by Matthew Holloway | May 15, 2026 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Consumer Price Index rose to 3.81 percent year-over-year in April, marking the highest annual inflation rate in nearly three years, according to the latest Monthly Inflation Update released Tuesday by Republicans on the Joint Economic Committee (JEC).
According to the report, headline Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased from 3.26 percent in March to 3.81 percent in April. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, rose to 2.75 percent year-over-year in April, up from 2.60 percent in March.
April’s increase marked the highest annual headline inflation rate reported since mid-2023, reversing several months of comparatively slower price growth.
The JEC reported that energy prices experienced the sharpest annual increase among major categories, with energy inflation reaching 17.87 percent year-over-year in April, representing a 21.61 percentage point increase compared to April 2025.
Food prices also increased year-over-year. According to the report, food inflation reached 3.18 percent in April, 0.42 percentage points higher than the same period last year.
Regionally, inflation rose across all major areas of the country between March and April. The Northeast recorded the highest inflation rate at 4.4 percent, followed by the Midwest at 4.1 percent and the South at 3.6 percent. The West recorded the lowest regional inflation rate at 3.5 percent.
While the West recorded the nation’s lowest regional inflation rate, the 3.5 percent increase still remained above the Federal Reserve’s long-term two percent inflation target. Declining real wages indicate that inflation continued to outpace earnings growth for many workers during the month, reducing purchasing power despite nominal wage increases.
The JEC’s Monthly Inflation Update compiles and analyzes federal inflation data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The report also found that inflation-adjusted earnings declined during the month.
According to the JEC, real average weekly earnings for all employees decreased by 0.19 percent from March to April. Real average hourly earnings declined by 0.53 percent year-over-year, representing a 0.44 percentage point decrease compared to April 2025.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | May 14, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller announced Monday that prosecutors have filed a Notice of Intent to seek the death penalty against inmate Ricky Wassenaar in connection with the killings of three fellow inmates.
According to a statement released by the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, Wassenaar is charged with three counts of First Degree Murder and one count of Aggravated Assault in the deaths of Donald Lashley, Thomas Harnage, and Saul Alvarez.
“The decision follows a thorough review of the facts, evidence, and applicable laws and was made in consultation and input from experienced prosecutors in the office,” Miller said in the release.
“I believe the death penalty is the appropriate sentence given the defendant’s extensive history of violence,” Miller added.
The Pinal County Attorney’s Office alleges the case meets statutory aggravating factors required under Arizona law to pursue capital punishment.
According to reporting from 12News, the charges stem from a prison attack in 2025 at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Tucson’s Cimarron Unit.
“Child molesters,” Wassenaar told the Arizona Mirror in a phone interview from prison. “I wanted to kill them all.” He also claimed to have killed a fourth prisoner, Joseph Desisto, in 2024. However, an autopsy determined Desisto died from natural causes.
In a May 2025 interview with AZ Family, Wassenaar said he considered the murders a “favor” for society, saying, “They were child molesters. Alvarez had raped, had kidnapped. First, he came to this country illegally. Then he kidnapped and raped and murdered a 15-year-old little girl. I did society a favor by killing that f****t. The other two, Harnage and Lashley, were both sexual child predators that molested several victims. So, I did society a favor.”
Wassenaar is one of Arizona’s most widely known prison inmates due to his role in the 2004 hostage standoff at the Lewis prison complex in Buckeye. During that incident, as reported by NBC News, Wassenaar and another inmate held two correctional officers hostage for approximately 15 days before surrendering. The Arizona Daily Independent reported that Wassenaar was already serving multiple life sentences prior to the current case.
According to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, Wassenaar’s criminal history includes convictions for armed robbery, kidnapping, sexual assault, and aggravated assault connected to crimes committed before his incarceration.
The case remains an active prosecution, and prosecutors stated that no additional details would be released at this time.
Under Arizona law, a criminal charge is an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | May 14, 2026 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona’s housing market continues to face significant affordability challenges despite slowing home prices and rising inventory levels, according to an update released this week by the Common Sense Institute (CSI) Arizona.
The report estimates Arizona faced an immediate housing shortfall of 55,992 units in 2025, while the state’s cumulative long-term housing deficit has reached approximately 110,837 units. According to CSI, current residential permitting trends suggest it could take more than a century to eliminate the existing housing gap.
CSI reported Arizona issued 50,983 residential permits in 2025, representing a 14 percent decline from 2024 and the slowest pace of permitting activity since 2019. The organization concluded that slowing construction activity continues to constrain the state’s housing supply, despite weakening demand in some markets.
“Arizona’s housing market is no longer experiencing the rapid price growth seen during the pandemic-era boom, but affordability challenges remain deeply embedded in the market,” said Glenn Farley, Director of Policy and Research at Common Sense Institute Arizona. “The state continues to face significant supply constraints, and while softer demand has created some short-term relief for buyers, long-term progress will ultimately depend on a sustained increase in housing production and permitting activity.”
According to the report, Arizona’s housing market has become more favorable for buyers in the short term as inventory levels rise and price growth slows. However, CSI stated the shift reflects softer buyer demand rather than substantial improvements in housing availability.
Average home prices in Arizona declined approximately 2.9 percent in 2025, though CSI noted prices remain roughly 11.1 percent above pre-pandemic trends. The report estimated the average home price statewide at approximately $420,900.
Mortgage affordability also remains under pressure. CSI estimated that a household would need an annual income of approximately $87,000 to afford the average-priced home in Arizona under conventional underwriting standards.
The organization found Arizona households now require roughly 58 hours of work per month at the average wage to service a standard mortgage payment, compared to approximately 38 hours per month in 2019. CSI estimated only 42 percent of Arizona households can currently afford the monthly mortgage payment on an average-priced home without exceeding standard debt-to-income guidelines. In 2019, approximately 66 percent of households met that threshold.
CSI also reported that Arizona home prices have declined approximately 3.4 percent statewide since June 2024, representing the third-fastest rate of decline nationally during that period.
It assigned Arizona a preliminary “C-” Housing Report Card grade for 2025, down from a “C+” at the end of 2024. The report follows CSI’s earlier affordability rankings that identified Arizona among the least affordable states in the country based on housing costs relative to household income.
Farley and CSI Arizona Senior Economist & Research Analyst Zachary Milne, who co-authored the report, concluded, “Arizona’s market is healthier than it was but remains paralyzed by inefficiencies. Prices have stopped rising but also haven’t come down much off their all-time highs. Combined with high interest rates, entering the housing market remains a daunting task for any prospective new buyer. Home permitting is slowing, migration and household formation are down, and the state is losing its luster as an affordable place to move to and create a life.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | May 13, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Democratic infighting is escalating in Arizona’s First Congressional District race after former state lawmaker Amish Shah publicly criticized the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) over its involvement in the primary contest.
During a televised interview this week, Shah accused national Democratic leaders of interfering in the race despite prior assurances that the primary would remain open and competitive.
“We had been told multiple times there was not going to be any interference,” Shah told 12News’ Brahm Resnick on Sunday, criticizing what he described as “hubris” from national party officials.
The dispute follows the DCCC’s recent endorsement of Democrat Marlene Galán-Woods in Arizona’s First Congressional District, a seat currently held by Republican Congressman David Schweikert. The district is expected to be one of the nation’s top battlegrounds in the 2026 midterm elections.
Galán-Woods has already faced early controversy tied to her campaign’s use of Findraiser, an artificial intelligence-based fundraising company tied to embattled former California Congressman Eric Swalwell. The California Democrat resigned from Congress earlier this year and suspended his gubernatorial campaign following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault, which he has denied.
The endorsement was viewed by some Arizona Democrats as the national party “playing favorites” in a contested primary race. Shah previously won the Democratic nomination in the district in 2024 before losing to Schweikert in the general election.
Shah also criticized Galán-Woods directly during the interview, arguing that she had previously worked “to defeat Obama in two different elections,” a reference to her past political activity before becoming a Democratic candidate.
