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☆ Trump is reportedly annoyed by Kari Lake's frequent Mar-a-Lago jaunts
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Kari Lake is the all-but-certain GOP nominee in Arizona, a key battleground state this cycle. AdvertisementDemocrats have long pointed out Arizona GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake's frequent out-of-state travel. According to the Washington Post, the former president is annoyed by Lake's frequent jaunts to Mar-a-Lago, Trump's resort and political home base in Palm Beach, Florida. While not the most important Senate race this cycle — Republicans have generally focused more on unseating incumbent Democratic senators in Ohio and Montana — Lake's race still matters. On a semi-regular basis, the Arizona Democratic Party has sent out newsletters entitled "Where In The World Is Kari Lake?"

Persons: Kari Lake, she's, Trump, —, Kari Lake's, Donald Trump, Lake's, Ruben Gallego, Lake, backtrack Organizations: GOP, Service, Arizona GOP, Washington Post, Democratic, Republicans, Trump, Lake, Fearless, WIN, Post, Senate, Arizona Democratic Party, Republican Locations: Arizona, Mar, Palm Beach , Florida, Ohio, Montana, Idaho, Lake

Arizona took a major step on Wednesday toward scrapping an 1864 law banning abortion, when three Republican lawmakers in the state House of Representatives broke ranks with their party and voted with Democrats to repeal the ban. Republican leaders had thwarted earlier repeal efforts in the two weeks since the Arizona Supreme Court ignited a political firestorm by reviving the Civil War-era law, which outlaws abortions from the moment of conception except to save the mother’s life. “The people of Arizona are waiting for us to get this done,” said Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, a Democrat, who introduced the one-sentence bill to undo the 1864 law. Many voters denounced the ban — which provides no exceptions for cases of rape or incest — as a draconian intrusion into women’s rights. And some Republicans — including former President Donald J. Trump — said they wanted the Legislature to scrap it quickly, to try to head off a possible election-year backlash.

Persons: “, ”, Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, —, Donald J, Trump — Organizations: Arizona, Republican, Democrat Locations: Arizona

☆ Lawmakers vote against hearing Arizona bill repealing abortion ban on House floor
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Arit John | Cheri Mossburg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Republican-controlled Arizona House of Representatives once again failed to advance a repeal of the state’s 160-year-old abortion ban Wednesday, days after the state Supreme Court roiled state politics by reviving the law. On Wednesday, following two attempts to discuss a bill that would repeal Arizona’s 1864 ban on abortions, lawmakers voted not to discuss the measure on the House floor. State lawmakers last week ended a House session early to block an effort to repeal the abortion ban. And on Monday, House Republicans’ general counsel laid out a strategy to defeat or dilute the impact of a potential abortion rights ballot initiative in a leaked memo. Abortion rights supporters and opponents gathered outside the statehouse Wednesday morning.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kari Lake, Katie Hobbs, “, Ben Toma, Doug Ducey, Republicans ’, Sen, Priya Sundareshan, ”, “ It’s, Jill Norgaard Organizations: CNN, Republican, Representatives, GOP, Democratic Gov, ”, Republicans, Arizona Democrats, Senate, Arizona Democratic Legislative, Committee, Abortion, statehouse, Wednesday Locations: Arizona,

They see Ms. Lake, who is in a competitive race that could determine control of the Senate, as an important ally. “It is time for my legislative colleagues to find common ground of common sense: the first step is to repeal the territorial law,” State Senator Shawnna Bolick posted on X. The State Senate president, Warren Petersen, and the State House speaker, Ben Toma, both Republicans, supported the abortion ban. Credit... Matt York/Associated PressDemocrats said it was urgent to pass a repeal before the court’s ruling upholding the 1864 law takes effect. Image The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday that upheld an 1864 law regarding abortion.

Persons: Kari Lake, Donald J, Trump, Roe, Wade, Lake, Shawnna Bolick, Bolick, Arizona Democrats clamored, Warren Petersen, Ben Toma, Mr, Toma, Matt York, Katie Hobbs, —, ”, Doug Ducey, “, that’s, Caitlin O'Hara, The New York Times “, Juan Ciscomani, David Schweikert, Ciscomani, Schweikert, “ Arizona’s MAGA, Hannah Goss, Ruben Gallego, Stephanie Stahl Hamilton Organizations: Arizona Republican, Arizona Republicans, U.S, Supreme, Republicans, Democratic, Arizona Democrats, Senate, State House, Republican, Arizona Capitol, ., Associated Press Democrats, ”, Gov, Arizona Supreme, The New York Times, State Legislature, “ Arizona’s MAGA Republicans, Democratic Party, Democrat Locations: Arizona, ”

☆ Takeaways from Day 1 of the Trump disqualification trial in Colorado
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Marshall Cohen | Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Trump lawyer blasts ‘fringe’ lawsuitTrump lawyer Scott Gessler, a former Colorado secretary of state, blasted the proceedings and said the case was “weak,” “anti-democratic” and relied on “fringe” theories. He urged Colorado District Judge Sarah Wallace to not “interfere” with the 2024 election removing Trump from the ballot. Congressman describes ‘haunting’ Jan. 6 experienceTestifying for the anti-Trump challengers, Swalwell described the “haunting” experience of sheltering in the House chamber on January 6 while the right-wing mob surrounded the area. A California Democrat and fiery Trump critic, Swalwell described how he realized in real time that Trump was endangering him and his colleagues by directing his supporters to go to the Capitol. Colorado election official looks for guidanceOutside of court, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said Monday on CNN that she hopes the trial will provide guidance on Trump’s eligibility for the ballot.

Persons: Donald Trump, Eric Swalwell, Trump, ’, ”, Eric Olson, “, Olson, Trump “, ” Olson, Scott Gessler, Sarah Wallace, ” Gessler, Swalwell, ” Swalwell, Ruben Gallego, …, State Jena Griswold, “ We’ve, disqualifies, ” Griswold, Griswold, Sean Grimsley, Trump’s, CNN’s Avery Lotz, Andi Babineau Organizations: CNN, US Capitol Police, Trump, GOP, Republican, Capitol, ”, Colorado, California Democrat, Electoral, Rep, Arizona Democrat, Marine, State, CNN News Central, House Locations: Colorado, Denver, insurrectionists, Washington, United States, America, California, Arizona

The Hamas terrorist attack on Israel is reprehensible. Israel is under heavy attack right now by Hamas and taking action to defend itself and its people. Israel has every right to defend itself.”Sen. Jon Tester, Montana Democrat“I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks launched by Hamas against our ally Israel. I will continue to closely monitor the situation.”Sen. Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire Democrat“Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel is nothing short of horrifying. Israel has every right to defend itself from this unjust war.”Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat“The terrorist attack on Israel is appalling.

