The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast

Arizona being called for Joe Biden early on election night 2020 became the start of a movement: the state was officially a swing state.Trump speaks to the state’s conservative roots. But continuous election denialism and disinterest in John McCain-style conservatism has some Arizonan Republicans questioning their support. When President Biden dropped out of the race this July and Harris took over as the Democratic nominee, polls showed a more competitive race in Arizona. Her stance on abortion and border security aligns with a newer set of voters coming to the polls. But independent voters are now one of the largest demographics for Arizona politics. So how are the two presidential candidates vying for Arizona’s vote? 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 Republic reporter Stephanie Murray to discuss the state of play in the presidential race in Arizona. Later in the episode, Inside Politics' deputy editor Jacob Rubashkin joins the hosts to analyze what Arizona’s role is in the national picture.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This November, voters have the choice between Democratic nominee Ruben Gallego and Republican nominee Kari Lake. Neither are new to politics or campaigning, but both are new to the Senate race.Lake is bringing her national recognition from former President Donald Trump to the table, while Gallego could consolidate his party's support. But neither can call themselves a centrist, so what are less partisan diehards to do?This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl break down where the race stands now and offer some insight into each candidate. Later in the episode, Cook Political Report editor Jessica Taylor joins the hosts to analyze how this race fits into the national picture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It goes without saying: You must be a U.S. citizen to vote in U.S. elections. Even so, the idea of proving your citizenship has been hotly contested.Proponents say it's crucial to prevent non-citizens from voting in U.S. elections. Opponents say that this creates roadblocks that disenfranchise voters.In Arizona, the Legislature sought to reinstate a state law requiring residents to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state Republicans' request on Aug. 22. The request is also backed by the Republican National Committee.However, the court turned down a request to reinstate the portion of the same law that would bar federal-only voters from participating in federal elections.So what does this all mean?In this episode of The Gaggle's monthly series, Election Dissection, hosts Mary Jo Pitzl and Sasha Hupka explain the law and explain who's effected by it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The general election is less than seven weeks away on Nov. 5, and the presidential race is gaining the most attention. However, for Arizonans, there are some really important races down your ballot that you don't want to skip over.In Maricopa County in particular, there are four races worth your attention: county recorder, sheriff, board of supervisors, and superintendent. In this episode of The Gaggle, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl sit down with the Republic's county watchdog reporter, and co-host of The Gaggle's Election Dissection series, Sasha Hupka.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time in 10 years, Mesa has to choose a new mayor.Politically, Mesa is a study in contrasts. The current mayor, Republican John Giles, is known for his relatively moderate views and willingness to cross party lines, as he has again in the presidential election this year. But it’s also the political base of U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, a MAGA conservative. Mayoral candidates Scott Smith and Mark Freeman will be on the ballot for voters in November in a runoff election after what started as a five-way race.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 reporter Maritza Dominguez, who covers Mesa and other East Valley cities. They compare the two candidates, get a sense of where Mesa is headed politically and hear about what current Mayor Giles thinks of his two possible replacements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slow job growth could be one reason why markets worldwide took a nosedive on Monday. At the beginning of August, the U.S. jobs report showed sluggish growth in July.However, the stock market has been stabilizing. And for those of us in Arizona, things are looking up. At least a little. Inflation is cooling - though that doesn't mean prices are going down, except for gas prices. Those have dropped almost 40 cents. For more than a year wages have outpaced inflation.So why do Arizonans, and most Americans, still feel a pinch in their pocketbooks? Groceries, housing, childcare, health care, everything feels so much more expensive. Why doesn't the good news feel like it's good?In this episode of The Gaggle, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl sat down with Jared Bernstein, the chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, on Friday, August 2, to discuss the state of the U.S. economy, how it's affecting Arizonans, what special challenges are state is facing, and what the Biden Administration is trying to do about.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Voters across Arizona headed to the polls Tuesday to cast their vote in the 2024 primary election.A low voter turnout resulted in few complications on primary election day. There were no noteworthy technology glitches or long lines deferring voters from participating.But that doesn't mean that everything will be smooth sailing on the big day in November.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 reporters from the Republic's politics team to dissect who the big winners were, how election day went, and what that could mean for November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The election process is being carefully watched. From security cameras at county offices to candidates monitoring polling places, there are eyes and ears on alert to ensure the safety of the voting process.But another group plays a key role in ensuring the integrity of the vote: election observers.With less than a week before the 2024 primary election in Arizona, these observers are already at work. They're watching as early ballots are being processed at county election offices.These volunteers are often overlooked on election day, but they are an important part of the voting process.This week on Election Dissection, an elections series of The Gaggle podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Mary Jo Pitzl and Sasha Hupka talk with some people who watch democracy in process.Jeff and Robin Greeson have been observers with the Maricopa County Democratic Party since 2018. They tell Election Dissection how the job really works and lessons they've learned over the past few years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican National Convention is underway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this week, and Donald Trump is the GOP's official pick for president. But Trump's bombastic attitude and brash words aren't new to American politics. Sixty years ago, another grandiloquent and explicitly extreme presidential candidate appeared on the scene: Barry M. Goldwater.For longtime Arizonans and political historians, the name Goldwater is synonymous with "extremism" and the man who voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act. For conservatives, he was a leader they could rally behind during a time of immense change. Just who was Goldwater and was he really as extreme as history says he is?In this episode, we look back at that historic campaign between Goldwater and Lindon B. Johnson. Want to learn more about Arizona's unique brand of extremism? Subscribe to Rediscovering. Season 4 "The Roots of Radicalism" drops Monday, July 22. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday, former President Donald Trump was shot at during his campaign stop in Butler, Pennsylvania. Three people were injured including the presidential nominee, who suffered an injury to his ear as a bullet skimmed the side of his head.One man died while shielding his family from the gunshots. The assassination attempt is still under investigation, but the gunman has been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh.Meanwhile, the Republican National Convention starts today in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Along with his newly announced running mate J.D. Vance, the Senator from Ohio, delegates voted today that Trump will lead the GOP on the 2024 Presidential ballot.On this bonus episode of The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Mary Jo Pitzl are joined by political consultants from both sides of the aisle to examine the potential political fallout from the shooting at Trump’s rally, and how it could affect the November general election.Joining the show are Constantin Querard, a GOP political consultant and the founder and president of Grassroots Partners, a consulting and public affairs firm, and Alfredo Gutierrez, former state senator and a longtime force in Arizona Democratic politics.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices