Category: The West

Arizona Court of Appeals Hears Oral Arguments over Scottsdale’s ‘Bait and Switch’ Description of ‘New’ Prop. 490 Park Sales Tax as a Tax Decrease

Rachel Alexander
Attorney Scott Day Freeman

A three-judge panel on the Arizona Court of Appeals heard oral arguments last Tuesday in the Goldwater Institute’s (GI) legal challenge to a $1.2 billion sales tax the City of Scottsdale referred to the ballot this fall. GI said the City’s description of Proposition 490 made the tax for parks out to be a tax decrease, when it really was a new tax. GI was appealing a dismissal of its lawsuit by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Gordon, who was appointed to the bench by Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano.

In its executive summary about the lawsuit, GI stated, “The City of Scottsdale is attempting to trick Scottsdale residents into approving a tax increase by calling it a tax reduction.” GI cited Arizona law, Molera v. Hobbs, which prohibits bait and switch tactics with ballot measures. 

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Arizona School District Launches Outside Investigation of Democratic Lawmaker, District President Accused of Sexual Harassment

Tom Pappert
AZ State Rep Elda Luna-Nájera, Tolleson School District Office

An Arizona state lawmaker and school official was reportedly accused of sexual harassment by a superintendent earlier this month, which prompted an alleged effort to oust him, culminating in the launch of a third party investigation on Wednesday.

Arizona State Representative Elda Luna-Nájera (D-District 22), who also serves as the governing board president of the Tolleson Union High School District, was accused of sexual harassment by superintendent Jeremy Calles in a legal complaint reported by 12 News on August 9.

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Republican Congressional Candidate Abe Hamadeh Demands Accountability After Veteran’s Death at Phoenix VA Hospital

Christy Kelly

Abe Hamadeh, a veteran and Republican candidate for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District is pressing for answers and accountability after a troubling incident at the Phoenix VA Hospital may have contributed to the death of a veteran. The incident prompted the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary, Denis McDonough, to call for a systemwide review of VA policies.

Abe Hamadeh, told The Arizona Sun Times that it is “encouraging to see the VA taking steps to improve its policies and procedures, but it’s deeply tragic that these changes come only after the loss of one of our nation’s heroes.”

Hamadeh emphasized the importance of proactive measures.

“The life of a veteran is too precious to be the catalyst for change—these brave individuals have already sacrificed so much for our country,” he said.

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Maricopa County Arizona Sheriff Race: High Stakes Amidst New Possible MCSO Sanctions

Christy Kelly
Tyler Kamp, Jerry Sheridan

The 2024 race for Maricopa County Sheriff is shaping up to be a significant battleground, with Republican candidate Jerry Sheridan and Democrat Tyler Kamp emerging as the main contenders. 

Recently, the Melendres Compliance federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has recommended new sanctions due to the ongoing failure to resolve a substantial backlog of misconduct complaints. These complaints primarily concern racial profiling and other civil rights violations. Despite years of oversight, the MCSO has not made adequate progress in addressing over 1,400 unresolved complaints. The oversight has cost Arizona taxpayers over $240 million dollars. 

In a statement to The Arizona Sun Times, Sheridan addressed the complexities of federal court oversight on law enforcement agencies, particularly regarding internal investigations. “Federal court oversight is a complicated issue for any organization, especially a law enforcement agency. Internal investigations are necessary to ensure people are doing their jobs right, following policies, and not abusing people’s rights,” Sheridan remarked.

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America First Policy Institute, AZGOP Chair, Other Groups Offering Training in Arizona on Monday for Poll Watching and Election Integrity

Rachel Alexander
Poll Worker

Several grassroots organizations are organizing an educational seminar titled “Protect the Vote” in Arizona on Monday, with events in Scottsdale and Tucson. Organized by America First Policy Institute (AFPI), the seminar includes Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP) Chair Gina Swoboda, who heads the Voter Reference Foundation, and speakers from the Honest Elections Project, Heritage Action for America, Save Our States Action, and American Constitutional Rights Union Action.