Persons: Hakeem Jeffries, “, Steve Scalise, ” Kevin McCarthy, ” Chuck Schumer, –, Herzog –, ” Mitch McConnell, ” Tom Emmer, ” Katherine Clarke, ” Dick Durbin, ” John Thune, ” Sen, Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Democrat “, Israel, Amy Klobuchar, Mark Warner, Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democrat “, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Cory Booker , New Jersey Democrat “, Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democrat “, Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Democrat “, Gary Peters, Gary Peters , Michigan Democrat “, Catherine Cortez Masto, Brian Schatz, Hawaii Democrat “, Jeff Merkley, Oregon Democrat “, John Barrasso, Joni Ernst, Iowa Republican “, Sen, Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia Republican “, Steve Daines, Montana Republican “, Mike Lee, Mike Crapo, Chuck Grassley, Tommy Tuberville, Katie Britt, Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, Kyrsten, Mark Kelly, John Boozman, Tom Cotton, Arkansas Republican “, Alex Padilla, Laphonza Butler, California Democrat “, today’s, Michael Bennet, Colorado Democrat “, John Hickenlooper, Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat “, Chris Murphy, Tom Carper, Delaware Democrat “, Chris Coons, Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, Jon Ossoff, Georgia Democrat “, Anat Sultan, Raphael Warnock, “ I’m, Mazie, Tammy Duckworth, Todd Young, Mike Braun, Jerry Moran, Kansas Republican “, Hamas’s, Roger Marshall, Netanyahu, Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican “, Bill Cassidy, John Kennedy, Susan Collins, Maine Republican “, Ben Cardin, Maryland Democrat “, Chris Van Hollen, Ed Markey, Tina Smith, Minnesota Democrat “, Roger Wicker ,, Roger Wicker , Mississippi Republican “, Cindy Hyde, Josh Hawley, Eric Schmitt, Jon Tester, Montana Democrat “, Deb Fischer, Nebraska Republican “, Pete Ricketts, Jacky Rosen, Nevada Democrat “, Jeanne Shaheen, Jeanne Shaheen , New Hampshire Democrat “, Maggie Hassan, Maggie Hassan , New Hampshire Democrat “, Bob Menendez, Bob Menendez , New Jersey Democrat “, Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Democrat “, Biden, Ben Ray Lujan, Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Democrat “ I'm, Thom Tillis, Ted Budd, North Carolina Republican “, John Hoeven, John Hoeven , North Dakota Republican “, Kevin Cramer, Sherrod Brown, Ohio Democrat “, J.D, ”, Vance, James Lankford, Markwayne Mullin, Israel –, Ron Wyden, Bob Casey, John Fetterman, craven, Jack Reed, Sheldon Whitehouse, Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott, South Carolina Republican “ I’m, Mike Rounds, South Dakota Republican “ Shocked, Marsha Blackburn, Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee Republican “ Israel, Bill Haggerty, Tennessee Republican “, John Cornyn, John Cornyn , Texas Republican “, Ted Cruz, Mitt, Vile, Peter Welch, Vermont Democrat “, Tim Kaine, Patty Murray, Washington Democrat “, Maria Cantwell, Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Republican “ Israel, Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming Republican “, Jim Jordan, Jared Moskowitz, Abigail Spanberger, Elissa Slotkin, Don Bacon, perpetrating, Cori Bush, Missouri Democrat “, Kevin Hern, Kevin Hern , Oklahoma Republican “, ” Rep, Ritchie Torres, Ritchie Torres , New York Democrat “, Michael McCaul, Michael McCaul , Texas Republican “ I, Ilhan Omar Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Biden, House, Michigan Democrat, Minnesota Democrat, Virginia Democrat “, Senate Intelligence, Massachusetts Democrat, Islamic, Cory Booker , New, Cory Booker , New Jersey Democrat, West Virginia Democrat, Wisconsin Democrat, Gary Peters , Michigan Democrat, Nevada Democrat, Hawaii Democrat, State, Oregon Democrat, John Barrasso , Wyoming Republican, Iowa Republican, West Virginia Republican, Montana Republican, Utah Republican, Idaho Republican, Alabama Republican, Alaska Republican, Alaska Republican “, Arizona Democrat, John Boozman , Arkansas Republican “, Jewish, Arkansas Republican, California Democrat, Colorado Democrat, Connecticut Democrat, Delaware Democrat, Israel, Florida Republican, Georgia Democrat, Hawaii Democrat “, Indiana Republican, Indiana Republican “, Kansas Republican, Kentucky Republican, Louisiana Republican, Maine Republican, Maryland Democrat, Roger Wicker , Mississippi Republican, Smith , Mississippi Republican, Josh Hawley , Missouri Republican, Missouri Republican, Montana Democrat, Nebraska Republican, Jeanne Shaheen , New, Jeanne Shaheen , New Hampshire Democrat, Maggie Hassan , New Hampshire Democrat, Bob Menendez , New, Bob Menendez , New Jersey Democrat, New Mexico Democrat, New, New York Democrat, United, North Carolina Republican, John Hoeven , North Dakota Republican, Kevin Cramer , North Dakota Republican “, Ohio Democrat, Vance , Ohio Republican, James Lankford , Oklahoma Republican, Oklahoma Republican, “ Hamas, Rhode, Lindsey Graham , South Carolina Republican, South Carolina Republican, South Dakota Republican, Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee Republican, Tennessee Republican, John Cornyn , Texas Republican, Ted Cruz , Texas Republican, Vermont Democrat, Washington Democrat, Wisconsin Republican, Wyoming Republican, ”, Ohio Republican “, Missouri Democrat, Kevin Hern , Oklahoma Republican, Ritchie Torres , New, Ritchie Torres , New York Democrat, Jewish State, Michael McCaul , Texas Republican Locations: Israel, United States, Tehran, The United States, Iran, Michigan, U.S, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Vermont, Cory Booker ,, Cory Booker , New Jersey, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Gary Peters , Michigan, Nevada, Hawaii, Oregon, John Barrasso , Wyoming, America, Iowa, West, Montana, Iranian, Utah, Idaho, Alabama, Alaska, Alaska Republican “ America, @Israel, Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona, John Boozman , Arkansas, Jewish State, Arkansas, Saudi Arabia, California, Gaza, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mazie Hirono, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Palestine, Roger Wicker , Mississippi, Smith , Mississippi, Josh Hawley , Missouri, Missouri, Nebraska, Jeanne Shaheen ,, Jeanne Shaheen , New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan , New Hampshire, Bob Menendez ,, Bob Menendez , New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North, John Hoeven , North, Kevin Cramer , North, Ohio, Vance , Ohio, James Lankford , Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Lindsey Graham , South, South, States, Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee, Tennessee, John Cornyn , Texas, Ted Cruz , Texas, Mitt Romney, Virginia, “ Hamas, Washington, Wyoming, Ohio Republican “ America, Kevin Hern , Oklahoma, Ritchie Torres ,, Ritchie Torres , New York, Michael McCaul , Texas

At one point, the indictment said, Menendez Googled the phrase "price of a kilo of gold." "People are salivating at the opportunity to have an open Senate seat, which might lead to an open congressional seat, which might lead to an open state Senate seat, which might call into question who might be the state Senate president," Harrison says. Democratic members of Congress from neighboring states – including a Latina, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have called on Menendez to resign. "It is hard for me to believe that Sen. Menendez can be effective in his job, given these allegations. But I think I want to get back and talk to my colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee before I recommend a path forward for Sen. Menendez,” Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, told MSNBC in an interview on Sunday.

Persons: Andrew Cuomo, Cuomo, Anthony Weiner wasn't, Weiner, –, Nancy Pelosi, Sen, Bob Menendez, Jersey pols, Brandon Rottinghaus, Menendez –, Menendez, Nadine, Fidel Castro, Menendez's, Robert Menendez Jr, Phil Murphy, Andy Kim, Murphy, Brigid Harrison, Harrison, Alexandria Ocasio, Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, John Fetterman of, Donald Trump, ” Sen, Chris Murphy, Mark Kelly, Pelosi, didn't, Joe Biden, James Traficant, Traficant, Gary Condit, Chandra Levy, Condit, George Santos, ” Santos, they’re, ”, Rottinghaus Organizations: Democratic, New, Twitter, Bob Menendez of New, Senate Foreign Relations, University of Houston, Foreign, Prosecutors, Foreign Relations, Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs Committee, Gov, Democratic Party, Montclair State University, Latina, Connecticut Democrat, MSNBC, United State Senate, Arizona Democrat, CBS, James Traficant , Ohio Democrat, House, Capitol Locations: New York, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Jersey, New Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, Cuba, Alexandria, Cortez, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Arizona, James Traficant , Ohio, California, Rock Creek

Now, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Interior Department should work together to ease the damage, the GAO said. A Customs and Border Protection spokesman said Wednesday that the agency is working on a response to the report. An Interior Department spokeswoman said the agency would have no comment. “The wall saved lives and disrupted the cartel’s ability to improve their operational control of our country’s borders.”Environmental groups said the GAO report confirmed their earlier complaints. They said future repair work could benefit from more involvement by the Interior Department, a lead manager of the federal land where much of the damage occurred.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, Raul Grijalva, Grijalva, Trump, Mark Morgan, Morgan, Laiken, Michael Dax, Emily Burns, Joe Biden, Damage Organizations: PHOENIX, Government, Office, U.S . Customs, Border Protection, Interior Department, GAO, Customs, U.S, Arizona Democrat, Homeland Security, Forest Service, Border, Heritage Foundation, Center for Biological Diversity, Department of, Wildlands, Sky Islands Alliance, Department of Defense, Kumeyaay Locations: U.S, Mexico, cactuses, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Southwest, California , Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora, California, Rio Grande Valley, Arizona's Sonora, Quitobaquito, Rio Grande

☆ Kyrsten Sinema’s Party of One
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Robert Draper | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Katie Hobbs, who received almost 11 percent of the Republican vote in her 2022 victory over the far-right Kari Lake. Sinema, even before she left the party in December, had become the Democrat whom Democrats love to hate. In January 2022, after her refusal to pass voting rights legislation by discarding the Senate filibuster that stood in the way, Sinema was censured by Arizona’s Democratic Party. “The decision was really a no-brainer,” a former state party official told me, adding that the censure resolution was supported by more than 90 percent of Arizona’s Democratic precinct committee members. Hobbs, on the other hand, relied heavily on the turnout of a progressive base that might have reacted poorly to Sinema’s presence on the stump.

