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