“The primary objective of these grassroots seminar events is to educate the public on the background and mechanics of the jungle primary and ranked choice voting system, including an in-depth discussion on the many examples of where it’s been implemented and proven unsuccessful,” AFPI Policy Director Jordan Kittleson told The Arizona Sun Times. “We will also be providing attendees with a comprehensive poll worker and poll watcher training presentation that will equip them with the readiness resources and tools needed to better ensure citizen engagement at polling locations in November.”

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Ruben Gallego’s Move Toward Moderation Under Fire from Kari Lake as U.S. Senate Race Heats Up

Christy Kelly
Rep. Ruben Gallego

Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03), who was once known for his staunch progressive positions, has notably shifted toward a more centrist approach as he faces Republican Kari Lake in a competitive bid for the U.S. Senate. Gallego, who built his political career championing far-left causes, is recalibrating his platform to appeal to a broader spectrum of Arizona voters. This strategic pivot comes as Republicans increase their voter registration efforts. Gallego aims to counter Lake’s strong conservative base by courting moderate and independent voters in this must-win key battleground state.  According to voter data, Republicans hold a significant lead over registered Democrats, with July being a particularly good month.

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Arizona’s Water Ration of Colorado River to Continue in 2025

The Center Square
Colorado River in Arizona

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced yesterday that for the second consecutive year, the lower Colorado River basin will be in a tier 1, meaning that Arizona’s Colorado River water allocation will once again be reduced by 18% – 512,000 acre-feet.

“The future conditions in the Basin are likely to continue to force hard decisions by those who rely on the Colorado River,” said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, in an Aug. 15 ADWR press release. “We need all users to contribute to the system’s security.”

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Internal Arizona Poll Shows Kari Lake Tied with Rep. Ruben Gallego, Trump Beating Harris in Three-Way Race

Tom Pappert
Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego

Internal Arizona polling data commissioned by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), and released to one media outlet this week, shows Republican U.S. Senate nominee Kari Lake is tied with Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) in the race to fill the seat being vacated by Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) in January.

The polling was obtained exclusively by National Journal, which reported both Lake and Gallego are tied at 46 percent, with an additional 8 percent of Arizona voters undecided.

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Kari Lake Accuses Ruben Gallego of Violating Stock Act After Democrat Reports Trades over 300 Days Late

Tom Pappert
Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake accused Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) of violating the U.S. Stock Act on Wednesday after the Democrat reported two stock trades, which date to 2019 and 2022, in reports submitted on Tuesday.

The U.S. Stock Act requires Congress to report any stock purchases or sales within 30 or 45 days of the transaction.

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Arizona Right to Life Files Opening Brief with Arizona Supreme Court Opposing Radical Nine-Month Abortion Proposition on the Ballot

Rachel Alexander
Arizona Abortion Supporters

Arizona Right to Life (AZRTL) appealed a trial court judge’s rejection of its lawsuit challenging the Right to Abortion Initiative, Prop. 139, which will appear on the ballot this fall.

AZRTL filed an opening brief with the Arizona Supreme Court on Monday, asking the court “to find the Ballot Measure legally insufficient for placement on the Arizona Ballot because the petition’s summary misrepresented and concealed the principal provisions of the Ballot Measure.” Prop. 139 will legalize abortion up until ninth months of pregnancy, including partial-birth abortion.

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Arizona ‘Microbusiness’ Loan Program Now Available

The Center Square
Small Business

Some small businesses in Arizona can now request small loans of $50,000 and under, the governor’s office announced last week.

Dubbed the “Arizona Microbusiness Loan Program,” it uses $5 million in funding allocated from the legislature last year to distribute loans using partners financial institutions at the local level. A microbusiness in Arizona is defined as those with five or fewer employees, according to a news release.