☆ Kevin McCarthy's bill to raise the debt ceiling squeezes by in the House after a series of contentious last-minute changes to secure enough GOP votes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Juliana Kaplan | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Under the legislation — which still has a long road to becoming law — the debt ceiling would rise by just $1.5 trillion, or until March 31, 2024, depending on whichever comes first. Democratic senators insisted on Wednesday that the House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate. "I don't think it will have any impact on what happens in the Senate," Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, told Insider of the House bill on Wednesday afternoon. But GOP Sen. Ron Johnson told Insider that he thinks House Republicans "are doing the right thing." That means that both parties need to come to an agreement on an approach to raise the debt ceiling before the country hurdles into a default, expected early this summer.

☆ Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego recently outraised Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in what could be the most unpredictable Senate race of 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego outraised Independent Kyrsten Sinema in the first quarter of 2023. Gallego's campaign reported raising $3.74 million, while Sinema raised $2.1 million, per the FEC. The Grand Canyon State could potentially boast the most competitive Senate race in the US next year. The outcome of a competitive three-way Arizona race could very well determine control of the Senate. And the race would also be held with the concurrent presidential election, which could feature a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

But that copper sits below the federally owned Oak Flat Campground, a place some Apache consider home to deities. The mine would create a crater 2 miles (3 km) wide and 1,000 feet (304 m) deep that would destroy that worship site, which the San Carlos Apache tribe strongly opposes. Some other Apache tribes in the area support Rio's project, but the San Carlos Apache have vowed to block it. Rio said it will continue to try to win the San Carlos Apache's approval. Several courts have ruled against the San Carlos Apache and their allies, which have appealed to the full 9th U.S.

☆ Senator says U.S. should consider mandating transponders on high-altitude balloons
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Senator Mark Kelly says Congress should consider mandating transponders on high-altitude weather and research balloons to help the U.S. military differentiate between potential threats. The issue has drawn new attention in recent days after U.S. fighter jets shot down a Chinese balloon and three other objects. The United States has said the Chinese balloon was used for surveillance purposes while Beijing called it a weather balloon. Since an American fighter jet shot down the 200-foot Chinese balloon on Feb. 4, three other objects have been downed. The National Weather Service launches balloons at about 90 locations daily carrying an instrument tracked by specialized ground equipment.

☆ Arizona Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego, who's trying to unseat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, says 'nobody' in the state 'has really spoken to' her she joined the upper chamber
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"She doesn't speak to Arizonans anymore. This is why she is where she is," he said, arguing that she would have been unable to win a Democratic Party primary. Since the announcement, Sinema has so far continued to caucus with Senate Democrats, but her switch still puts the party in a bind. Such a contest would pit Gallego and Sinema against a Republican candidate — creating an unpredictable three-way race. Potential GOP entrants into the 2024 Senate election include Kari Lake, the party's gubernatorial nominee last fall, along with 2022 Senate nominee Blake Masters and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson.

☆ Ruben Gallego Jumps Into Arizona Senate Race, May Face Kyrsten Sinema
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Eliza Collins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ruben Gallego, 43, has been representing Arizona in Congress since 2014. PHOENIX—Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego announced he is running for Senate Monday, a move that could pit him against Sen. Kyrsten Sinema , a Democrat-turned-independent who hasn’t announced if she will run again in 2024. In a video announcing his decision, Mr. Gallego tells veterans at a local American Legion Post he is running for Senate.

WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego announced Monday he will run for the Arizona U.S. Senate seat currently held by centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party in December to become an independent. In his statement Monday, Gallego said: “The problem isn’t that Senator Sinema abandoned the Democratic Party — it’s that she’s abandoned Arizona. Karrin Taylor Robson, who narrowly lost to Lake in the 2022 primary after spending $20 million of her family’s money, is seriously considering a Senate run, a source close to her said. And Mark Lamb, the Pinal County sheriff, is also considering a Senate run in 2024, said an Arizona Republican source. A Gallego adviser said he's prepared for a two-way race if Sinema steps aside or a three-way race if she chooses to run.

The Democrats’ 2024 Senate map was already going to be tough, and it got a little bit harder now that Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced Thursday she would not run for re-election. Michigan is one of the five states President Biden won in 2020 by less than 4 percentage points where the Democrats currently have a seat up for re-election next year. And there are three more Democratic seats up in 2024 in states that Trump won. In other 2024 news:Gallego makes more moves: Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is making high-profile hires as he considers a Senate bid, Politico reports. Chris Sununu told Fox News “a lot of folks” want him to run for president and took a swipe at Florida Republican Gov.

