There’s a conservative wave washing over some local governments in the Valley’s suburbs.

Some point to Donald Trump’s aggressive efforts to erase DEI policies in city businesses. Others contend it’s a natural swing of the pendulum to correct governing bodies that they say have leaned too far left.

This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by an associate professor of public policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Together we discuss why this phenomenon is happening and what the consequences of knowing the political allegiances of local councils are.

⁠Read the article here⁠⁠

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Guest: Justin de Benedictis-Kessner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Ron Hansen⁠⁠⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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It's been three years since the 2022 gubernatorial debate went from a discussion to a debacle and the Arizona Republic just received the public records.

The reports show behind-the-scenes deliberations involving ASU President Michael Crow and some of his top aides over how to handle known election denier Kari Lake. 

Since reporting has come out, ASU, Kari Lake and even Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen have commented on the complicated situation and on what comes next.

And it raises complex journalistic questions, too.

This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, a Republic reporter joins us to discuss her story about the 2022 debate and what happens now that it's been exposed.

Then, an attorney who advocates for free expression on college campuses, talks about whether ethical and even legal lines were crossed, and where journalists, politicos and the public all go from here. 

⁠Read Stacey Barchenger's article here⁠

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Guest: ⁠Stacey Barchenger, Robert Corn-Revere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Ron Hansen⁠⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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Anxieties you might assume are from a liberal law professor against President Donald Trump and his administration are coming from an unexpected source: Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick.

Appointed by Republican Governor Doug Ducey and a described "rockstar of the right" Bolick is no lefty, but he can't help but worry about the way the President is disregarding court decisions.

This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we are joined by an Arizona Republic reporter who spoke candidly with Bolick about why he sees the current moment as so perilous and how people on both sides of the aisle have responded to his call-out.

Read Taylor Seely's article here

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Guest: Taylor Seely⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Ron Hansen⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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Rep. Yassamin Ansari has spent her freshman year in Congress making national headlines.

She made national headlines for her travel to El Salvador where she tried, unsuccessfully, to meet with a man who was deported to that country as part of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation effort.

At the same time, she’s thinking about her political party – from who will run for president in 2028 to who is signing up new voters.

This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we are joined by Rep. Ansari to break down her first year in Congress and her attempts to work across the aisle.

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Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Ron Hansen⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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Alfredo Gutierrez, a nationally known migrants-rights activist and prominent politician, has died. At 79 years old, he succumbed to esophageal cancer on Tuesday, July 29.

Through his long service in the state, Gutierrez exhibited an activist's DNA despite his role inside the government. He sought social justice with his dual passions of civil rights and educational access, especially for immigrants.

This week on a special episode of The Gaggle, an Arizona political podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Mary Jo Pitzl takes you through the notable life of Alfredo Gutierrez.

Rather than us talking about Gutierrez, you'll hear from the man himself along with former state House minority leader Art Hamilton, former Phoenix mayor Terry Goddard, former state Senate President Pete Rios and notable friends.

Read Alfredo Gutierrez's obituary.

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Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠⁠⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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Arizona Democrats have held the spotlight this month with two very different votes.

One elected legacy politician Adelita Grijalva for the party's representation in the CD 7 race to fill her late father's seat in Congress.

The other was to oust their state party chair, Robert Branscomb II.

Arizona Democrats are riddled with political infighting after losing the presidential election in 2024, and soon the party will need to come together for midterm campaigns, including the re-election of Gov. Katie Hobbs.

This week on The Gaggle, we joined by Stacy Pearson, a Democratic political strategist and co-founder of Lumen Strategies. Pearson joins the show to give a status update on the party, what these two votes indicate for the future and what she thinks the Democrats need in order to get it together.

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Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stacy Pearson, political strategist⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ron Hansen⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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While the rest of the U.S. Senate will go on its annual break in August, Arizona freshman Ruben Gallego is heading to Des Moines to meet with middle America to potentially gauge his chances in what is expected to be a crowded field of Democratic contenders.

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 Des Moines Register politics reporter Brianne Pfannensteil.

She joins the podcast to talk through what this trip means, if stopping at the Iowa State Fair is still a strong indicator of who is interested in the White House spot and how voters outside of Arizona view the senator.

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Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brianne Pfannensteil⁠

Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ron Hansen⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law in a Fourth of July ceremony, making tax cuts he passed during his first term permanent.

It offsets those revenue losses to the government with steep cuts to services like the Medicaid program, requiring states to be responsible for funding food stamp programs and delivering tax cuts to the wealthiest taxpayers.

This week on The Gaggle, a politics podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, our hosts are joined by Republic reporter Stephanie Murray. Together they discuss the key points out of the Big Beautiful Bill, how Arizona politicians showed up and how the new law will impact Arizonans daily.

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Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stephanie Murray

Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠Ron Hansen⁠, ⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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When Hobbs was elected in 2022, she pledged to bring sanity over chaos. But the Democratic governor has tried to navigate working opposite a Republican-controlled Legislature over the last three years.

This year's session was no exception. Hobbs vetoed 174 bills this year, a new single-year record that surpasses her 143 vetoes in 2023.

But her vetoes aren't the full story, even if they are record-breaking. She also signed 265 bills into law this year.

This week on The Gaggle, a weekly politics podcast, host Mary Jo Pitzl and guest host Stacey Barchenger are joined by Gov. Hobbs in-studio for a sit-down interview.

Email us! [email protected]

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Guests: ⁠⁠ Governor Katie Hobbs

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary Jo Pitzl⁠⁠⁠⁠, Stacey Barchenger⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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On July 4th, 1776, 56 men signed a document declaring the newly formed 13 colonies as one United States of America. By this charter, they formed a new country, one free from Britain's rule.

The Declaration of Independence showcased the rights and beliefs of the new country. It was a written record of what America would stand for, and it was signed by the nation's founding fathers.

Today, to honor the country's sovereignty, the gaggle presents a reading of the Declaration of independence. Here to read the country founding document are reporters and staff of the Arizona Republic.

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