Welcome to the eighth episode of Prickly, a podcast from KJZZ’s Politics Desk. Subscribe here or wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to subscribe to the Prickly newsletter.
Let’s talk about a recent, contentious election in Arizona – no, not that one.
Every two years in January, after voters statewide cast ballots in November, members of the Republican and Democratic parties hold their own elections for their party leaders. Those party chairs will set the tone for their respective parties for the next two years.
As field correspondents Camryn Sanchez and Wayne Schutsky report, Republicans reelected Gina Swoboda to serve as chair after a run of success up and down the ballot last fall, but not without a challenge from the GOP’s far-right faction.
- Swoboda took the helm under unique circumstances about a year ago after former GOP Chairman Jeff DeWit’s resignation.
- The Democrat-turned-Republican won reelection this year in the face of a challenger backed by the far-right Freedom Caucus and the influential conservative group Turning Point.
- The divide amongst party faithful reflects ongoing efforts by some Republicans to oust those they deem insufficiently loyal to President Donald Trump’s movement.
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Democrats elected Robert Branscomb as the Arizona party’s new leader earlier this year. It was a bit of a surprise – despite Democratic candidates’ poor performances up and down the ballot in 2024, former chair Yolanda Bejarano had the support of key Democratic officials. -
A new year means a new legislative session for Arizona lawmakers returning to the Capitol in Phoenix. Political editor Ben Giles catches up with field correspondents Camryn Sanchez and Wayne Schutsky for a debrief on the topics and issues — some prickly — that will likely dominate debate this year.
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Political correspondents Camryn Sanchez and Wayne Schutsky dig into both sides’ perspective on the issue and the politics that could motivate lawmakers in the upcoming legislative session next month. -
The Arizona secretary of state officially certified the results of July's primary elections, meaning Arizonans now know the candidates who will be running in the handful of competitive legislative races that will determine which party controls the Arizona House and Senate next year.
