A national survey of Democratic voters found that 59% would react positively to a hypothetical military takeover removing President Donald Trump from power, while 31% would react positively to news of his assassination, according to published results from the Center for Strategic Politics.
The survey, commissioned by Liberal Currents, examined Democratic voters’ presidential preferences, policy positions, and reactions to five hypothetical scenarios involving Trump leaving office. The publication released its analysis Sept. 21.
The military takeover scenario described military leaders removing Trump and assuming control of the United States under a stated rationale of safeguarding the Constitution. Respondents were asked how they would feel upon seeing such a news headline.
The accompanying graphic showed 43% responding very positively and 16% somewhat positively. Another 13% were neutral, while 10% responded somewhat negatively and 18% very negatively.
We polled five routes for Trump to leave office before the end of his term. A plurality of Dems support four of them, including a military coup and death by natural causes. The only one underwater, an assassination, is still supported by 29%. pic.twitter.com/C3qb2H0R8j
For the assassination scenario, the published crosstabs reported 23% very positive and 8% somewhat positive responses. Negative reactions totaled 43%, with 25% neutral. The hypothetical headline described Trump being assassinated while speaking at a rally.
The center’s social media caption cited 29%, while its published crosstabs reported 31%.
Positive reactions also totaled 56% for Trump dying in his sleep, 86% for impeachment and removal, and 84% for the scenario invoking the 25th Amendment.
The questions measured respondents’ anticipated emotional reactions to hypothetical headlines. They did not directly ask whether respondents would participate in or authorize violence.
The same survey also found majority support for a future Democratic administration pursuing criminal prosecutions of Trump administration officials, with one question extending to officials who served under former President Joe Biden.
Criminal prosecutions of Trump officials are generally favored by Dems, with clear majorities indicating support in all cases. Voters also support prosecution of officials from both the Trump and Biden admins over US support for Israel's genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/OF6tRVasF8
Seventy-seven percent favored pursuing prosecutions of Trump administration members over actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. A separate question naming Stephen Miller drew support from 73%.
On military actions, 72% favored prosecuting administration members over lethal strikes on boats in South America, while 66% favored prosecutions over actions taken during the war in Iran.
Another 69% favored prosecuting Pete Hegseth in response to a question that described him as directing the military “to violate national and international law.” That characterization appeared in the question itself.
The question encompassing both administrations drew 57% support for pursuing prosecutions over actions related to what the questionnaire called “Israel’s genocide in Gaza.” Twenty-two percent opposed pursuing those prosecutions, and 22% were unsure.
Although the graphic’s headline described Democrats as wanting officials jailed, the questions asked whether the next Democratic administration should pursue criminal prosecution. They did not ask respondents to determine guilt or select a punishment.
In his analysis accompanying the poll, Liberal Currents writer Chance Phillips noted that assassination was the only one of the five scenarios in which negative reactions exceeded positive reactions.
“Thankfully, on net Democrats are not pro political violence,” Phillips wrote, referring to the assassination responses.
That conclusion did not account for the majority’s positive response to a military seizure of government. The scenario explicitly described military leaders removing Trump from power and assuming control of the United States, with 59% responding positively and 28% negatively.
The Center for Strategic Politics describes itself as part of the progressive community and says its work is funded through grassroots contributions.
The English-language survey included 683 Democratic voters nationwide, contacted Sept. 3 and Sept. 8–10 through SMS-to-web and online panels. Researchers weighted responses by age, ethnicity, and gender and reported a margin of error of plus or minus 3.75 percentage points.
Democratic state Rep. Lydia Hernandez (D-LD24) endorsed Republican Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) for attorney general Friday, backing him over incumbent Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes.
Petersen’s campaign announced the endorsement on X, presenting it as evidence of support for his candidacy across party lines.
“I’m a legislator and Democrat, and I’m supporting Warren Petersen for Attorney General,” said Hernandez. “The Attorney General must keep our families safe, protect our students, and stand up for our schools — and Warren Petersen is the only candidate for the job.”
“As a lifelong Democrat and public school advocate, I’m voting for the only candidate that can protect our community,” Hernandez added.
Hernandez’s public education work includes service on the Cartwright School District Governing Board, where she has served since 2003.
Hernandez is set to leave the Legislature in January after finishing third in July’s four-candidate Democratic primary for the two House seats in LD24. The Legislative District 24 Democratic Party had previously censured her, citing her votes with Republicans and earlier endorsements of Republican candidates, including former Gov. Doug Ducey and former Secretary of State Michele Reagan. Hernandez’s endorsement of Petersen follows that history of crossing party lines.
Hernandez also sponsored HB 4109, legislation known as “Michael’s Law.” The measure would have required school districts to adopt public safety policies addressing life-threatening violence, threats involving weapons, parental notification, and contact with law enforcement.
HB 4109 passed the Arizona House in April but was held in the Senate.
Petersen said his working relationship with Hernandez showed that officeholders from opposing parties can cooperate on issues affecting their constituents.
“Throughout my time in the Legislature, I’ve been privileged to work with legislators on both sides of the aisle,” Petersen said. “Lydia Hernandez and I may be from different parties, but we know how to work together in the best interest of the people we represent.”
“That kind of cooperation is often missing from our political discourse today,” he continued. “As Attorney General, I will bring that same approach to the office to uphold our laws and protect Arizonans, not put political allies above the rule of law.”
Petersen thanked Hernandez for her support and said he looked forward to working with her on school and community safety.
The Petersen campaign said Hernandez joins a coalition of supporters that includes law enforcement officials, business representatives, rural leaders, and community advocates.
Arizona’s general election is scheduled for Nov. 3. The voter registration deadline is Oct. 5, and early voting begins Oct. 7.
The U.S. House approved legislation Tuesday that would require automakers to provide access to AM broadcast radio as standard equipment in new passenger vehicles sold in the United States.
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), passed Sept. 15 by voice vote under suspension of the rules. The procedure produced no recorded tally identifying how individual House members voted.
Arizona Reps. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09) are among the bill’s cosponsors. The congressional record also lists the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07), who died on March 13, 2025, as a cosponsor.
Crane called the voice vote unanimous in a post on X.
“Last night, the House passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act in a unanimous vote,” Crane wrote. “This legislation protects a vital source Arizonans rely on for emergency information, weather updates, and news. Proud to support this measure.”
Last night, the House passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act in a unanimous vote.
This legislation protects a vital source Arizonans rely on for emergency information, weather updates, and news.
Under the House-approved text, the Department of Transportation would have one year after enactment to issue a rule requiring new passenger vehicles to include equipment capable of receiving and playing broadcasts from analog or qualifying digital AM stations.
The requirement would cover vehicles manufactured domestically for sale in the United States, imported into the country, or shipped through interstate commerce. The AM function would have to be installed as standard equipment, accessible to drivers, and provided without an additional fee or surcharge.
The legislation defines passenger vehicles as those designed primarily to carry a driver and no more than 12 passengers. Motorcycles are excluded.
The Transportation Department would generally have up to two years after issuing the regulation to make it effective. Manufacturers that produced no more than 40,000 passenger vehicles for the U.S. market in 2022 would receive at least four years to comply.
During the period before the regulation takes effect, manufacturers selling vehicles without AM reception would be required to provide clear labeling notifying buyers. They also could not charge buyers an additional fee to access AM programming.
Supporters have cited AM radio’s role in delivering emergency information when power, cellular networks, or internet services are unavailable. House Speaker Mike Johnson said local communities depend on the technology during natural disasters.
“When disaster strikes—especially in hurricane and tornado-prone states like Louisiana—local communities rely on AM radio to deliver accurate, up-to-date information and critical safety alerts,” Johnson said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Public Warning System consists of broadcast stations equipped with backup communications equipment and generators intended to keep them operating during and after disasters. FEMA says the system can directly reach more than 90 percent of the country’s population. The agency lists KDRI 830 AM in Tucson as Arizona’s Primary Entry Point station.
