The Gaggle: Journalists Talk Arizona Politics

Is there a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border? Politicians keep saying so. In light of a historic government shutdown, hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ron Hansen find out what it's like on the ground with Rafael Carranza, a border reporter at The Arizona Republic.

Publicly-funded stadiums and arenas are costly. Why does the burden fall on taxpayers? The Gaggle breaks it down.

Ever hit a traffic jam coming back from up north on the I-17? Well the Governor's latest budget may have a solution. Reporter Maria Polletta joins host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez to talk about the parts of the budget most up for debate, including education funding.

Gov. Doug Ducey gave the State of the State address on Monday. With a new state superintendent of public instruction, more Democrats in the Arizona House of Representatives, and a projected $900 million surplus entering this Legislative session, what might he do with education in Arizona? Have a question or comment? You can reach host Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen. This episode was produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely, and edited by Kaila White.

Why does a new Arizona law make doctors ask women why they want an abortion? Host Ronald J. Hansen and azcentral reporter Dustin Gardiner chat about that, plus other new Arizona laws that impact your vehicle registration fees, medical bills and a myriad of other things. Have a question or comment? You can reach host Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen or state politics reporter Dustin Gardiner at twitter.com/dustingardiner. This episode was produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely and edited by Kaila White.

Will Arizona’s power in D.C. diminish as Sen. Jon Kyl leaves and Sen.-elect Kyrsten Sinema steps up for her first term? Hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ronald J. Hansen discuss what to watch for in Congress and speak with Republic reporters about Gov. Doug Ducey’s second term, the Arizona Legislature’s 2019 agenda, and the ongoing charter-school controversy. Have a question or comment? You can reach host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez at twitter.com/yvonnewingett and political reporter Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen. This episode was produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely and edited by Kaila White.

The leaders of Arizona’s Democratic and Republican parties tell us their thoughts on what happened in the 2018 midterm elections and how they plan to pave the way for victory in the future. Felecia Rotellini, chairwoman of the Arizona Democratic Party, and Jonathan Lines, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, give key insight into what might happen in 2019 and beyond. Have a question or comment? You can reach host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez at twitter.com/yvonnewingett and political reporter Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen. This episode was produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely and edited by Kaila White.

Are you curious what the state legislature is up to next? Do you have a question for a particular reporter or producer at The Arizona Republic? Take part in The Gaggle's Q&A! Call us at 602-444-4946 and leave us a voicemail. Record a video of your question and direct message it to @yvonnewingett , @ronaldjhansen or @azcpolitics. Send a voice-memo to tseely@arizonarepublic.com or tea.price@azcentral.com. Then, tune in to see if your question is featured!

Political consultant Ronnie Lopez talks about his close friend, former Congressman Ed Pastor. Pastor, who served Arizona in Washington for 23 years, died Nov. 27 after suffering a heart attack. He was 75. We look back on his legacy. Have a question or comment? You can reach host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez at twitter.com/yvonnewingett and political reporter Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen. This episode was produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely and edited by Kaila White.

The advent of early balloting has put pressure on politicians to win votes sooner. In their pursuit of victory, campaigns are digging deeper into sophisticated data to target you. Here's how to join in The Gaggle's Q&A episode: 1) Call us at 602-444-4946 and leave your question on a voicemail. 2) Record a video of your question and direct message it to @yvonnewingett , @ronaldjhansen or @azcpolitics. 3) Email a voice memo to tseely@arizonarepublic.com or tea.price@azcentral.com. Then, tune in to see if your question is featured! This episode was reported and produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely and edited by Kaila White.

From Sacha Baron Cohen punking former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to Steve Ferrara's legendary ad paid for by "AFBIC," 2018 was a year to remember in Arizona politics. Note: Some of the content in this episode may not be suitable for children. Have a question or comment? You can reach host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez at twitter.com/yvonnewingett and political reporter Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen. This episode was reported and produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely and edited by Kaila White.

Her triumph is the first for Democrats in an Arizona U.S. Senate race in 30 years, as well as the first for a woman in Arizona. How did she do it? We dive into how U.S. Sen.-elect Kyrsten Sinema rose above Republican candidate Martha McSally and her own Democratic party and analyze how her winning strategy will affect campaigns across the country leading into 2020. Have a question or comment? You can reach host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez at twitter.com/yvonnewingett and political reporter Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen. This episode was reported and produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely and edited by Kaila White.

We take you alongside reporters and inside the newsroom on Election Day. Hear a phone interview with Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes, a gaggle with Gov. Doug Ducey outside his polling place, scenes from the Arizona Democratic Party’s roaring election night party and more. Have a question or comment? You can reach host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez at twitter.com/yvonnewingett and political reporter Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen. This episode was reported and produced by Téa Francesca Price and Taylor Seely and edited by Kaila White.

Host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez has covered Gov. Doug Ducey for years. Now he sits one-on-one with her to chat about the 2018 midterms, #RedforEd, March for Our Lives, replacing McCain, immigration and more. Note: This interview was recorded Oct. 15, 2018. Have a question or comment? You can reach Yvonne at twitter.com/yvonnewingett and Gov. Doug Ducey at twitter.com/dougducey. This episode was produced by Téa Francesca Price, Taylor Seely and Kaila White.

From a presidential shoutout for Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom O' Halleran to whispers that Kelli Ward might endorse Republican Senate candidate Martha McSally (gasp!), President Donald Trump’s Arizona visit was rife with political strategy. We break down the key takeaways. Have a question or comment? You can reach host Yvonne Wingett Sanchez at twitter.com/yvonnewingett and political reporter Ron Hansen at twitter.com/ronaldjhansen. Help us improve by taking our 10-question survey to let us know what you think about the show: bit.ly/GaggleSurvey. This episode was produced by Téa Francesca Price, Taylor Seely and Kaila White.