What we're keeping an eye on for 2024 in Arizona politics

It's the beginning of a big year in Arizona politics.

Next week, Gov. Katie Hobbs will give her second "state of the state" address, reviewing her first year in office and her goals for the year ahead. This could set the tone for state politics in 2024.

Nationally, Arizona is expected to hold the political spotlight as one of a handful of swing states on the electoral map. President Joe Biden’s narrowest victory in 2020 came in Arizona. Democrats are looking to ride the blue wave and Republicans are looking to win back a state they had carried for years.

Arizona's U.S. Senate race could offer a rare three-way contest for the seat held by independent incumbent Kyrsten Sinema. That race already includes Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego and Republican headliner Kari Lake. And the state could play a key role in the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives, with two seats currently held by the GOP on Democrats’ radar.

Both chambers in the state Legislature are narrowly divided, and Arizona voters likely will weigh a ballot measure to determine whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.

While you're writing down your New Year's resolutions, we're writing down a long to-do list. This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl are joined by other Republic reporters to give listeners a peek at our list.

You'll hear from state politics reporter Stacey Barchenger, investigative reporter Robert Anglen and Maricopa County reporter Sasha Hupka, among others. Together, they discuss what they're keeping an eye on for 2024.

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