The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast
Helping you keep up with what matters in Arizona's political news. Each week we interview politicians, public figures or journalists to break down one local issue and how it affects your life in Arizona. Coming to you every Wednesday morning, The Gaggle is hosted by The Arizona Republic's national political reporters Ron Hansen and Stephanie Murray, and is produced by Amanda Luberto.
Episodes
October 14, 2026 • 24 mins
The midterm election is traditionally hard on the party in charge and this year is expected to be no different.
But with disillusionment in the White House increasing, it seems that it will be harder than usual.
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by political pollster Spencer Kimball. He is the founding director of the nonpartisan Emerson College Polling Center.
Kimball sheds light on how Trump's approval rating will im...
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October 7, 2026 • 24 mins
Ballot measures can be long, have convoluted writing, and at times, seem purposefully difficult to figure out what your vote really does.
So ahead of the 2026 midterm, we broke them down in plain English.
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by Arizona Republic reporter Helen Rummel to preview what propositions voters will find on their ballot, what a "yes" vote would do and who is supporting them.
Email us! thegaggle@a...
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September 30, 2026 • 40 mins
Accusations of protecting pedophiles and choosing predators over Arizona families are flying almost every time you turn on your TV as we get closer to Election Day from both Gov. Katie Hobbs and her opponent, Congressman Andy Biggs.
But what's really at stake for Arizonans?
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by Republic reporter Stacey Barchenger to analyze possibly the biggest race in Arizo...
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September 23, 2026 • 35 mins
To incumbent Democrat Mayes, her 49 lawsuits show that she is willing to hold the White House accountable for what she says are illegal acts.
Her opponent in the 2026 attorney general race, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, has promised to back President Donald Trump's agenda and says he'll rein in Arizona's Attorney General's Office if elected.
But one subject that some Arizonans are tired of hearing about is the key top...
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September 16, 2026 • 23 mins
Arizona's 6th Congressional District is always competitive for both parties.
Starting in 2006, voters chose a Democrat. Then in 2014, the district went to a Republican. In 2018, back to a Democrat and in 2022, back to a Republican.
This year, Republican Donald Trump is in the White House, and the party could feel voters' wrath in the midterms. Incumbent Republican Juan Ciscomani is back to defend his seat, this time against Democ...
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September 9, 2026 • 19 mins
Whether they like it or not, Arizona voters will be asked to consider their opinion on the 2020 election yet again.
That's because the key difference in the two candidates running for Secretary of State is their stance on election integrity and safety.
Democrat Adrian Fontes was the Maricopa County recorder then and he maintains the process is fair. Republican Alex Kolodin meanwhile defended both Cyber Ninjas and the "fake electo...
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September 2, 2026 • 19 mins
One of the most competitive races in the midterms is happening in one of Arizona's most independent districts, CD1. It's one that national pundits are saying could change the balance of power in the U.S. House.
Looking to take the open seat is Democrat Dr. Amish Shah and Republican Jay Feely.
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by Republic reporter Laura Gersony.
Together, we break down where this hotly contested race s...
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August 26, 2026 • 24 mins
Between the ICE detention center, Flock cameras and data centers, it seems that Surprise is right at the heart of America's conversation.
But how come? Why are the nation's hottest topics all happening in Surprise?
This week on The Gaggle,we are joined by Surprise City Councilmember Johnny Melton, a Republican, to talk through how this fast-growing city has become such a hotbed for America's big political issues.
Email us! ...
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August 19, 2026 • 26 mins
While 45 other states already have it, the lieutenant governor is a brand-new job in Arizona, and both candidates have chosen their running mates.
Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs chose former Mesa Mayor and former Republican, John Giles, while Republican Andy Biggs went with former state lawmaker Sine Kerr.
Both candidates' running mates shed a light on what they think they need to add to their campaign to win.
This week on&nbs...
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August 12, 2026 • 35 mins
One of the most politically volatile topics to bring up at the dinner table isn't the war in Iran, the price of gas or the immigration crackdown across the country. It's the culture war.
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by Isaac Butler, the left-leaning author of the new book "The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars."
As an expert on the origins of the culture war, he'll help us make ...
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August 5, 2026 • 23 mins
Arizona's politics are now reliably purple.
The top offices are held by Democrats but a wider look will show that Arizona's lawmakers are predominately red.
A few major races in the midterm election this November are close, which leads people to wonder if this is the year Democrats catch their white whale: the legislature.
Email us! thegaggle@arizonarepublic.com
Leave us a voicemail: 602-444-0804
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July 29, 2026 • 41 mins
The days of television ads and fliers in the mail are going by the wayside when it comes to campaigns getting their message out.
Technology is changing fast and politicians — sitting or hopeful — are using influencers, artificial intelligence and more to try to get your attention and your vote.
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by three experts in various fields to discuss the new frontier of technology and ...
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July 22, 2026 • 24 mins
Early tallies for the midterm primaries show that Arizona Republicans have put their trust in MAGA-style candidates for the top three spots on the November ballot.
For the most part, the primary races were decided soon after an unexpectedly smooth election day. Voting in Maricopa County, a hotbed for election denialism and backbiting over election responsibilities, went off without any major glitches.
This week on The Gaggle...
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July 15, 2026 • 33 mins
The primary election is on July 21 and with only a few days left, there are still major questions and contentious races that political professionals are keeping an eye on.
The impact of Turning Point USA's backing, candidates aligning with artificial intelligence and major ad spending are all key factors that are leaving even the most in-tune politicos wondering.
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by two political strate...
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July 8, 2026 • 21 mins
Debates over Flock cameras, license plate readers that use artificial intelligence, are riling up citizens in Chandler and South Tucson who argue that the tech is invading their privacy.
But proponents say that Flock is helping local police, the U.S. Border Patrol and agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This week on The Gaggle, we are joined by two reporters who have been keeping tabs on how some communit...
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July 3, 2026 • 16 mins
Two longtime Congressmen want to leave Washington, D.C., to instead lead Arizona as its next governor.
Congressman Andy Biggs and Congressman David Schweikert both have decades worth of experience in politics and both want to the chance to take on incumbent Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs in November.
First they'll need to win the Republican nomination in the July 21 primary election.
In this bonus episode of The Gaggle, st...
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July 1, 2026 • 21 mins
This week, Americans across the country will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
While it should be a time for reflection and patriotism, research shows that Americans have complicated feelings about the country ahead of this milestone.
This week on The Gaggle, we turn the microphone over to Arizonans to find out how they're feeling about the country as the country's 250th birthday appr...
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June 28, 2026 • 15 mins
Walk into the Museum of African American History on Boston’s Beacon Hill right now and the Revolution looks different from the one most of us learned in school.
The museum’s new exhibition, "Black Voices of the Revolution: Liberty, Emancipation, and the Struggle for Independence," asks what independence meant to people who were themselves enslaved or only tenuously free.
In this Outspoken conversation, I spoke wi...
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June 24, 2026 • 43 mins
It's something we can all feel right now at the gas pump, the aisles of the grocery store and just about anywhere you spend money: prices are high.
President Donald Trump's foreign tariffs and the war in Iran have put pressure on American consumers
In addition, the administration's immigration crackdown and higher fees for foreign travelers have turned off tourists from other countries.
This week on The Gaggle, we're j...
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June 23, 2026 • 17 mins
As we move toward another Fourth of July, it feels especially urgent to revisit the American Revolution through the lives of people who rarely make it into our textbooks or monuments.
Art historian Zara Anishanslin does exactly that by recasting the founding era through the artists — many of them women, enslaved people, and immigrants — who used art, espionage and activism to shape a new nation...
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