The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast

Two years ago, Arizona voters rejected a GOP law to expand the state’s school voucher-style program. Despite that rejection, and against the backdrop of at-home learning in the era of the pandemic, Arizona’s Republicans are once again trying to dramatically expand the program. This year, the Arizona Senate voted not just to expand the voucher system. In fact, SB 1452 is even larger than the expansion that was repealed by voters. Under the proposed legislation, two thirds of Arizona’s 1.1 million public-school students would qualify for the program, which lets parents spend public money on private and religious schooling. The bill comes as many parents are frustrated following months of at-home education or hybrid learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Republicans are leveraging that frustration to advocate for private schools, many of which have re-opened for in-person learning to some degree.In this week’s episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen talk to education reporter Lily Altavena and data reporter Rob O’Dell about the politics of school re-opening and school vouchers. The team discusses where in-person education stands in Arizona, what Republicans are proposing and how that would shape education for students and parents alike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona has been in the national political spotlight recently. It was labeled a swing state heading into the 2020 elections and barely turned blue, handing Joe Biden his narrowest victory in November. While this was happening, the state's elected leaders were gathering national attention too. Republican Governor Doug Ducey has entered the final two years of his term. His future afterward is uncertain, but could include a return to private life, a run for Congress or even a White House bid in 2024.In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen talk with Phil Cox, former executive director of the Republican Governor's Association where Ducey currently serves as Chairman. They'll break down where Arizona's leader could be headed next and the implications for Arizona voters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former President Donald Trump is the only president to face impeachment twice, after the House of Representatives signed a single article of impeachment on Jan. 25.The Senate began its formal trial on Tuesday, although there isn't a clear consensus on whether Trump should be held accountable for the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and what that accountability would look like. Arizona's House representatives already split along party lines when voting to impeach, prompting questions about partisan factions within our Congressional delegation.In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen break down how impeachment could fracture the relationships among Arizona's elected officials in Washington and what that would mean for voters. You'll also hear audio from Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly about their reflections after the riots at the Capitol.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2020 election marked the first time in modern Arizona history that Democrats had a lead in early ballots a week before election day. Republicans closed that gap, putting the percentage of ballots returned within 1% of each other. Still, it was a shock to the system for some Republicans. Now, Republican lawmakers are looking to change how Arizonans vote, as well as how their votes are counted and audited. Everything is on the table, from mail-in voting to the permanent early voting list. In this week’s episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen break down the Republican proposals with state Legislature reporter Andrew Oxford. The conversation includes information on each proposal, how Democrats are responding to it and how it will change things for voters, if at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Arizona Democratic and Republican parties held elections on Jan. 23 to elect their party chair.During an in-person meeting that was largely closed to the media, the Arizona GOP narrowly re-elected the fractious Kelli Ward as its leader. Democrats opted to vote for a new chair in a virtual meeting, electing Raquel Terán overwhelmingly with 75% of the vote.Terán is the state representative for Legislative District 30 in the metro Phoenix area. And she's a self-identified progressive with roots in community organizing.As Democratic chair, Terán will oversee the state's party platform and work to gain Democratic wins up and down the ballot ahead of 2022, as well as fundraise for the party and recruit candidates. In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen are joined by the newly-elected Terán. She will break down the future of the party in Arizona, including questions about how progressive party's agenda will be in coming years.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is the inauguration day for President-elect Joe Biden. He becomes the 46th President of the United States of America. After the two Democratic Senate victories in Georgia, Biden has a clearer path towards setting are more liberal agenda. Biden has already released plans for his first 100 days in office, including plans for a national COVID-19 response and changes to various immigration policies.In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen are joined by health reporter Stephanie Innes and immigration reporter Daniel Gonzalez to break down how the administration's early policy moves could affect Arizonans.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona Republican leaders such as Gov. Doug Ducey and Chair Kelli Ward had opposing reactions to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Ducey initially condemned the riots on Twitter and then again addressed it in Monday's State of the State address. "In the United States of America, violence and vandalism have no place in the people’s house. Perpetrators should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Let us condemn it and resolve that it never happens again," said Ducey. On the day of the attack, Ward attended a Protect the Vote rally, where she continued to question the validity of the election results. The riots at the U.S. Capitol highlight a growing fissure within the party. It’s at a crossroads, caught between moderate and extremists. With Ward likely to maintain power, the tone for the party is being set by the far-right. Is it possible for moderates to regain control?In this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen speak with Kirk Adams. Adams is a former Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives. He also served as the chief of staff for Ducey from 2014 to 2018. Listen now to hear as Adams breaks down how the Arizona GOP save itself from the extremist elements.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, during a joint session of Congress, a pro-President Donald Trump mob invaded the Capitol. The riot spilled into the Capitol as the debate over Arizona’s votes began. Republican Rep. Paul Gosar was on the microphone when debate was halted.As events developed, national political reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen reached out to members of Arizona’s congressional delegation. They wanted to know where our elected officials were when the insurrection began, what they remember and how they felt. In today’s bonus episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast, we’re bringing five of those conversations. You’ll hear from Democratic Reps. Tom O’Halleran, Ruben Gallego, Greg Stanton and Raúl Grijalva and Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following a year of turmoil, the next legislative sessions kicks off on Monday, Jan. 11.Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has faced criticism of his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic from Republicans and Democrats alike. Although Republicans held onto their majorities in the Arizona House of Representatives and Senate, there’s disunity among both parties’ caucuses. What issues will the legislature attempt to address? And how successful will leaders from both sides be in drawing support for their causes?State government and politics reporters Andrew Oxford and Maria Polletta join this week's episode of The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast to preview the upcoming session with hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we wrap up 2020, The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen look towards 2021. In this week's episode, they'll breakdown five stories they are keeping their eyes on throughout the upcoming year. That includes how the COVID-19 vaccine will impact the state's recovery from the pandemic. They'll also reflect on the futures of the Republican and Democratic parties in the state heading in the the next election cycle in 2022.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices