Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) predicted Republicans could see unexpectedly strong results in November, citing voter dissatisfaction with Democratic leadership, ongoing redistricting battles, and what he described as a “hidden voter” poised to influence upcoming elections.
Hamadeh made the remarks during an appearance on James T. Harris’ Conservative Circus radio program and later shared excerpts from the interview on social media.
The real story is the growing sentiment across the country: people are tired of living like this and are finally ready to push back hard.
This November, many will be surprised. There’s a hidden voter who sees Democrats offering nothing — 20% approval, candidates with Nazi… pic.twitter.com/L9kzoY6TgI
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) June 1, 2026
“The real story is the growing sentiment across the country: people are tired of living like this and are finally ready to push back hard,” Hamadeh wrote in a post accompanying the interview.
“This November, many will be surprised,” he continued. “There’s a hidden voter who sees Democrats offering nothing — 20% approval, candidates with Nazi tattoos, and open America-haters. That’s not what voters want. They want leaders who inspire us to do better.”
During the interview, Harris asked Hamadeh whether Republicans were “underestimating the backlash building against the progressive left for their vision of America.”
“I think so,” Hamadeh responded.
The Arizona congressman pointed to recent redistricting efforts in Republican-led states and said Republicans had become more willing to counter Democratic political strategies.
“I think Republicans finally got smart. They started punching back at the Democrats,” Hamadeh said. “The redistricting wars that we’ve been succeeding on is one aspect.”
Hamadeh also referenced the Los Angeles mayoral campaign of Spencer Pratt, describing the campaign as reflective of broader voter dissatisfaction.
“Whether he wins or not, it isn’t really the issue,” Hamadeh said. “It’s a matter of there’s a growing sentiment in our country that people feel that they don’t have to live like this anymore and that they’re going to push back and punch back as much as possible.”
Hamadeh said he believes those frustrations could produce election results that exceed current expectations.
“So I think this November, people are going to be surprised at the result because there is a hidden voter right now that understands the Democrats, they offer nothing to the table,” Hamadeh said.
Hamadeh cited polling showing low approval ratings for Democrats and criticized Democratic candidates.
A recent Quinnipiac University survey found 20% of voters approved of the way Democrats in Congress were handling their jobs, while 72% disapproved, approaching an all-time low for congressional Democrats.
“If that’s what the voters want, I don’t think so,” Hamadeh said. “I think they want somebody that inspires them, that we can do better as a country.”
The Goldwater Institute filed a lawsuit against the City of Phoenix seeking to block a proposed sale of downtown city-owned land to Pennrose, LLC. The lawsuit alleges the deal violates the Arizona Constitution’s Gift Clause and a state law governing municipal housing requirements.
The complaint, filed May 26 in Maricopa County Superior Court, challenges the city’s proposed sale of public land located at 1016 North 2nd Street for approximately $1.5 million. The lawsuit alleges the sale price is less than one-third of the property’s fair market value and would benefit a private developer in violation of Article 9, Section 7 of the Arizona Constitution.
According to the complaint, Pennrose proposed what the lawsuit describes as “a blend of LGBTQ+ affirming affordable housing and a tuition-free preschool for under-resourced children,” with the preschool component to be offered by Bezos Academy. The Bezos Academy is a nonprofit organization founded by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com and owner of The Washington Post.
Court filings describe the property as consisting of three parcels totaling approximately 0.4 acres, or about 17,500 square feet. Goldwater attorneys allege the property was appraised at the direction of the city at approximately $4,812,500 in June 2023.
The Arizona Constitution requires government entities to receive a direct and proportionate return when they sell public assets. But Phoenix leaders are attempting to give Pennrose, LLC a massive discount on prime downtown real estate, agreeing to sell property worth at least…
— Goldwater Institute (@GoldwaterInst) June 1, 2026
The complaint states the city issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in November 2023 seeking proposals for the purchase and development of the property. According to the lawsuit, the RFP set the minimum purchase price at $4,812,500, the property’s appraised value, while allowing proposers to offer a combination of cash payment and other purported public benefits to meet or exceed that amount.
Pennrose submitted a proposal in January 2024 to acquire and develop the property, according to the complaint. Goldwater attorneys allege the developer proposed purchasing the land for approximately $1.5 million and acknowledged, according to the complaint, that the proposed purchase price represented more than a $3.3 million discount below the RFP’s minimum purchase price.
City records show the Phoenix City Council approved Ordinance S-51809 on April 9, 2025, authorizing the sale and redevelopment agreement for the property, and later adopted Ordinance S-52672 on March 4, 2026, approving an amendment to the development agreement with Pennrose modifying the purchase price.
In a statement released June 1, Tony Napolitano, Senior Attorney at the Goldwater Institute, wrote, “Pennrose claims that the development will create public benefits worth more than the massive subsidy. But there’s a major problem: no valuable public benefit is identified, much less required, in the final agreement. In fact, the developer suggests the city should consider Pennrose’s own private gains from the project as public benefits. That theory turns the Arizona Constitution on its head.”
The lawsuit argues the proposed transaction would provide a subsidy to a private developer without the city receiving direct and proportionate consideration in return, as required under the Arizona Constitution’s Gift Clause.
Goldwater also alleges Phoenix imposed an unlawful inclusionary housing requirement on the sale and development of the property. The complaint argues the city violated A.R.S. § 9-461.16, which restricts municipalities from requiring residential units to be designated for sale or lease to particular classes of residents as a condition of development approval.
Napolitano explained, “Pennrose initially proposed building a mixed-use development on the site, which would include low-income housing and a tuition-free preschool provided by a nonprofit. While the inclusion of a private nonprofit would not remedy the Gift Clause deficiency, it’s not even relevant because it was not included in the final terms of the deal.”
“That leaves the sole remaining alleged public benefit Pennrose claims: the residual value of the housing project once the agreement expires,” he continued. “However, the city retains no ownership interest in the property, and taxpayers will never receive any of their money back from the developer. Those assets remain with the private special interest—exactly what the Gift Clause was designed to prevent.”
The lawsuit asks the court to declare that the proposed sale violates the Gift Clause, block the city from completing the transaction or conveying the property, declare the inclusionary housing requirement unlawful, and enjoin the city from enforcing such a requirement as a condition of development approval.
“Simply put, Arizona law does not give way just because city officials find a particular project desirable.
“Public property belongs to the public. When government officials transfer millions of dollars in public value to a private developer, the Arizona Constitution requires a genuine public purpose and a proportionate exchange—not deep discounts justified by speculative or illusory benefits that taxpayers will never see.”
AZ Free News did not locate a public response from the City of Phoenix regarding the lawsuit prior to publication.
Editor’s Note: Following publication, a representative for Bezos Academy contacted AZ Free News and said that Bezos Academy does not plan to open a location at the proposed Pennrose development in Phoenix.
The City of Scottsdale has issued a Truth in Taxation notice advising residents that city officials may consider an increase in the primary property tax levy for fiscal year 2026-27 as part of the municipal budget process.
According to Scottsdale’s public notice and supporting budget documents, the city is proposing a primary property tax levy increase tied largely to Arizona’s statutory two-percent adjustment, while projecting that the primary property tax rate itself could decline due to growth in assessed property values.
The Arizona Daily Independentreported that Scottsdale is proposing an increase in primary property taxes of $681,888, or 1.70%, above the prior year’s levy level, excluding revenue generated through new construction and changes related to voter-approved bonded indebtedness or overrides.
Scottsdale’s published notice states that the city “may increase” its primary property tax levy over last year’s level and emphasizes that the notice itself does not mean a tax increase has been approved. Instead, the city said the notice reflects the possibility that the City Council could discuss and potentially adopt a levy increase during the budget process.
According to the city, the current primary property tax rate of $0.4891 per $100 of assessed valuation could decrease to as low as $0.4801 as rising assessed property values offset portions of the proposed levy increase.
City budget documents show Scottsdale’s proposed FY 2026-27 primary property tax levy totals approximately $41.29 million, an increase of about $1.02 million over the current fiscal year’s $40.27 million levy. City officials reported the increase is primarily attributable to the statutory two-percent adjustment and includes repayment to the Risk Management Fund for tort liability claim payments made during calendar year 2025.
Scottsdale’s proposed secondary property tax levy, which is used for repayment of voter-approved general obligation debt, is also forecast to increase. According to city documents, the proposed secondary levy would rise from $34.85 million in FY 2025-26 to $36.70 million in FY 2026-27 due to increased debt service obligations.
Despite those levy increases, Scottsdale projects the combined city property tax rate could decrease from $0.9124 to approximately $0.9068 per $100 of assessed valuation because of growth in the city’s net assessed property values. City officials estimate that a homeowner with an assessed property value of $100,000 would pay approximately $90.68 in combined city property taxes under the proposal.
The city has scheduled a Truth in Taxation hearing, Property Tax Public Hearing, and Municipal Streetlight Improvement District hearing for June 9 at 5 p.m. at Scottsdale City Hall Kiva, located at 3939 N. Drinkwater Boulevard. Meetings will also be broadcast on Cox Cable Channel 11 and streamed through Scottsdale’s website.
Following those hearings, Scottsdale officials plan to consider formal adoption of property tax ordinances during the City Council meeting scheduled for June 23.
Tucson Democratic State Senate candidate Rocque Perez is facing renewed scrutiny following resurfaced social media posts containing violent rhetoric and new attention to earlier allegations involving disputed online activity and deleted social media accounts.
The controversy comes as Perez seeks the Democratic nomination for Arizona’s Legislative District 20 Senate seat, where he faces state Rep. Alma Hernandez in a July primary.
Archived posts tied to Perez’s X account included violent political rhetoric dating back to 2020. The posts reportedly included statements such as “So kill them, do your duty baby girl” in response to complaints about conservative family members and “Someone throw this b—- off the capitol building roof please” in response to a post by Ivanka Trump. Other archived messages reportedly encouraged violence toward political opponents and referenced harming individuals in online settings.
The posts were first published by the California Globe in October and later independently corroborated through Archive.org.
Perez, now 27, told the Arizona Republic he was aware prior to entering politics that his past online activity would likely face public scrutiny and argued that the posts originated when he was 20 and 21 years old. At the time, he worked as a student employee at the University of Arizona in multicultural advancement and research communications roles, according to university employment records cited by the Republic.
“You wouldn’t be asking me these questions if this was any other 19, 20-year-old at the time,” Perez told the Republic.
Hernandez sharply criticized the rhetoric and rejected Perez’s explanation.
“To brush it off and say you were young and dumb, that’s not an excuse,” Hernandez told the Arizona Republic, calling the posts “unacceptable for anyone seeking public office.”
The resurfaced posts have also revived attention to earlier reporting involving Perez’s online presence.
Alleged Sex Worker Tied to Adelita Grijalva Scrubs Social Media Accounts.
In February, the California Globe reported that social media accounts allegedly connected to Perez and others tied to Tucson-area political circles had been deleted or scrubbed following scrutiny. The publication later published screenshots from an X account it alleged Perez used to promote an OnlyFans account known as “ThatLocalBoy,” citing material supplied by a source. According to the report, the account included photographs of Perez and sexually explicit promotional content linked to OnlyFans activity.
Another Gay Activist With Ties to Rep-Elect Adelita Grijalva Scrubs Social Media.
Perez denied those allegations when questioned by the Republic and said he never operated an OnlyFans account.
“Not at any point did I put out anything like this,” Perez told the newspaper.
The Republic reported it could not independently confirm Perez operated the alleged OnlyFans account and noted that the account in question no longer exists. Perez further declined to specifically confirm or deny whether photographs and sexually oriented posts associated with the account belonged to him, telling the paper he was “not going to relegate what was me or not me.”
Perez graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 with a degree in political science. He previously served briefly as an appointed Tucson City Council member, and currently serves as the executive director of the Southern Arizona Education Council, formerly known as the Metropolitan Education Commission.
The Glendale City Council voted 4-3 Thursday to remove Democrat Councilmember Jose “Lupe” Conchas from office, ruling that his election to the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District Board rendered him ineligible to continue serving under the Glendale City Charter.
The vote followed a special meeting in which councilmembers, residents, and elected officials debated whether Conchas’ newly elected SRP position constituted a second compensated public office prohibited by city rules. The council ultimately approved Resolution R26-60 declaring the Cactus District seat vacant effective immediately.
According to the Glendale City Charter, councilmembers “shall hold no other public office for which they receive compensation” except for service as a notary public or member of the National Guard or military reserve. During the meeting, city officials stated that the council was acting under its charter authority to judge the qualifications of its own members. The resolution cited Conchas’ May 2026 swearing-in to the SRP board and Arizona statute allowing compensation of up to $60 per meeting day for SRP board members.
Mayor Jerry Weiers, Vice Mayor Ray Malnar, and Councilmembers Lauren Tolmachoff and Dianna Guzman voted in favor of the resolution, while Councilmembers Bart Turner and Leandro Baldenegro opposed it. According to AZ Family, the vote left the Cactus District seat vacant and triggered the city’s appointment process.
Glendale officials and supporters of the resolution argued the matter centered on compliance with the city charter rather than politics.
“This has nothing to do with retaliation or retribution or anything,” Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff said following the vote.
“My vote today is based on the law,” Councilmember Dianna Guzman added.
Mayor Jerry Weiers later issued a statement saying that Conchas’ election and swearing-in to the SRP District Board constituted service in “a public office that receives compensation” and that, pursuant to the city charter, the council determined he no longer met the qualifications necessary to serve on Glendale City Council.
Conchas rejected the council’s interpretation and argued that he had not accepted compensation for his SRP service. During the meeting and in subsequent interviews, he maintained that the removal effort was politically motivated and connected to his recent criticism of council stipends and vehicle allowances.
According to Axios Phoenix, Conchas said he had stopped accepting Glendale’s stipend and vehicle allowance and believed his removal was linked to his opposition to the policy, which is reportedly under review following an Arizona Attorney General complaint.
Public testimony at Thursday’s meeting reflected sharp disagreement over the council’s action.
According to an Arizona Daily Independent report citing an anonymous city staff source, Conchas allegedly made an offer during deliberations that some participants viewed as an attempt to influence the vote’s outcome. ADI reported that Conchas suggested he would focus exclusively on his district and forego a future mayoral campaign if allowed to remain on council. Conchas has not publicly responded to that allegation.
Several speakers, including state lawmakers and community activists, urged the council to reject the resolution, arguing that Conchas had been duly elected and that the move created the appearance of political retaliation. Others supported removal, arguing that the city charter’s language was clear and should be applied consistently regardless of political considerations.
State Rep. Quantá Crews (D-LD26) questioned whether the charter applied if Conchas declined compensation from SRP, while State Rep. Cesar Aguilar (D-LD26) argued that the common meaning of “receiving” compensation involved accepting payment rather than merely being eligible for it.
Crews commented, “The people have the power here,” telling council members, “I don’t feel comfortable with the people’s power being taken away from them.”
Other speakers, including Glendale residents and former elected officials, argued the council had a legal obligation to enforce the charter regardless of Conchas’ popularity or public service. Former State Sen. Anthony Kern told the council he supported the council’s action, saying, “It is because of the rule of law.” He added, “It is not against Mr. Conchas at all…it is because law has to be followed.”
Conchas told AZ Family he plans to pursue legal action challenging the council’s decision and seek reinstatement to the seat.
