In this episode, we sit down with Bobby Nichols an Assistant Attorney General and candidate for Tempe City Council, to discuss the brutal reality of the local housing market. With renters making up 60% of our city, the lack of protection and stability has reached a breaking point.

Bobby breaks down his consequential plan to fight back, including a rental stabilization board and a vision for the city to act as its own developer on public land. We also dive into the fragile state of civic engagement in Tempe, the 7-0 voting patterns that silence community voices, and the personal tragedies that drive Bobby’s mission to ensure time is of the essence.

This is part one of a two-part interview.

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/clock-is-ticking-part-1-bobby-nichols

== Learn more about Bobby Nichols ==

Website: https://bobby4tempe.com/

The 2026 election cycle is here, and the "sticker shock" of the 2024 results proved one thing: money alone doesn't buy movements. In the final part of our series with Unity Rising founder Jacob George, we expose the failure of "AstroTurf" organizing and the urgent need for a relational comeback in Arizona.

We dive into the max exodus of men from the Democratic party, the populist pipeline from Bernie to Trump, and how Project 2025 is designed to turn the next generation into worker bees instead of critical thinkers. Education and mentorship are the only barriers left against systemic failure.

Listen to learn how Unity Rising is building a succession plan to reclaim the future.

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/jacob-george-unity-rising-part3

== Learn more about Unity Rising USA ==

The culture war is loud. Rent is louder.

In Part 2 with Jacob George, we talk about the messaging gap that’s bleeding young voters: national politics as a donation machine vs. local life as a cost-of-living emergency.

We get into:

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/jacob-george-unity-rising-part2

== Learn more about Unity Rising USA ==

Arizona’s youth vote can decide elections—and it can disappear.

In Part 1 of our conversation, Jacob George (founder + executive director of Unity Rising USA) lays out what he’s building: a student-led chapter model designed to counter Turning Point USA’s campus pipeline, cut through the jargon, and connect politics back to working-class survival.

We get into:

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/jacob-george-unity-rising-part1

== Learn more about Unity Rising USA ==

This episode closes our conversation with Francesca Martin, Deputy Director of the Keep Arizona Blue Student Coalition. Part 1 covered tactics, how she started organizing at 16, and how her team confronts voter apathy on campus.

Part 2 goes deeper: motive, mentorship, and the pipeline Arizona needs if democracy is going to hold. Francesca explains why the word “politics” repels so many young voters (they hear D.C. gridlock and shouting), and why “community” brings them in. Community speaks the language of rent hikes, housing costs, wages, and the right to stay in the place that raised you.

Francesca breaks down what real inclusion looks like for young leaders: not a pat on the head, but trust, autonomy, and serious responsibility because democracy needs succession. If the pipeline stalls, the whole system weakens.

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/part-2-francesca-martin

== Connect with Keep Arizona Blue ==

Political power doesn’t start in Washington. It starts in classrooms, union halls, and community meetings—where turnout is built and myths get shattered.

In this conversation, Francesca explains why “youth apathy” is often the result of campaigns choosing not to invest in young voters. She walks through what actually works: connecting the ballot to daily survival—rent, wages, campus safety, health care, climate—and building trust through consistent, visible organizing instead of performative politics.

We also dig into the lived experience behind her work: growing up in a proud union family, what worker protections can mean when someone gets hurt on the job, and why Arizona’s policy landscape makes state and local fights impossible to ignore.

And we hit the piece too many voters skip: down-ballot power. School boards. City councils. State legislatures. Propositions. If you stop at the top line, you’re leaving real leverage on the table.

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/part-1-francesca-martin

== Connect with Keep Arizona Blue ==

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Dr. Raquel “Rockee” Armstrong, a visionary leader running for State Representative in Arizona's Legislative District 13. In this final part of our three-part series, Dr. Armstrong tackles the challenges of political leadership in a divided legislature. She advocates for unity and collaboration, stressing that shared values like safe neighborhoods and robust public schools unite more than partisan labels divide.

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/part-3-raquel-rockee-armstrong

== Connect with Dr. Raquel “Rockee” Armstrong ==

2026 is a critical year for Arizona voters. This episode breaks down why local elections matter more than ever—from city council and school boards to the SRP Board and state legislature. Learn key dates, why turnout matters, and how your vote influences policies on housing, education, water, and safety.

Voting is a right earned through sacrifice, not a convenience. People fought—and died—for the right to vote. Your participation is non-negotiable.

Watch now and prepare to engage early.

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/2026-az-election-info

== Resources for AZ Voters ==

In Part 2 of our series with Dr. Raquel 'Rockee' Armstrong, we dive into the healthcare premium crisis and economic pressures facing Arizona families. This is about more than policy—it’s about survival. Watch now and join the movement for a healthier Arizona.

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/part-2-raquel-rockee-armstrong

== Connect with Dr. Raquel “Rockee” Armstrong ==

In this first part of our conversation with Dr. Armstrong, we explore the critical challenges facing Legislative District 13 and Arizona at large—education funding, affordability, and smart growth policies. Dr. Armstrong, an assistant professor of Educational Leadership and candidate for State Representative, shares her frontline experience and policy insights on how these issues intersect and impact everyday lives.

Topics covered include the strain of rising housing and childcare costs, the real toll on teachers beyond salary concerns, the controversy around the ESA voucher program, and the urgent need for public accountability and investment in communities.

LD13 voters face a rare open seat and a crucial choice that will shape the district’s future. This episode is a call to action to register, vote, and demand representatives who prioritize real solutions over distraction politics.

Check us out on Substack: https://aroundthedistricts.substack.com/p/part-1-raquel-rockee-armstrong

== Learn more about Dr. Rockee Armstrong ==