☆ Arizona Democrat Mayes narrowly wins attorney general race after recount
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - Democrat Kris Mayes on Thursday narrowly won the fight to become Arizona's next attorney general after a recount, defeating Republican Abraham Hamadeh by just 280 votes in one of the tightest races in the state's history. The race had gone to an automatic recount after the November midterm election, as required by state law, because the vote differential between the two candidates was within half a percentage point. The battle to become Arizona's next attorney general had smashed fundraising records in the midterm elections, with election experts having said that the normally backwater contest had potentially big implications for U.S. democracy. Mayes welcomed the outcome of her race in a statement released after the recount results were announced. Hamadeh, one of a string of Trump-aligned Republican candidates who lost battleground state races in the midterm elections, said on Twitter he was weighing legal options.

Democrats both in Washington D.C. and Arizona spent the weekend processing Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s decision to leave the party and register as an independent. The Biden White House’s statement called her a “key partner” that they expect to continue to work with. A growing field in Indiana: Four Republicans could be running to succeed Indiana GOP Gov. This comes as Indiana GOP Sen. Mike Braun and the state’s GOP Lt. Gov. Fort Wayne businessperson Eric Doden has already announced his campaign, and the state’s Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers is expected to jump into the race as well.

☆ Democratic senators won't say whether the party should support Kyrsten Sinema's re-election in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"It doesn't change my life one bit," said Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. "I don't think anybody's announcing anything," Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona told reporters, saying he didn't want to get into "hypotheticals." Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the head of the DSCC for 2022, also declined to say whether the party should back Sinema. But she too declined to say whether the party should back Sinema in 2024, waving as the elevator closed. Asked by reporters on Monday what he made of Sinema's announcement, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware dramatically shrugged as he boarded an elevator.

2 Democrat, told CNN when asked if party leaders should stay out of the race. “I’m just not worried about folks who may not like this approach,” Sinema told CNN on Thursday. On Monday, he wouldn’t say if he believes Democratic leaders should try to knock her off in 2024. Like Sinema, party leaders are now watching Manchin closely as he weighs whether to run in 2024. “I worked very closely with Sen. Sinema – two years now to get stuff done,” Kelly said.

☆ Republicans struggle in the Southwest as Latino voters stick with Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

It belies a conventional narrative that Democrats were universally ceding Latino voters to the Republican Party, a story line repeated throughout the run-up to the Nov. 8 midterms. Instead, indicators show the GOP in danger of losing Latino voters in this region, a prospect that could mean being boxed out of the Southwest for the long term. In New Mexico, the state with the most residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino in the country, Latino Democrats won nearly every statewide race. Even with some Latino voters staying home, NBC News exit polling showed that Cortez Masto won more than 60% of that vote. Still, there’s plenty of danger signs for Democrats when it comes to Latino voters, particularly among men.

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s announcement Friday morning that she was abandoning the Democratic Party to become an independent may require Democrats to modify their catchphrase. Her desperate leap out of the Democratic Party will someday make a compelling story for her book. In response, the Arizona Democratic Party took the serious step of censuring Sinema for her behavior. She’ll almost certainly need to fend off that challenge without the institutional Democratic Party resources she would otherwise have enjoyed. Her desperate leap out of the Democratic Party will someday make a compelling story for her book.

☆ Arizona Democratic Party official says voters feel that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has 'totally turned her back on the people who got her into office'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she would leave the Democratic Party on Friday. An Arizona Democratic official said Sinema "turned her back" on the people who voted for her. Michael Slugocki, the vice-chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, said Sinema "has no constituency group in Arizona" anymore after her announcement on NBC's Meet the Press on Friday. "They feel like she's totally turned her back on the people that got her into office," Slugocki said on Meet the Press. —Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) December 10, 2022Sinema announced on Friday that she would be leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an Independent.

☆ The 2024 Senate map just got even more difficult for Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Sinema’s interests are no longer necessarily the Democrats’ best interests in the next Congress, and the 2024 Senate map became even more complicated for Democrats with Sinema’s decision. The Democrats who run against independent Sen. Angus King in Maine have not gained traction in recent elections. Having two people in the race who are going to caucus with the Democratic Party likely makes it more difficult for the Democrats to win. All that said, the Democrats already have a difficult map heading into 2024. With Sinema’s break from the Democratic party, the road is, if nothing else, curvier for Democrats.

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