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Pinal County Supervisor Files Complaint with Arizona Attorney General Alleging Cheating in 2024 Primary Election, Cites ‘Hush Money’ Recording

Rachel Alexander
Kevin Cavanaugh

Pinal County Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office asking for an investigation into possible election fraud in Pinal County’s primary election. He examined the ballot counting and believes six of the local races were artificially manipulated, and he also heard from a friend that a county elections IT employee confessed to taking hush money regarding the cheating. 

Cavanaugh ran for Pinal County Sheriff, and became suspicious after he lost in the primary. Looking into things, he said in a 19-page report he issued about the problems, “A recording exists of a discussion about hush-money payments being made to an employee inside elections and we have turned that over to outside law enforcement.” Cavanaugh provided The Arizona Sun Times with a copy of the recording he made and said that the FBI is investigating.

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Colorado Jury Unanimously Finds Tina Peters Guilty on Seven of 10 Counts

Rachel Alexander
Tina Peters

The trial of former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters ended on Monday, with the jury unanimously finding her guilty of seven of the 10 counts she was charged with. Peters was prosecuted in relation to backing up an election server since she said she believed that a scheduled upgrade of the election software would override election files that were required to be saved for 22-25 months by federal and state law, and she was concerned there was election fraud in the 2020 and 2021 elections.

After deliberating for around three hours, the jury found Peters guilty on three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, official misconduct, violation of a duty, failure to comply with requirements from the Colorado Secretary of State (COSOS), and conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation. She was found not guilty on another count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, criminal impersonation, and identity theft.

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Maricopa County Agrees to Test Ballot Tabulators Used in Elections, Not Just Backup Machines

Just the News

The Republican Party of Arizona has secured an agreement with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to test ballot tabulators used in elections, rather than only testing backup equipment.

The agreement states that the board “will inform the Secretary of State that it wants the test to be of at least six of the tabulators and twelve of the accessible voting devices scheduled to be deployed to early voting locations and vote centers.”

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Arizona Approves Referendums Empowering Police to Target Illegal Immigration, Enshrining Abortion Access in November

Tom Pappert
Pro-Choice Supporters

Arizona will have two referendums on the ballot in November, giving voters the opportunity to empower law enforcement to arrest and deport illegal immigrants and enshrine the right to abortion into the Arizona Constitution.

The Arizona Abortion Access Act was approved on Monday, with Secretary of State Adrian Fontes claiming the number of valid signatures broke the state’s previous record in remarks delivered to the press.

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Feds Offer Waiver for Lost Title I Funding as Arizona Democrats Request Education Audit

The Center Square
Classroom

by Cameron Arcand   The Arizona Department of Education said that the federal government is providing them a waiver in hopes of getting back $29 million in school improvement and Title I funding for fiscal years 2021 through 2023 following a deadline controversy, as Democrats are requesting an audit. The Arizona Republic reported that certain money from the federal government was not used in time, and the ADOE argued in a news release afterward that the funds that were “reverted” were from the prior fiscal years in which former Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman was in charge. “I will always fight for more money for schools, so I am happy to submit this waiver request to the federal government,” Horne stated on Monday. “The under-utilization of about $29 million in federal funds began in Fiscal Year 2020 under the previous superintendent and the employee who incompetently handed these allocations no longer works at this department.” Horne also suggested it was a former employee from the Hoffman administration that was at fault for the error. “The mishandling and failure to notify districts of correct allocations with time for them to properly plan and spend the money resulted from an error by an employee…

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Arizona Democrats Say They Want to Cut Costs with New Laws, State Republicans Contend it Would Lead to Higher Taxes

The Center Square
Sen. Juan Mendez and Sen. John Kavanagh in front of the Arizona State Capitol Building (composite image)

If victorious in November, Arizona Democrats aim to institute laws they say would cut costs for Arizonans. Republicans say these measures would only hurt Arizona’s economy and lead to higher taxes.

