by Staff Reporter | Apr 21, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The number of registered Democratic voters in Arizona declined by nearly 11,000 from January to April of this year.
The trend represents a marked decline in Democratic voter registrations since January, after a 70,800 registration uptick between the primary and general election and another 22,600 registration uptick between the general election and January’s voter registration report.
April’s total registered Democrats amounts to about 11,700 more than the party’s total registered voters in the general election.
Comparatively, current Republican registered voters amount to about 40,200 more than the party’s total registered voters in the general election.
The counties with leading losses in Democratic voter registrations in this recent voter registration report were Maricopa County (over 5,000 less registered Democrats) and Pima County (over 2,500 less registered Democrats).
It appears that the decline between January and April’s voter registration totals for Democrats and Republicans occurred due to voters switching registrations to Independent and No Labels. Where Democrats lost around 10,900 voter registrations and Republicans lost around 1,100 voter registrations between January and April of this year, registered Independents increased by 10,300 and registered No Labels increased by 2,000.
This theory is further supported by the voter registration total remaining the exact same between January and the count released this month: 4,462,819 registered voters.
The Arizona Republican Party interpreted this latest voter registration report as positive news for their prospects in future elections. Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda claimed the multiple opposition campaigns and lawsuits against the Trump administration by Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes swayed voters to switch their voter registrations.
“Arizona voters sent a strong message to Democrats in the November 2024 General Election, that they wanted the major political parties to work together to restore security, prosperity, and opportunity to our state and nation,” said Swoboda. “Instead of heeding that message and working with Republicans to better the lives of people in our state, Arizona Democrats have nominated themselves to become President Donald J. Trump’s chief antagonists. We need look no further than Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes for two examples of this blind partisan obstruction to President Trump’s efforts.”
Mayes said in a Monday interview with The Arizona Republic that a majority of Arizonans support her 11 lawsuits against the Trump administration.
“The feedback that I’m getting as attorney general is that people by and large support what we’re doing because they by and large don’t support what Donald Trump is actually doing as president,” said Mayes.
Swoboda also brought attention to the voter registration increases in rural areas, crediting the gains to the party’s prioritization of advocating for more voter roll cleaning. The Trump administration has taken steps to support Republican-led election integrity initiatives by dropping cases against these efforts, requiring the Department of Justice to assist states and counties with citizenship databases, and requiring proof of citizenship going forward in federal election registrations.
“April’s numbers show that Republicans’ rural county registration advantages are growing as we work to clean voter rolls in the counties of Maricopa and Pima,” said Swoboda. “Republicans will continue to earn the trust of Arizona voters in the months ahead as we work alongside President Trump to make Arizona and America Great Again.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Apr 21, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Jacob Couch, the 32-year-old Alabama man brutally attacked with a hatchet in Tucson on April 5th, has died according to outlets citing updates from his family. The suspect in the shocking attack, Daniel Michael, 25, is now facing first degree murder charges.
Tucson Police told KGUN that Couch was attacked following a brief verbal confrontation with a man alleged be Michael at a bus stop in Tucson as Couch and his wife Kristen traveled back home to Alabama after staying in Los Angeles for a year. Speaking with Fox10, the Tucson PD said, “The suspect initiated a confrontation with the couple during which time he produced a sharp-edged weapon and struck the male victim.” Initially, Michael was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and held on a $1 million bond until Couch passed away Thursday night after fighting for his life for nearly two weeks in intensive care.
A report from 13 News KOLD explained that the suspect allegedly approached the couple and began verbally accosting them. Jacob appeared to answer the man before reaching down to gather the couple’s belongings. The assailant then struck Couch with a hatchet or machete. Jacob’s Sister-In-Law Erica Sims told the outlet, “The injury cut the artery in the back of his neck in half. It went so deep that it hit his skull.”
Police were able to identify the Michael as the suspect through surveillance footage, and he was taken into police custody without incident three days after the attack. He denied knowledge of the attack, but claimed that he was drinking at the time. Court documents revealed by KVOA stated that police were able to recover a hatchet from Michael’s home, and the suspect reportedly confessed when shown footage of the attack. Kristen told reporters that prior to the attack she “looked at him and could tell he was agitated and told my husband don’t say anything else to him.”
