threshold … Read More

Bombshell in Arizona: What the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Abortion Means

You almost certainly have heard about the bombshell event that is making news all around the country (and putting our state in a decidedly negative light): the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that a territorial-era abortion law from 1864 will soon become the prevailing law of the state. This now will make performing an abortion a felony except to save the … Read More

Can Arizona Republicans Please Stopping Sabotaging Themselves?

By Ronald Sampson All of the stars are aligning for the Republicans this year, especially in Arizona. The border is a major national issue, almost entirely because of failures by Democrats. The very top of the ticket is a Democrat President with a 33% approval rating and is running for re-election at the ripe young age of 81. This should … Read More

Remembering a Local GOP Icon

Scottsdale resident Barbara Espinosa recently passed away at the age of 86. That name may not mean anything to some readers, but her impact was a significant one. She left an imprint that you absolutely have seen, even if the name doesn’t ring any bells. Espinosa was an icon in local GOP politics: a disruptor, a thought leader, and an … Read More