The DCCC endorsement has reportedly intensified tensions among Democratic activists and consultants in Arizona. Following the endorsement, Democratic consultant Stacey Pearson of Lumen Strategies compared the move to the “Sports Illustrated cover curse,” suggesting the backing could politically damage Galán-Woods rather than strengthen her candidacy.
Shah additionally acknowledged broader dissatisfaction among Democratic voters with national party leadership.
“Democratic voters right now, when they’re talking to me, aren’t exactly happy with the Democratic establishment,” Shah said during the interview.
The endorsement of Galán-Woods is part of the DCCC’s broader national effort to shape competitive House races through its “Red to Blue” program, which provides select candidates with fundraising and organizational support. The committee identified Galán-Woods as one of its preferred candidates in its effort to reclaim control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The controversy in Arizona mirrors broader tensions within Democratic politics nationwide, as progressive groups and some party activists increasingly criticize the DCCC’s involvement in contested primaries. According to Axios, some progressive-aligned Democrats and Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC leaders have argued that primary voters, rather than national party organizations, should determine Democratic nominees in competitive races.
Supporters of Galán-Woods have argued that she enters the race with significant institutional support, including backing from the Arizona AFL-CIO and national Democratic organizations. Polling circulated by CHC BOLD PAC showed Galán-Woods leading in a hypothetical matchup with Republican candidate Gina Swoboda.
Swoboda, however, reportedly abandoned her congressional race and filed a statement of interest for the Secretary of State’s race in February. The polling from CHC BOLD PAC did not address former Arizona Rep. Joseph Chaplik or Trump-endorsed candidate Jay Feely, who led District 1 primary polling from NextGen Polling in April with 24 percent and 15 percent, respectively.
Shah’s campaign, meanwhile, has pointed to a February local independent poll from HighGround Public Affairs Consultants showing him leading in the race with 32.6 percent support, while Galán-Woods trailed by more than twenty-one points.
In a statement released following Shah’s comments, National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesman Ben Petersen criticized Democratic leadership for intervening in the Arizona race.
“D.C. Democrat elites’ ham-fisted interference blew up spectacularly,” Petersen said. “When Democrats are this busy destroying each other, they’re proving they’re far too liberal and too chaotic to represent Arizonans.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | May 12, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Republican Party is ramping up its election integrity operations ahead of the 2026 election cycle, naming attorney Greg Roeberg as legal counsel to oversee legal strategy and respond to anticipated election-related disputes.
Under the leadership of Chairman Sergio Arellano, party officials said Roeberg will help guide legal strategy and election-related operations in the lead-up to statewide races, including a competitive contest for attorney general.
Roeberg, an Arizona-based attorney with experience in business and government law, has served as an election integrity attorney for the Republican National Committee, President Donald Trump, and Republican candidates in Arizona during the 2020, 2022, and 2024 election cycles.
In an exclusive statement to AZ Free News, Arellano explained that election integrity remains a central issue for voters heading into 2026.
“Election integrity is a mandate from Arizona voters, and Greg Roeberg has already proven he knows how to fight and win on that front— having represented President Trump and Republican candidates in the most consequential election battles in our state,” Arellano said.
Arellano also referenced ongoing disputes between Republicans and Arizona election officials, including Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, stating that the party is preparing legal resources to respond to election administration issues in the coming cycle.
“We have seen how far Adrian Fontes will go to assert his will to subvert fair and free elections, and the AZGOP stands ready now to protect voters,” Arellano said.
Roeberg said he is “honored to serve the Arizona Republican Party” and emphasized the importance of legal preparation ahead of the next election.
“After three election cycles in the trenches, I know what’s at stake in this state,” Roeberg said. “I’m ready to get to work alongside Chairman Arellano and our grassroots team to protect the voice of every legal voter in Arizona.”
Earlier in the 2026 cycle, Roeberg launched a campaign for Arizona attorney general before stepping aside to focus on election-related legal work.
The appointment comes as both parties continue building legal and campaign infrastructure ahead of the 2026 election cycle, with election administration and litigation expected to remain a central component of political strategy in Arizona.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