Only two seats away from having a Democratic majority in Arizona’s legislative chambers for the first time in six decades, the Democratic Caucus has established a plan they say would allow them to hit the ground running in 2025 should they take control of the Legislature. This story is part of an ongoing series of what a Democratic trifecta would look like for Arizona taxpayers.

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Arizona Minimum Wage Ballot Initiative Effort Scrapped

The Center Square
Minimum Wage Protest

A ballot initiative to have tipped service workers get paid the same minimum wage and bump the minimum wage to $18 an hour has been scrapped.

The group, known as “Raise the Wage AZ,” is pulling the signatures they submitted to the Arizona Secretary of State’s office, as the petition was challenged by the Arizona Restaurant Association over the number of signatures obtained.

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Arizona Board of Regents Appoints New Executive Director

The Center Square
Chad Sampson

Chad Sampson will be the new Executive Director for the Arizona Board of Regents.

Sampson has been serving in the position in an interim capacity since March, when John Arnold stepped aside in order to focus on the University of Arizona’s $177 million budget shortfall as their chief financial officer. However, Sampson, an attorney, has served on the board in different roles since 2010. The deficit has since been projected to be down to $52 million after major spending slashes, according to Higher Ed Dive. 

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Defendant in Arizona Fake Electors Case Pleads Guilty

The Center Square
Loraine Pellegrino

Just one day after Donald Trump’s former campaign attorney, Jenna Ellis, agreed to cooperate in the Arizona fake electors case, another defendant in the case, Loraine Pellegrino, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of filing a false instrument, according to Richie Taylor, public information officer for the Attorney General’s Office.

However, at this time no further information can be confirmed as the court records are sealed, according to Taylor. If the other nine felony charges including fraud, forgery have been dropped has yet to be seen.

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Kari Lake Holds Press Conference with Trump Campaign in Advance of Kamala Harris’s Visit to Arizona, Tangles with Mainstream Media

Rachel Alexander
Kari Lake

Kari Lake and the Trump campaign held a press conference on Thursday in anticipation of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s visit to the state on Friday. Lake, who is running for U.S. Senate and emceed the event, got into it with several members of the mainstream media who asked her questions, and criticized their lack of coverage of important events. Several officials joined Lake speaking, along with a Democratic couple who lost their teenage son to fentanyl.

https://x.com/KariLake/status/1821639199101194544

Lake addressed Harris’s event Friday evening at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, her vice presidential pick. “We know that Kamala Harris is coming to Arizona again tomorrow, and again, she won’t visit the border. The border czar won’t be visiting the border. Apparently the only wall that she supports is her VP pick by the name of Walz, I guess.” The attendees, who were mostly standing behind her holding campaign signs, laughed loudly.

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America First Legal Sues Maricopa County for Refusing to Remove Noncitizens and Illegal Immigrants from Their Voter Rolls Before the Election

Rachel Alexander

America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit on Monday against Maricopa County, including Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, for failing to remove noncitizens and illegal immigrants from their voter rolls. AFL sent letters to election officials in all 15 Arizona counties in July, demanding they fulfill their legal obligations within a week or AFL would sue them. 

The complaint says 35,273 registered voters in Arizona had failed to provide proof of citizenship and were registered as federal-only voters as of April 2024, a number that continues to increase, according to a report from Maricopa County. That report revealed that between April 1 and July 3, the numbers increased from 21,595 to 26,108, a jump of 21 percent. Additionally, the complaint cited a July 2024 survey of likely voters in Arizona and five other states, which found that over 1 percent said they are not U.S. citizens. AFL stated that recent races in Arizona have been decided by margins of less than 1 percent.

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Hobbs Not Worried Intel Will Cut Arizona Jobs

The Center Square
Groundbreaking for Intel Factory in Arizona

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is not concerned that Intel’s planned global layoffs could have an impact on the state.

“They’re expanding here. We’re thrilled to have their expansion here. We’re working with them on workforce initiatives to grow the skilled pipeline of workers that they need. We’re continuing to do that,” she told The Center Square at a media availability on Tuesday.

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Ex-Trump Lawyer Agrees to Cooperate for Dropped Charges in ‘Fake Electors’ Arizona Case

Admin
Jenna Ellis

Former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis agreed Monday to cooperate within Arizona’s ‘fake elector’ case, securing dropped charges in exchange, according to the state’s attorney general.

Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes released a press statement announcing the cooperation agreement between Ellis and the state in regards to an indictment claiming 18 people during the 2020 election had been involved in a “fake elector scheme.” Ellis’ nine felony charges, including fraud, forgery and conspiracy, will now be dropped, as Mayes called the announcement a “win for the rule of law.”

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In Mesa County, Colorado Clerk Trial, Prosecution’s Partisan Witness Sobs, Other Witnesses Backtrack

Rachel Alexander
Stephanie Wenholz testifies

The third fully live streamed day of the trial against former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters featured testimony from a partisan election employee who sobbed for about five minutes while speaking, as well as backtracking from other witnesses when cross-examined by Peters’ attorney. Peters is being prosecuted for her role in attempting to take a video of a software update on Dominion voting machines. She was concerned that overriding the election files with the upgrade would violate both state and federal law requiring retention of files for 22-25 months. 

Stephanie Wenholz, the elections manager for Mesa County, broke down in tears when asked about the day she found out that the Colorado Secretary of State’s (COSOS) office was investigating Mesa County over the incident. Although Wenholz admitted that Peters instructed employees not to speak with law enforcement, but to direct them to her and her attorneys instead, Wenholz said she contacted Detective James Cannon, the chief investigator for the Mesa County District Attorney. 

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Arizona Democrat Endorsed by Sens. Mark Kelly, Elizabeth Warren Trails Pro-Crypto Opponent Six Days After Primary

Tom Pappert
Raquel Teran, Yassamin Ansari

Former Arizona State Senator Raquel Terán was behind on Monday by just 67 votes to former Phoenix Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari in the race for Arizona’s 3rd Congressional district, despite Terán receiving the support of U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07), and a number of nationally respected Democrats.

After 42,659 ballots for the Arizona Democratic Party primary for the state’s 3rd Congressional district were tallied by election workers, Ansari was found to have received 19,031 votes compared to Terán’s 18,964, giving the former Phoenix official a 67-vote lead and both candidates with about 44 percent of the vote.

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Arizona Mayor Among ‘Republicans for Harris’ was Censured by Party, Previously Called Trump an ‘Idiot’ on Hot Mic

Tom Pappert
Mayor John Giles, Kamala Harris

Mesa Mayor John Giles, who is now the co-chair of the Republicans for Harris group, was once censured by his local Republican Party over another endorsement of a Democrat, and previously called former President Donald Trump an “idiot” on a hot microphone.

In a Sunday statement, the Harris campaign described Republicans for Harris as “a grassroots organizing program” created to reach members of the Republican Party who do not support Trump.

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Two-Thirds of Arizona Lawmakers Unchallenged in Primary

The Center Square
Vote sign

The highest level of Arizona’s uncontested incumbents since 2018 dominated Tuesday’s primary election. According to a report by Ballotpedia, 317 of the 488 July elections were uncontested – 65 percent.

Of the nine congressional district seats, four incumbents went uncontested. These include 5th Congressional District Republican Incumbent Rep. Andy Biggs, who will face Democrat Katrina Schaffner in the general election, District 4 Democratic Incumbent Greg Stanton, who will face Republican Kelly Cooper in the general election, District 7 Democratic Incumbent Raul Grijalva who will go against Republican Daniel Francis Butierez and District 9 Republican incumbent Paul Gosar who will go against Democrat Quacy Smith.

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Prosecution’s Key Witness in Trial Against Former Mesa County Clerk Repeatedly Claims He Doesn’t Remember Much

Rachel Alexander

The trial against former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters wrapped up its first week on Friday, featuring testimony by witnesses for the prosecution including IT professional Gerald Wood. Peters, who is charged with crimes related to making a copy of an election database since she was concerned that not keeping the files for two years would violate the law, hired Wood to help her with technical issues, but Wood repeatedly stated he couldn’t remember much when her attorney cross-examined him. 

Wood, who ended up not performing any work for Peters, spent much of his time on the witness stand distancing himself from the appearance that he was involved with Peters bringing in an outside IT expert to observe an upgrade of the Dominion voting machine software, since prosecutors alleged that a leak of computer bios passwords took place after IT expert Conan Hayes allegedly used Wood’s key card to enter the area where the upgrade was performed.

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Navajo Nation, Energy Company at Odds over Uranium Ore Transportation

The Center Square
Navajo Nation

Navajo Nation leaders are unhappy with the transportation of uranium ore along the reservation on Tuesday.

President Buu Nygren said the transport from Energy Fuels was done without his permission and sent out law enforcement in hopes of stopping the transportation, which was unsuccessful. According to a news release, the nation is currently making guidelines for uranium ore movement.

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Arizona Supreme Court Unanimously Rules Against Unions in Labor Suit

The Center Square
Teamster Protest

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that allowing government employees to take paid time to take care of union-related activities is against the constitution’s gift clause.

In Gilmore v. Gallego determined that “release time” as part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and the city is an incorrect use of taxpayer dollars.

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First Two Prosecution Witnesses in Trial of Former Colorado Elections Clerk Referred Disparagingly to Conservative News Site

Rachel Alexander

The trial against former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters over her efforts combating election fraud began this past week where two witnesses for the prosecution testified all day made disparaging remarks about The Gateway Pundit, a conservative news site.

The prosecution’s first witness, James Cannon, who identified himself as the chief investigator for the Mesa County District Attorney, said The Pundit was “a conspiracy site.” The prosecution’s second witness, Jesse Romero, who described himself as the voting systems manager for the Colorado Secretary of State’s (COSOS) Elections Division, said the news site posted an article with a “bombastic title.”

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Arizona Governor Hobbs Labels Some Republicans ‘White Supremacists’ in Post-Primary Warning to Voters

Christy Kelly
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs

Governor Katie Hobbs released a statement on Tuesday after Arizona’s primary elections, labeling Arizona state Republicans as “insurrectionists, white supremacists, and indicted fake electors.

“Insurrectionists” refers to the January 6 riot. The Supreme Court ruled that federal prosecutors improperly charged hundreds of people with obstruction. The majority opinion noted that the government’s expansive construction “would criminalize a broad swath of prosaic conduct, exposing activists and lobbyists alike to decades in prison.”

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JD Vance Calls Kamala Harris a ‘Phony’ at Packed Rally in Glendale

Rachel Alexander
JD Vance in Glendale, Arizona

Two weeks after being selected by Donald Trump as his vice presidential running mate, Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio) held a rally attended by thousands in Glendale. Thousands more were turned away from entering the auditorium at Arizona Christian University after waiting hours in line. Kari Lake spoke to wild cheering and standing ovations, and other speakers included Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert,) Senator Janae Shamp (R-Surprise), Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13), and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. 

Vance began his speech, “Just over a month ago, President Trump wiped the floor with Joe Biden on the debate stage. A massive drop of the President’s mental incapacity and he saved America four more years ago.” 

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Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly Will Not Join Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia Ahead of Rumored Running Mate Announcement

Tom Pappert
Mark Kelly

Arizona U.S. Senator Mark Kelly confirmed in a Wednesday interview he has no current plans to travel to Pennsylvania on Tuesday after the presidential campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly suggested its vice presidential candidate will be selected in Philadelphia on that date.