The bill would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study AM radio’s role in the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System and compare its resilience, accessibility, and effectiveness with other emergency communications technologies. The Transportation Department would also be required to examine possible effects on vehicle safety and automated-driving systems before issuing its regulation.
The Transportation Department, in coordination with FEMA and the FCC, would also be required to report to Congress at least once every five years on whether AM radio remains useful for emergency alerts and whether alternative communications systems could provide comparable coverage.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that implementing the legislation would cost the Transportation Department and GAO approximately $1 million from 2026 through 2031. The CBO said the requirement would principally affect manufacturers of electric vehicles that have removed AM equipment or announced plans to do so.
The CBO also estimated that manufacturers would need to update equipment in approximately 2 million to 2.5 million vehicles annually. The agency projected that the private sector mandate would cost several million dollars per year, remaining below the $214 million threshold used to evaluate private sector mandates in 2026.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade association representing major automakers, has opposed the mandate, citing interference between AM signals and electric vehicle propulsion systems. The organization cited a Center for Automotive Research estimate placing the potential industry cost at $3.8 billion over seven years.
The House legislation now moves to the Senate, where Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey and Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz introduced a companion measure, S. 315. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved that bill in February 2025, and it was placed on the Senate legislative calendar in April.
When severe weather strikes and the power goes out, Texans need communications they can count on.
AM radio remains a critical lifeline for emergency alerts, local news, weather updates, and other vital information.
The Senate bill currently has 60 cosponsors—37 Republicans, 21 Democrats, and two independents. Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego are not listed among its cosponsors. The Senate has not held a floor vote on either the companion legislation or the House-approved bill.
Republican congressional candidate Dr. Zuhdi Jasser confronted Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-04) over health care costs, border enforcement, tariffs, and the conflict with Iran during an Arizona PBS candidate forum for Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District.
The Arizona Republican Party highlighted the exchange Tuesday, days after Jasser and Stanton appeared together on the Sept. 10 edition of “Candidates in Conversation.” Arizona PBS described the program as an open exchange rather than a formal debate.
Jasser, a primary-care physician and Republican nominee, identified rising health-insurance premiums as the most pressing issue facing the district. He blamed the Affordable Care Act and a lack of competition and price transparency for making coverage increasingly expensive.
Stanton, the Democratic incumbent who has served in Congress since 2019, said the broader cost of living was the leading issue. He pointed to tariffs, energy costs, and federal health care policy as contributors to household expenses.
The discussion became contentious when Stanton accused Jasser of supporting repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Jasser denied advocating repeal and said his position was to make health insurance more affordable through competition and transparency.
Jasser then argued that Congress needed a physician’s perspective on health policy, telling Stanton that “the House needs a doctor, not a politician that has been there since the iPod was made.”
For 25 years, I’ve fought for patients against insurance companies that put profits before care.
Greg Stanton is fighting to prevent any affordability reforms to the Unaffordable Care Act and instead wants to send BILLIONS more in subsidies to the C-Suites of Big Insurance while… pic.twitter.com/kXKRnnnXeM
The Arizona Republican Party paraphrased the remark in its post by referring to the introduction of the iPad and wrote that it was time for Stanton to leave office.
Stanton said he would continue defending Affordable Care Act protections, including coverage for people with preexisting conditions, and work to reduce insurance costs. Jasser said Stanton’s years in elected office had failed to produce an affordable health care system.
The Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010, nine years before Stanton entered Congress. Stanton previously served on the Phoenix City Council and as the city’s mayor from 2012 through 2018.
The candidates also found limited agreement on tariffs. Jasser said he disagreed with President Donald Trump’s use of tariffs and the administration’s involvement with Intel. Stanton called the tariffs unlawful and said they were increasing consumer costs.