“I told him we were leaving like okay just calm down, and he waited until my husband bent down to come up behind him and attack him.”
Prior to Jacob’s death, Kristen, Erica, Couch’s mother Elizabeth, and his brother Luke gathered with members of the Tucson community in prayer for him. “Just for a minute, I looked around and just to see all these people who have different lives, different jobs and they took the time out of their day to come out here and there,” Luke Couch told KGUN. “It’s just amazing. Just, I’m at a loss for words.”
In an interview with Fox News, Luke told reporters that Michael’s attorneys asked the court for a lesser bond amount claiming that “self-defense” couldn’t be ruled out. He described the attack in detail saying detectives had already determined, “There is no evidence to support any claims of self-defense.”
“And they said that he was going to be trying to grasp straws, grasp anything. I mean, my brother was attacked from behind while he was bent over. That is not self-defense,” Luke added.
“I want to make sure this man never does this again and no other family has to go through what my family has went through. To see my brother lying in a hospital bed and unable to move, unable to do anything, it hurts so bad to know that I wasn’t able to be there to protect him because he would have done it for me in a heartbeat,” he told Fox News. “We as a family want swift justice.”
The family established a GoFundMe page to defray the costs of Jacob’s hospitalization, travel, and funerary expenses, which has raised over $69,000 as of this report.
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 | Apr 20, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
In a stark contrast to her efforts to rebrand herself as tough on the border, Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed the Arizona Immigration Cooperation and Enforcement (ICE) Act, SB 1164. The bill would have required that every police department and sheriff’s office in the state comply with detainer orders from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Amidst her ongoing deliberate obstruction of the legislative process, labeled as a “moratorium” on signing new bills, Hobbs vetoed an additional 32 bills as well.
In Hobbs’ veto letter, she addressed Senate President Warren Petersen, seeming to attempt a conciliatory tone and saying in part, “You and I both disagreed with the previous administration’s immigration policies, and we may both disagree with the next administration’s immigration policies. I have worked productively with the federal government to secure our border, stopping fentanyl at our ports of entry through the Task Force SAFE, disrupting cartel operations with Operation Desert Guardian, and working across all levels of government to keep communities safe with the Border Coordination Office.”
She claimed, “I will continue to work with the federal government on true border security, but we should not force state and local officials to take marching orders from Washington.”
The Republican State Governor’s Association’s Rapid Response Director Kollin Crompton released a statement in response to Hobbs’ veto saying, “Katie Hobbs’ veto is no surprise — her record on the border is pitiful. Hobbs tried to fool Arizonans into thinking she was a border hawk, but this shameful veto shows she is unserious about addressing the border and protecting Arizonans from the violence and drugs coming into the state. She waited until 7:00 pm on Friday of a holiday weekend to try to hide from her open borders record. Arizonans are sick of Katie Hobbs’ window dressing — they deserve a governor who will actually work to secure the border and keep them and their families safe.”
As reported by AZ Free News in November of last year, Hobbs stated during her disjointed kick off of Task Force SAFE, “We will not be participating in misguided efforts that harm our communities. And I’ve been incredibly clear about that.”
Petersen described the bill as a measure to make Arizona a “partner and not an obstacle,” to the federal government’s efforts to enforce immigration law.
“It deals with this first wave of deportation that the Trump administration is focused on, which is removing the most dangerous criminals from our streets,” Petersen explained.
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 Jonathan Eberle | Apr 20, 2025 | Education, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona students will soon face new limits on cellphone and social media use during the school day under a law signed Monday by Governor Katie Hobbs. The bill, HB 2484, passed with bipartisan support and aims to reduce digital distractions in public and charter school classrooms across the state.
The legislation, sponsored by Representative Beverly Pingerelli (R-LD28), requires school districts and charter schools to adopt policies that restrict student access to personal wireless devices and social media platforms during instructional hours. Exceptions are provided for emergency communication, medical needs, and teacher-approved academic use.
