The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast

We’re taking a break this week to celebrate the holidays with our loved ones. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2022 retrospective episode from last week. Or catch up on our exit interview with Governor Doug Ducey. We’ll be back with a fresh episode in the new year.  As always, thank you for listening, subscribing, and sharing our show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The year 2022 was filled with political ups and downs and drama seemingly from every corner in Arizona. The year began with Gov. Doug Ducey’s final State of the State address. Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, shared his firm views that the 2020 election was not stolen.We covered Ukraine, Uvalde and Roe v. Wade, all before diving into the 2022 midterm elections. We heard from the youth, the independents, and from candidates themselves.We sadly said goodbye to Yvonne Wingett Sanchez as she embarked on her next endeavor, but welcomed The Arizona Republic’s politics team as regulars whom you’ve grown to know.In this episode, we have a special roundtable with some familiar voices to our podcast: Mary Jo Pitzl, Ray Stern, Stacey Barchenger, Robert Anglen, Sasha Hupka and Ryan Randazzo.Together, each reporter will discuss 2022's politics and give their roses – the good things; thorns – the not so good things; and buds – things they are hopeful about.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Jan. 2, 2023, Katie Hobbs will take up the mantel as governor of Arizona. Passing the baton is Gov. Doug Ducey, who is ending his second term in the highest elected position in the state.Ducey entered the Governor's Office at a turbulent time. Arizona was dusting off the vestiges of the Great Recession. His tenure included a teacher-led revolt at the state Capitol for higher wages and a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.Through it all, Ducey kept Arizona's budget in the black, stood firm to his oath to support the state and U.S. Constitutions, and secured a long-term goal of giving Arizona parents the right to choose the school they want to send their children to.The Gaggle sat down with the governor in his office at the state Capitol to reflect on his eight years in office.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A generation ago Arizona voters chose to bar college students who are undocumented from receiving in-state tuition discounts. It came amid a rising climate of frustration about the southern border and a stalemate on immigration reforms.Today, Arizonans are still frustrated about the border and immigration laws haven’t changed, but Arizona voters have.During the recent elections, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 308, which allows undocumented students to pay for college at in-state tuition levels.In this episode of The Gaggle, we'll take a closer look at what Prop. 308 will do, who it will help, and how it will impacts Arizona as a whole.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For some Republicans, the fight for the midterm election isn't over. Raising doubts over Arizona's voting machines and complaints that the state takes too long to tally votes was the fuel behind those who showed up at the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday morning.These normally forgettable functions of election administration are suddenly the subject of a pair of lawsuits that add a chaotic coda to a disappointing election for Republicans in Arizona and across the country.After illegally going through with a hand count of their votes, Cochise County did not reach their deadline for certification.And officials in GOP-controlled Mohave County threatened to delay their election certification, before relenting late Monday.This could result in two Republicans losing their races.This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by reporters Sasha Hupka and Mary Jo Pitzl to make sense of what the issues are, what is being done about it, and what Maricopa County has said in response. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Gaggle team is taking the week off to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family. We'll be back next week with a brand new full episode. As always, thank you for listening and subscribing. We all wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A week after the 2022 midterm elections, Arizonans mostly know who won and who did not. Some of the surprise outcomes that will make the next few years more interesting politically in America’s premier purple state.The biggest news of the cycle is that Democrat Katie Hobbs won the Arizona governor’s race against Republican Kari Lake on Monday evening. Hobbs will be Arizona’s first Democratic governor since Janet Napolitano left office in 2009 to join the Obama administration.Hobbs likely will be working with a Republican-controlled Legislature. So what will that mean for the state? And what still isn’t decided after a week of counting?This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen is joined by reporters Stacey Barchenger and Ray Stern. Together they discuss where the election is now and what might be in Arizona's future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three days after Election Day, Arizona is still counting votes with lots of key races still hanging in the balance, including the governor’s race and a Senate race that will help determine control of the chamber in Washington.In this bonus edition of the Gaggle, we’ll update you on Arizona’s biggest unsettled races and we’ll go over one of the more pressing subplots to the election so far: Did glitches overshadow the results?As a disclaimer for our listeners, this episode was recorded November 11 in the morning.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After months of talking about election denialism, abortion, inflation and other contentious topics, candidates have put their futures in the hands of Arizonans. And the future on this day after the midterm election remains unclear.Election tabulation problems drew attention in Maricopa County and Democrats made a strong showing with early voting. But the outcome of the state’s top races is unknown because the Republican-leaning Election Day vote totals are still trickling in, and ballots dropped off at vote centers haven't been counted at all.Eyes are still on some of the most contentious races: governor, secretary of state and Senate, where Trump-supported candidates weren't yet a part of a Red Wave.This week on The Gaggle, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Ron Hansen gives an inside look into the Republic newsroom on election night. He is joined by reporters Stacey Barchenger, Mary Jo Pitzl, Tara Kavaler, Yana Kunichoff and Ray Stern as they analyze the early results and discuss what the races' outcomes could mean for the state's future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting is underway in Arizona for the midterm election. And every race matters, from the governor to the U.S. Senate, the state Legislature and school boards. The Gaggle and The Arizona Republic’s political team are connecting with candidates so that you can hear them make their case to voters in their words. This is part of a series of special bonus episodes of The Gaggle appearing throughout the voting period. In this bonus episode you’ll hear from Democratic candidate Kirsten Engel who is running for the 6th Congressional District. This district covers parts of Tucson, Pima County and sections of others.This is Arizona's only U.S. House race without an incumbent running. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick is stepping down. We reached out to the Republican candidate for this race, Juan Ciscomani, but he didn’t respond to our request to participate. You will hear Tara Kavaler, a politics reporter for the Arizona Republic, ask the questions. This interview was recorded on speaker phone, so please be aware of the lower sound quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices