Helping you keep up with what matters in Arizona's political news. Each week we interview politicians, public figures or journalists to break down one local issue and how it affects your life in Arizona. Coming to you every Wednesday morning, The Gaggle is hosted by The Arizona Republic's national political reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ron Hansen. You can find them on Twitter at @yvonnewingett and @ronaldjhansen.
The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com
I can't believe it took me five years of living in Arizona to discover The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast! As someone who enjoys both local and national news, this podcast is the perfect blend. I appreciate that it's in a pod format, allowing me to listen on my own time. The interviews conducted on this show have been fair and informative, with a focus on policy and funding. It's truly an awesome show that keeps me up to date on Arizona and national politics.
One of the best aspects of The Gaggle is its non-partisan approach. Ron & Yvonne present the information in a fair manner and do a fantastic job with their questions during interviews. Their focus on policy and funding adds depth to the discussions, providing listeners with valuable insights. The podcast also features knowledgeable reporters who provide analysis on matters that hit close to home for Arizonans. This local journalism needs our support, and The Gaggle does an excellent job at delivering unbiased information.
However, one downside of this podcast is its relatively short length. While it covers important topics in less than 30 minutes, I often find myself wanting more depth and discussion on certain issues. Additionally, the podcast only releases episodes once a week, which can leave some listeners craving more frequent updates on Arizona politics.
In conclusion, The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast is an incredible source of news for those interested in Arizona politics. Its objective reporting style and focus on policy and funding make it a must-listen for anyone looking to stay informed about what's happening in the state. While I wish the episodes were longer and released more frequently, this podcast remains an essential resource for those seeking accurate information about local and national politics in Arizona.
It's something we can all feel right now at the gas pump, the aisles of the grocery store and just about anywhere you spend money: prices are high. President Donald Trump's foreign tariffs and the war in Iran have put pressure on American consumers In addition, the administration's immigration crackdown and higher fees for foreign travelers have turned off tourists from other countries. This week on The Gaggle, we're joined by an economic expert for a state and nation wide look and the mayor of a small town near the Grand Canyon to talk about how the lack of foreign tourism is impacting them. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Jim Rounds, Mayor Clarinda Vail Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Additional audio in this episode comes from C-SPAN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As we move toward another Fourth of July, it feels especially urgent to revisit the American Revolution through the lives of people who rarely make it into our textbooks or monuments. Art historian Zara Anishanslin does exactly that by recasting the founding era through the artists — many of them women, enslaved people, and immigrants — who used art, espionage and activism to shape a new nation from unexpected places, including London. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In my home, the founding era has long been a family affair — something talked through on early‑morning walks to school, road trips to historic sites, and debates about what the nation's promises actually mean in practice for each new generation. That personal history is the backdrop for this Outspoken conversation with my son, Blake Burton, a financial crimes analyst and deeply read student of history and philosophy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As president of Arizona State University since 2002 and the architect of what he calls a New American University, President Dr. Michael Crow has spent 2 decades trying to design a public institution that aligns itself with the country's founding promise of government by and for the people — not by and for the already‑privileged few. In this Outspoken conversation, Crow argues that if America was born in conscious rejection of hereditary power, its universities should be just as intentional about breaking from the exclusionary, class‑bound traditions they inherited from Britain and Europe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Legislature worked across the aisle for an $18 billion state budget. It includes the end of tax exemptions for data centers, nearly across the board cutbacks on state agencies, and implementing a historic tax cut that makes Arizona the first state to put President Donald Trump's tax cuts into action. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by two state politics reporters for the Arizona Republic to break down what's inside, the most dramatic day of the session and what parts will impact Arizonans right away. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Stacey Barchenger, Ray Stern Hosts: Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