“Education requires attention, and attention is exactly what today’s students are being robbed of by addictive devices and endless scrolling,” Pingerelli said in a statement. “Arizona classrooms are for learning, not TikTok. Teachers can finally reclaim their classrooms.”
The new law mandates that Arizona schools develop and enforce policies that limit or prohibit non-educational cellphone use during school hours; restrict access to social media platforms while on school premises; and provide exemptions for emergencies, health-related needs, or educational tools as determined by teachers.
Districts will have flexibility in crafting the specific guidelines, but they must meet the state’s minimum requirements. Supporters say the law empowers teachers, supports student focus, and responds to growing concerns among parents and educators about the impact of screen time on learning.
Arizona is the latest in a growing number of states considering restrictions on student cellphone use. Educators across the country have increasingly voiced concerns that smartphones, social media, and digital distractions are interfering with learning, fueling anxiety, and making classroom management more difficult.
Research has shown that heavy cellphone use in school correlates with lower academic performance, increased mental health concerns, and reduced attention spans. In response, some districts nationwide have independently instituted bans or restrictions—though results and enforcement vary.
Critics of such policies have occasionally raised concerns about student safety, parental access, and equitable enforcement. However, HB 2484 includes exceptions to ensure students can still reach caregivers in emergencies and access necessary medical technology.
The law aligns with the Arizona House Republican Majority Plan’s emphasis on academic focus, teacher support, and increased parental involvement in education. While the issue drew support across party lines, it also sparked debate about how best to balance technology in modern classrooms.
“Teachers shouldn’t have to compete with YouTube and Instagram to be heard,” Pingerelli said. “This law puts students’ education first.”
Arizona schools are expected to begin implementing the new policies in the upcoming academic year.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 19, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Republican House Whip sided with Democratic lawmakers and Governor Katie Hobbs against the codification of a key emergency funding bill for disability services in the state.
Most House and Senate Republicans support removing over $100 million in emergency funding from the Housing Trust Fund and the Prescription Drug Rebate Fund and giving it to the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DD). Several Republican lawmakers along with their Democratic counterparts and Hobbs reject the legislation (House Bill 2945 and Senate Bill 1734). Democrats want to pull funding from the general fund instead.
Governor Hobbs issued a moratorium on all legislation until Republicans agreed to find another avenue for funding DD. Hobbs expressed gratitude for the existence of “bipartisan opposition” enabling Democrats to retain a negotiations foothold.
Hobbs called Republicans “extreme” and accused them of “political theater.”
Hobbs would be alluding to House Majority Whip Julie Willoughby. Willoughby joined Reps. Justin Olson and Jeff Weninger as the sole “no” votes on House Bill 2945 against majority Republican support within the House Appropriations Committee.
Willoughby introduced an amendment to House Bill 2945 that drew Democratic support. Willoughby said in her presentation of the amendment that she worked with Democrats to craft it.
Willougby’s amendment would have dropped the original bill’s requirement for the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System Administration (“Administration”) to obtain legislative approval via statute for any Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) renewal request or termination request for any waiver or waiver amendment. Willoughby said the legislative approval was overly burdensome and would require the legislature to convene for every waiver request, even for simple extensions.
It would have also eliminated the original intent to have the Administration submit a waiver amendment request to CMS to reduce parents as paid caregivers program care services per week per child limit to 20 hours. It would have limited the new federal money reporting requirements to only the Department of Economic Security (DES) and Access rather than all state agencies. Additionally, it would have not pulled $10 million from the Arizona Competes Fund but instead increased by $10 million the funding pulled from the Prescription Drug Rebate Fund.
House Appropriations Chair Steve Livingston said he liked some aspects of Willoughby’s amendment, but suggested it would be better suited for consideration in a Committee of the Whole (COW) amendment.
In Willoughby’s closing explanation of her “no” vote on House Bill 2945, Willoughby said she would continue to fight for the Democrat-supported changes in her amendment and apologized extensively for the bill.