After the Harris campaign confirmed a tour of battleground states, which will include both Harris and her vice presidential running mate, Kelly was asked by a panel of hosts on MSNBC about the reports claiming he is on the short list possible candidates to share a ticket with Harris.

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Arizona School District Misspent $500,000 on Travel Expenses, Agrees to Changes

The Center Square

An Arizona Auditor General report found wasteful spending at a school district on the Tohono O’Odham Nation Reservation south of Tucson.

Most notably, the report said the district spent $500,000 on travel expenses intended for “training and conferences” even though the upsides of the spending might have been dubious. In addition, the district did not maintain proper transportation documents, “lacked important internal controls” to prevent financial abuse, wasteful spending and fraud, help board meetings outside of town and had Information Technology security vulnerabilities. 

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Senator Mark Kelly’s Endorsed Candidate for US House Raquel Terán Trails in Primary: Surprising Results from the Arizona Democratic Primary

Christy Kelly

This year, primary voter turnout for Democrats was notably low, with critics attributing this to a lack of competitive races. Key races to watch include who Republican Jerry Sheridan will face for Maricopa County Sheriff and whether Democrat Phoenix City Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari or State Senator Raquel Terán will face-off against Republican Jeff Zink to succeed Representative Reuben Gallego in the U.S. House. 

Many are closely watching to see which challenger will emerge to compete against Representative David Schweikert (R-AZ-01) in the general election.

Democrat Kirsten Engel, who did not have a primary, will face incumbent Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) in the general election. This is a repeat matchup from 2022. Ciscomani defeated newcomer Kim George in his Republican primary.

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First Ballot Tallies in Arizona’s GOP Primary Election, Which Skew Moderate, Show Kari Lake, Abe Hamadeh in the Lead

Rachel Alexander
Kari Lake

The results of Arizona’s 2024 Republican primary election began trickling in at 8 p.m. election night, with Kari Lake well in the lead for U.S. Senate against Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, and Abe Hamadeh easily leading in the race for Congress in CD8. Out of about 309,000 ballots, Lake received 53.3 percent and Lamb 40.6 percent. Hamadeh garnered 29.7 percent, with the next closest candidate, Blake Masters, at 23 percent. 

The first round of results favored more moderate candidates in the Republican primary, since county recorders’ offices count early ballots first. The grassroots conservative base votes heavily on Election Day due to concerns about election fraud. 

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Lawsuit Filed Against ‘Arrogant’ ‘Make Elections (Un)Fair Act’ That ‘Radically Alters Arizona’s Constitutional Structure’

Rachel Alexander
People Voting

The Arizona Free Enterprise Club (AFEC) filed a lawsuit against the Make Elections Fair Act (MEFA) on Friday. The complaint alleged that the initiative violates the Arizona Constitution by illegally combining multiple constitutional amendments in one ballot initiative. It said the “Make Elections (Unfair) Act” will “radically alter Arizona’s constitutional structure in multiple ways.”

“In their rush to undermine the will of Arizona voters for future elections, the special interests that drafted this measure ignored our laws and our Constitution,” said Scot Mussi, president of AFEC in a statement. “This egregious disregard for law and order exudes arrogance from these parties and should disqualify their measure from the November ballot.”

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Arizona Republican Primary: Key Developments as Election Day Nears

Christy Kelly
Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Abe Hamadeh

The 2024 Arizona primary features fierce competition and high stakes. Garrett Lewis recently hosted an all-star panel on “The Afternoon Addiction,” featuring Abe Hamadeh, State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), and Senate hopeful Kari Lake. They explored the current dynamics of the primary, dissecting key issues, candidate strategies, and the overall political climate.

Stephen Richer, the current Maricopa County Recorder, declared on social media, “As of July 28, we were up to 555,254 early ballot packet returns.” He noted that these numbers lag behind the 2022 primary total of 866,924 and the 2020 primary total of 860,704, predicting, “I suspect we will be in the 700s for this election.”

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