At the Goldwater Institute in Phoenix, the word "liberty" has a very specific meaning: the individual's right to make the key choices in his or her own life without interference from the state. Timothy Sandefur, the institute's vice president for legal affairs, is one of the clearest contemporary defenders of that vision. In this Outspoken conversation, we asked him how that understanding of liberty connects back to the Declaration of Independence — and where he thinks the country has drifted away from what Jefferson and his contemporaries had in mind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Democratic incumbent Kris Mayes is seeking reelection as Arizona's attorney general this fall, but the Arizona Republican Party is searching for the right candidate to win them back the office in November. On their primary ballot, Republican voters have their choice between two contenders: current Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and private attorney Rodney Glassman. In this bonus episode of The Gaggle, state politics reporter Stacey Barchenger walks you through the similarities and differences between the Republican candidates running for Arizona's attorney general for the chance to rival Mayes later this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In grievance 27 of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson denounces “the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is the undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.” For Native nations, those words were more than rhetoric; they helped license a policy of removal and erasure that would define the next century of U.S. expansion. In this Outspoken conversation, we ask historian Donald Grinde Jr. how that clause shaped American attitudes toward Native peoples and what the founders also learned, and borrowed, from Indigenous governments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is running for Congress with the coveted endorsement from President Donald Trump. Generally, this is a sure fire way to win the election. But Lamb is facing an uphill battle after an Arizona Republic investigation found him at the center of multiple controversies. This previously low-suspense race to replace Congressman Andy Biggs, who vacated his seat to run for governor, has turned on its head weeks before primary voting begins. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by the two Republic reporters who broke this story. They join the show to walk us through what their investigation found and what the future of CD 5 could look like. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Laura Gersony, Robert Anglen Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Few of us ask what the words of the Declaration of Independence actually meant to the men who wrote them — or how much help they had from places like Havana and Madrid. Renowned author and historian Felipe Fernández‑Armesto has spent his career studying colonialism, empire and the Hispanic roots of the Americas. In this Outspoken conversation, he helps us see the Declaration through 18th‑century eyes and reminds us that the United States has always been more Latin American than we tend to admit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Despite its contradictions, Historian and author Joseph Ellis calls the Declaration's phrase "all men are created equal" the most important sentence in American history. In this Outspoken conversation, Ellis argues that the American Revolution really was a revolution, a “total reversal of the tectonic plates of Western political thought,” in which power flowed upward from the people instead of downward from God to kings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Most of us picture the Declaration of Independence as a faded parchment under glass, guarded in the National Archives and summoned for big speeches every Fourth of July. how the news of its signing actually reached the people it was meant to redefine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
50 years ago, a bomb exploded underneath the car of Arizona Republic investigative reporter Don Bolles outside the Clarendon Hotel, where he was set to meet a source. He was mostly known during his life for exploring and excavating corruption in Arizona through his reporting on the state's ties to the mob. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by author and journalist Jeremy Duda and Republic reporter Richard Ruelas. Together, they share the famed story of the Bolles assassination. Later in the show, Trevor Timm, the co-founder and the executive director of Freedom of the Press Foundation, talks with us about the status of the free press and violence against reporters today. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Jeremy Duda, Richard Ruelas, Trevor Timm Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The words removed from the Declaration of Independence show just as much as the ones left in. Historian Holly Brewer argues that the deleted clauses in Thomas Jefferson's draft are essential to understanding how the revolutionaries thought about slavery, equality and the reach of human rights. In this Outspoken conversation, we discuss how the British Empire used slavery to fund its power, and how postwar legal fights over debts and treaties helped stall efforts at gradual abolition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Republican Congressman David Schweikert has held his seat in Congressional District 1 since 2010, but this year, he's leaving the seat open to run for Governor. Republicans are desperate to keep it for their party. A few Republicans are in the running to represent the right in the 2026 CD1 election. In this bonus episode of The Gaggle, we walk you through the similarities and differences between the people on your primary ballot. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Host: Laura Gersony Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For some, the words on the Declaration of Independence can only be described as "radical." Rev. Byron Williams argues that the promise of a sovereign government is still reshaping global politics and moral imagination 250 years later. In this Outspoken conversation, we talked about why he believes the Declaration remains a revolutionary document, what it demands of us now, and why he calls himself a “prisoner of hope” about its future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes are supposed to be on the same team. They're both Democrats in Arizona seeking reelection this November, trying to not only keep their seats but also keep Arizona's purple-state status alive. But a look into Hobbs' connection to a state contractor has placed them at odds yet again. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by the Republic's state politics reporter to discuss what the latest beef between the governor and the attorney general is about and why it's a messy political risk to take in 2026. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Stacey Barchenger Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Arizona Democrats have spent much of the past 16 years plotting how to oust Republican Congressman David Schweikert from Congressional District 1. 2026 is their best opportunity with Schweikert leaving to run for governor. Six Democrats are in the running to represent the left in the 2026 CD1 election. In this bonus episode of The Gaggle, we walk you through the similarities and differences between the people on your primary ballot. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Host: Laura Gersony Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The first page of the Declaration of Independence gave the world a vocabulary for liberty that Americans still identify with. Near the end, though, he denounced "merciless Indian savages" whose undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions” supposedly justified colonial fears and violence. In this Outspoken conversation, we sit down with Arizona State University Professor David Martínez to ask how that language helped define U.S. policy toward Indigenous peoples, and what it would mean to face that legacy honestly on the Declaration's 250th anniversary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sen. Mark Kelly isn't just an Arizona name. He's a NASA astronaut, a veteran, a gun rights activist after the assassination attempt on his wife Gabrielle Giffords, and as recent as 2024, a vice presidential option. He's always been a critic of Trump and his allies, but eye-catching fundraising and avoiding questions about his future have politicos wondering if Kelly is interested in the White House for 2028. This week on The Gaggle, we discuss what Sen. Mark Kelly's future could hold. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More than a decade after Arizonans voted to legalize medical marijuana, the Trump administration is loosing federal rules around it. While the final moves of rescheduling are still to come by the DEA, some Arizona Republicans are going in the opposite direction of the Trump administration by trying to put stricter rules around marijuana for the state. This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we talk about why Trump reclassified marijuana now and why Arizona's GOP is considering a crackdown. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Ray Stern Hosts: Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Congressman Andy Biggs says Congress is "broken" and now one of Trump's biggest Arizona allies is ready to come home and give Arizona a new direction. This week on The Gaggle, we sit down with gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs to discuss his thoughts on taxes, immigration, water rights and more. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Congressman Andy Biggs Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Maricopa County is one of the closest watched parts of the nation heading into the 2026 midterm election. It's one of the largest swing counties in America, in one of the most crucial states for both parties. Democrats are hoping to capitalized on Trump's current low approval rate, but they have their work cut out for them. Republicans are winning the voter registration game and Democrats are still trying to find a way to appeal to voters, especially in a county with a growing population of independent voters. This week on The Gaggle, we're joined by the chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party to discuss what her party is doing to win back voters ahead of a high-stakes midterm election in November. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Patti O'Neil Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is quickly becoming more well-known after facing national scrutiny for how his department has handled the unsolved disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. In light of that, The Arizona Republic uncovered that Nanos has had a habit of misrepresenting his work history, had lied under oath in 2025, been accused of using his office for political gain and lied about a recommendation from a previous employer. With Nanos, an elected official who won his position by fewer than 500 votes in 2024, in scalding hot water, citizens are wondering what can be done about it. This week on The Gaggle, we go through the story that Stephanie broke and why complex county politics means Nanos could stay in office. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Stephanie Murray Hosts: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
President Donald Trump is set to be the main speaker at Turning Point's "Build the Red Wall" event on April 17. Trump's appearance will kick off the midterm election season in Arizona, a battleground state that has candidates associated with Turning Point on the July ticket. It's still early in the election cycle for the president's visit, but can Trump help Turning Point build a "red wall" in a midterm cycle that's shaping up to be pretty good for Democrats? A Republican political strategist joins The Gaggle this week to discuss the President's visit. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Jesse Hunt Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As we approach the 2026 midterms, the next big fight in the election process is already brewing. Trump rolled out an executive order intended to limit mail-in voting to people screened by the Postal Service and the Department of Homeland Security as U.S. citizens. Mail-in voting is something Arizona has done since 1991 and it's become one of the most popular ways to cast a ballot in the state, peacefully electing both Republicans and Democrats to office. This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, hosts Ron Hansen and Stephanie Murray are joined by Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Secretary of State Adrian Fontes Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and County Recorder Justin Heap have been in a bitter legal battle for months on who is in charge of what parts of the election process. They continue to fight over minute details that could have a major impact come November. The 2026 election in Maricopa County will help decide control of Congress, the state Legislature and the outcome of a very competitive governor's race. This week on The Gaggle, we discussed the county's readiness for the elections with Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairperson Kate Brophy McGee, a Republican. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairperson Kate Brophy McGee Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The polarization over data center expansion is one of the best examples of the new business climate in Arizona. Some want the state to be on the forefront of the "AI revolution" while others aren't sold on it's economic benefits. Arizona is one of the fastest growing hubs for data centers, with more on the way. This has people questioning what it means for not only the state's resources, but also its tax dollars and impact on its job market. This week on The Gaggle, we're joined by two experts to discuss how the Valley and the country are being economically impacted by the growth of data centers. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Corina Vanek, Michael Hicks Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
These days you can bet on just about anything from the palm of your hand: pocket cash on the outcome of an Arizona Diamondbacks game or the Super Bowl. But now, you can also win money betting on politics. Gamblers can wager the outcome of the war with Iran, the winner of the Arizona governor's race and how long Karoline Leavitt's White House press conferences will last. The new gambling landscape has created a regulatory headache for Arizona, the federal government and the fast-growing prediction market companies fueling all these wagers. This week on The Gaggle, we talk with a gaming law and sports betting attorney who is tracking prediction market legal battles across the country. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Daniel Wallach Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The 2020 election is apparently still not over. President Donald Trump has two states that he hasn't gotten over losing, Arizona and Georgia, under his conspiratorial microscope again. Tusli Gabbard, the FBI and the US Justice Department are hunting for proof the 2020 election was stolen. And Arizona's Senate President, Warren Petersen, gave the FBI full access to voting records. This week on The Gaggle, we talk about the political fallout of the situation and why the Trump administration is dipping back into this well. Email us: thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Subscribe to the Arizona Election's Memo, our Tuesday elections newsletter Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Stacey Barchenger Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jeffery Epstein has dominated attention seven years after his death. His wealth, social circles and varied interests ensured the digital trail of his life would lead in many directions. But not many could have guessed that he would posthumously delay the seating of an Arizona congresswoman or that his email threads would catch the University of Arizona in an uncomfortable lie. Among shocking photos and ghastly electronic interactions, these are some of the ongoing surprises from the Epstein files. This week on The Gaggle, an Arizona politics podcast, we break down which Arizonans are in the Epstein files, what politicians are and are not saying about the files, and how the Epstein files are creating shockwaves throughout Arizona, Washington, D.C., and the world. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lawyers are there with guaranteed expertise to help sort out your issues, even when time and money can be scarce. But the guaranteed expertise doesn't necessarily go all the way to the top. At least not in Arizona. Now there is a stream of complaints from customers being misled, mistreated and scammed, and the Arizona Supreme Court might be rethinking its oversight. This week on The Gaggle, we talk with an Arizona Republic reporter about her recent investigation into the Arizona Supreme Court's decision to loosen ownership rules for law firms. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Laura Gersony Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In late January, Homeland Security agents raided 15 locations of Valley sports bar Zipps after receiving a tip 11 months beforehand that they were employing undocumented immigrants. E-Verify was set up in 2008 to bar the demand for illegal workers, but in 2025, the Arizona Republic found that no state law enforcement agency is routinely looking for violations. Employers often ignored it. This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we talk with someone from the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that examines all layers of America's immigration system. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh Hosts: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There's a bitter feud between two city leaders. The mayor's top staffer is under a mysterious investigation and is being confined to his house during work hours. And the biggest controversy at the center of it all is a parking garage. What sounds like a made-for-TV political drama is real life for Scottsdale and it's tearing the conservative-majority city government apart. This week on The Gaggle, we talk with The Republic's Scottsdale city reporter for an update on the drama happening in the West's most western town. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Shawn Raymundo Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Political candidates just filed their quarterly campaign finance reports, one of the few times that the public can peek inside political campaigns to see who is giving money to politicians and what those candidates are doing with the cash. The reports for hotly contested races like Governor, Congressional District 1 and more give us an insight into how they might do in the primaries. So as the saying goes, this week, we follow the money. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Brendan Glavin Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For the second time this month, a U.S. citizen has been shot and killed by federal agents during a surge in immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. The raids, protests and the new dimension of Second Amendment rights has gotten the attention of Arizonans as the presence of national agents has increased in the state. This week on The Gaggle, we talk with guests on both sides of the issue as it expands in Phoenix and across the state. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Erica Connell, Art Del Cueto Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Being the largest county in the state, Maricopa County will play an immense role in settling Arizona's biggest races in the 2026 midterms this year. Over the last few years, the county has done relatively well ensuring the process is safe, efficient and without major hiccups. But that doesn't mean there haven't been problems, nor differing opinions on how to handle them. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by Supervisor Thomas Galvin, a Republican member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to talk about the county's litigious relations with Republican County Recorder Justin Heap, the future of election security, data centers and his personal advocacy for bringing hockey back to the desert. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For the fourth time, Gov. Katie Hobbs offered her vision for Arizona's legislative priorities for 2026. She touched on affordability and political violence, but noticeably left out some key topics. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by Republic reporters who cover the Governor's Office and the Arizona Legislature to walk us through what Hobbs covered in her speech and what it all means. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Stacey Barchenger, Ray Stern Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In January 2021, President Donald Trump leaned on Arizona officials to disregard the state's certified 2020 election results to present an alternative selection of electors. These Republican "fake electors" tried to deem Trump the winner in Arizona, although the state went to Joe Biden. Years later, Democrat Kris Mayes' office got indictments of the 11 Republican electors and 7 others, but has yet to go to trial for most of the defendants. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by Republic reporter Stacey Barchenger. She brings us up to date on the ongoing fake electors' case, the importance it has to Mayes' bid for reelection, and if it can be closed this year. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Stacey Barchenger Hosts: Ron Hansen, Stephanie Murray Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Goodbye 2025 and hello 2026! Another packed election year is among us and races for Governor, Attorney General and more are expected to be noteworthy. The legislature will be working across the aisle (maybe) with an even tighter budget, Turning Point USA figures out who they are without Charlie Kirk and the weight of a Trump endorsement will be debated. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by members of the Arizona Republic politics team. In a roundtable discussion, they describe what they are watching for in Arizona politics in 2026. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Stacey Barchenger, Ray Stern, Laura Gersony, Stephanie Murray Host: Ron Hansen Producers: Amanda Luberto, Madison Knutson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We are taking some time off for the holiday this week and we hope you are too! We'll be back next week, but for now, enjoy a break. Thanks for listening to us all year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is normally a time when Canadians take a break from the cold and spend their time — and money — here in the desert for some sunshine. But this year, we have plenty of sunshine but a lack of Canadians. The friendly neighbors to the north are feeling insulted and economically punished by President Donald Trump. He implemented and raised tariffs on Canadian goods and has stated that he would like to see it become the 51st state in the union. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by two experts to discuss the impact a lack of Canadian visitors is having on Arizona. Read Michael's story here Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Michael Salerno, Miles Zimbaluk Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In just a few short weeks, Arizona lawmakers will return to the Capitol to work through another year's budget, consider any legislative needs and take up oversight of Gov. Katie Hobbs' administration as they see appropriate. But lawmakers are working with a tighter purse than usual, and the looming midterm election will have a lot of influence over the decisions made and the laws that get passed. This week on The Gaggle, we're joined by The Republic's state politics reporter Ray Stern. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Ray Stern Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Artificial intelligence is making its way into everything in American life: the stock market, journalism, medicine and more. Now major universities like Arizona State are buying into the future of AI by combining it with their offered education. This week on The Gaggle, we explore the role AI has at ASU, the future of AI in universities and how the concerns are being met. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Helen Rummel Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We are off this week to enjoy the holiday and we hope you are too. Have a safe and lovely holiday, Gaggle listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Since Charlie Kirk's death, Turning Point USA and its supporters have completed the tour he began, recently making the final stop at the University of California, Berkeley, which resulted in protests and arrests. In some ways, the chaotic setting underscored the early turbulence for Turning Point after Kirk's death. The organization, so strongly connected to his persona, faces not only grief but pressure to reboot itself. But the unifying power of Kirk feels missing. So, what is the future of Turning Point in the conservative ecosystem? This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by a Republic reporter who has been covering Turning Point since Kirk's death and was in Berkeley for the last stop of that college tour. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Stephanie Murray Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Adelita Grijalva is best known for not getting to start her job in an unprecedented act by Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. After a seven-week delay, the Speaker has set a time to formally swear in Rep.-elect Grijalva for Nov 12. She holds the key to potentially forcing a vote in the House of Representatives to release files on an investigation into Donald Trump and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. But she is also looking forward to getting to work for her constituents. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva to discuss the delay in her swearing-in, the longest government shutdown in history and what she wants to accomplish on Capitol Hill. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Adelita Grijalva Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As of Nov. 3, President Donald Trump has the lowest approval rating of his second term at 37%. This is usually a good sign for the party out of power, but disapproval in Trump isn't the whole picture. The Democratic Party is having a hard time translating criticism into support. Through July, Republicans have gained 9 times as many new registered voters than Democrats since the November 2024 election. This week on The Gaggle, we're joined by Democratic strategist and CNN commentator, Maria Cardona, to look at how her party is faring one year before the midterm elections. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Maria Cardona Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In August 2023, authorities reported 82,000 migrants crossed through the Darién Gap, the jungles that separate Panama and Columbia, on their way to the United States. In August 2025, there were seven. In that corridor these days, more migrants are heading southward, away from the U.S. border. This unprecedented event of reverse migration is in direct response to the Trump administration's push for border and immigration crackdowns. This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by two reporters who recently traveled to Mexico and Panama to document these voyages. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Daniel Gonzalez, Omar Ornelas Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's been about a year since Sen. Ruben Gallego made history becoming the first Latino elected to the U.S. Senate from Arizona. He is mostly known for lighting into President Donald Trump, Republican leadership and even his former opponent Kari Lake. This week, we sit down with the senator to discuss some of what has transpired since he was elected to the Senate, what he thinks Democrats need to do next and what comes after the Trump era ends. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Senator Ruben Gallego Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In less than a year, Arizonans will have a chance to decide who to send to Washington for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second administration. David Schweikert stepping away from CD1 makes his open seat a hot competition for Republicans to keep and Democrats to flip. In CD6, candidates are already lined up to take the district for the Dems away from Rep. Juan Ciscomani. This week, we talk with a House races expert about how the races are shaping up so far, what each party has to do to win and what it would mean for the political atmosphere. Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804 Follow us on X, Instagram and Tik Tok Guest: Erin Covey Host: Ron Hansen Producer: Amanda Luberto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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