“People have continuously asked me to not move this amendment. What hill do you die on? And I choose you as my hill to die on,” said Willoughby. “I’m sorry this is happening to you. With my whole heart I’m sorry.”
Willoughby said she opposed the bill as against her pro-life beliefs as a Republican.
“I’m pro-life, and I’m pro-life through the entire spectrum of life, from the moment of conception until the last breath you take, and this is my moment to help support you in a way I haven’t had to before,” said Willoughby.
The House Appropriations Committee rejected Willougby’s amendment during its hearing on Tuesday.
Supporters of Willoughby’s olive branch to Democrats sent flowers to the lawmaker.
Where Willoughby sought compromise, other Arizona House Republican leaders took Hobbs to task for her administration’s management of DD that ultimately led to its budget shortfall. House Speaker Steve Montenegro said Hobbs’ desired funding pathway would ensure “no oversight, no reforms, and no accountability” for DD administration.
“Governor Hobbs’ decision to hold every bill hostage because she didn’t get her way on a blank check is not leadership—it’s political blackmail,” said Montenegro. “She created this crisis by foolishly expanding the DD program without legislative approval or funding in place, and now she’s throwing a tantrum because the Legislature is doing the responsible thing: funding services while putting guardrails in place to keep the program from collapsing.”
Without approval of emergency funding by the end of this month, DD won’t be able to pay caregivers and services will cease.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Apr 19, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
An interjection by Arizona’s Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes has led to the AG and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne trading rhetorical fire after Phoenix’s Kyrene School District voted to adopt a “Staff Social Emotional Wellness Policy.” That policy appears to run afoul of guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, risking the withholding of $1.5 million in federal funding.
In a statement reported by The Center Square, Mayes said that Horne has no legal basis for what she described as him threatening the districts.
“Rather than do his job and ensure that funds appropriated by Congress and the Legislature reach Arizona schools — as the law requires — Superintendent Horne is choosing to engage in ideological nonsense at the expense of students and teachers,” she said.
She added that the districts should, “ignore baseless, politicized threats from the State Superintendent’s office, which has no legitimate role whatsoever in blocking the distribution of these federal funds.”
In a post to X, Horne stated: “On DEI, AG Mayes is wrong and risks $770 million Ignoring federal guidance is not optional.”
In a stern response to Mayes, Horne issued a statement, “I spent four years as Attorney General, and I follow the law strictly. The Arizona Department of Education has been responsible for distributing both federal and state education dollars to the schools for many decades and we must do so in accordance with the law. The U.S. Department of Education has issued guidance that requires my department to certify that all public districts and charters that take federal money use those funds according to that guidance, and that cannot be ignored. If I did, we would risk losing nearly $770 million in total federal funding to all public schools. That is obviously unacceptable, but the Attorney General is either unconcerned or unaware of that catastrophic scenario.”
The Arizona Department of Education (AZED) said in a press release, “Attorney General Kris Mayes is wrong in claiming that the Arizona Department of Education has no legal authority to withhold federal funds to districts and charters that fail to comply with new guidance regarding Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs, according to Superintendent Tom Horne.”
The department added that on April 3rd and again on April 9th, AZED through its Grants Management System, issued notice to all public districts and charters in Arizona on the guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and an attestation that the guidance will be followed.
“Under the guidance, districts and charters have until April 24th to certify compliance. Failure to do so will require the state – as the fiscal agent – to put a hold on federal dollars. To date, approximately 350 districts and charters out of 658 have certified compliance.”
The guidance from the DOE is as follows:
“Given the text of Title VI and the assurances you have already given, any violation of Title VI—including the use of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (“DEI”) programs to advantage one’s race over another—is impermissible. The use of certain DEI practices can violate federal law. The continued use of illegal DEI practices may subject the individual or entity using such practices to serious consequences, including:
- l . The use of the provisions of 42 U.S.C. 2000d-l to seek the ‘termination of or refusal to grant or to continue assistance under such program,’ eliminating federal funding for any SEA, LEA, or educational institution that engages in such conduct. [1]”
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.