Their sharpest foreign-policy disagreement involved Iran. Stanton characterized the conflict as a war of choice and linked it to higher gasoline prices. Jasser defended presidential authority to respond to national-security threats and criticized Stanton’s approach to military and border policy.
On immigration, Stanton acknowledged that the Biden administration mishandled the southern border. He said he supports border security alongside a comprehensive immigration overhaul.
Jasser called for continued enforcement of immigration law along with support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local police. He also criticized Stanton for appearing with Democratic Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03) during a congressional oversight visit to a federal detention facility.
Stanton responded that members of Congress have an obligation to inspect federal facilities and review how federal agencies are carrying out immigration enforcement.
Jasser also rejected the suggestion that he would vote in lockstep with Trump or Republican leadership. He cited his disagreement with the administration on tariffs and Intel while describing himself as an independent voice with medical, military, and business experience.
Jasser served for 11 years in the U.S. Navy and founded the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. He has also served as a commissioner and vice chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Stanton serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee. He is also chairman of the NewDem Action Fund, which supports candidates affiliated with the centrist New Democrat Coalition.
Stanton won the Democratic primary with 35,551 votes, while Jasser received 39,431 votes as the Republican nominee.
Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District lies entirely within Maricopa County and includes portions of Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler.
Arizona laws affecting property taxes, deed recording, and county assessor operations took effect Saturday, Sept. 12, the general effective date for the 2026 legislative session. Additional property tax exemptions for disabled veterans and their surviving spouses are scheduled to begin with the 2027 tax year.
“Ensuring the public has clear and timely information about changes in property tax laws is central to our mission,” Maricopa County Assessor Eddie Cook said. “This year’s legislative session brought meaningful improvements for property owners, especially veterans and individuals with disabilities, and protections from deed fraud – an issue that has surged nationwide.”
An earlier measure, HB 2792, took effect Feb. 12 and specified that the full property tax exemption for veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating applies to their primary residence.
Under HB 4168, the full exemption will also cover a veteran whose service-connected disability status is total disability based on individual unemployability. The law removes household income limits for disabled veterans and eligible surviving spouses, and allows a qualifying surviving spouse to receive the exemption for which the veteran was eligible. Those changes apply beginning with the 2027 tax year.
A separate measure, HB 2120, adds a written Social Security Administration disability determination to the documentation accepted when establishing eligibility for a property tax exemption.
Property owners also face new procedures when recording documents. SB 1479 generally requires valid photo identification when documents are recorded in person at a county recorder’s office or recording kiosk, with exceptions for specified professionals and institutions. It increases the criminal penalty for knowingly recording a forged or false real estate claim and adds a thumbprint requirement for certain notarized documents.
The same law directs county assessors to establish a voluntary system by Jan. 1, 2027, to alert participating owners when the assessor receives notice of a change in property ownership or the owner’s mailing address. The Maricopa County Assessor’s Office said Cook championed the measure.
Other changes address how assessors work with property owners. HB 2173 allows tax officers to accept electronic responses and, when a taxpayer elects to submit one, an electronic notice of claim in property tax error cases. The existing deadlines remain in place, and communications that require certified mail must still be served that way. SB 1294 permits an assessor to retain a property’s classification for up to five years after destruction by a verifiable accident, unless its use changes sooner. That provision applies retroactively to Sept. 13, 2024.
Two laws change agricultural-property inspections. HB 2104 generally bars an assessor from reclassifying or inspecting agricultural property for three years after the owner prevails in a qualifying appeal, subject to specified changes involving the property. HB 2105 requires advance notice of inspections and a copy of the inspection report for property owners, and limits consecutive-year inspections of qualifying agricultural property.
HB 2327 allows eligible people to request broader restrictions on identifying information in county assessor, recorder, and treasurer records. HB 2950 allows counties and municipalities to establish tourism improvement areas funded by assessments on participating lodging businesses.
Finally, SB 1067 prevents certain county abatement liens from being extinguished by a property tax lien sale or foreclosure. Those provisions expire Oct. 1, 2028.
