by Hannah Bolick | Feb 27, 2025 | News
By Hannah Bolick (Guest Contributor) |
Commemorative bills are opportunities for legislators to highlight certain aspects of the state’s history and add some colorful trivia to legislation. Here in Arizona, the bolo tie is the state’s official neckwear, and the Colt Single Action Army Revolver is the official firearm. Over the last 113 years, the state has shaped a distinct identity and history—and lawmakers have continued to develop the southwestern state’s persona.
Just last year, Rep. Justin Wilmeth sponsored a bill to name Pluto the state’s official planet. Though the bill may seem silly at face value, he wrote it to highlight a little-known piece of Arizona history.
“Every state does this as a way to have some State pride, or to promote something that’s a part of the state’s history.” Wilmeth said. “That’s why I did Pluto, because it was discovered in Flagstaff in 1930 and that’s a huge, international news-making discovery, that happened back when Flagstaff probably had 8000 people in it. I think they’re [commemorative bills are] simple and harmless and fun and they spark some discussions and the whole process from drafting to getting assigned to getting through committee, to getting voted on once in each chamber, was roughly about an hour of time combined.”
Now, lawmakers are continuing to develop the state’s official persona by considering an iconic western salutation as the official greeting. Rep. Kevin Volk has introduced a bipartisan bill with very simple verbiage:
“HOWDY IS THE OFFICIAL STATE GREETING.”
“There still is an element to that cowboy culture in this state,” Wilmeth, a co-sponsor of the bill said. “When people come here from out of town, one of the first things they want to see is Old Town Scottsdale. Well, what is Old Town Scottsdale? It’s originally an old west cowboy town. They go to Cave Creek, they go to Buffalo Chip, and they see the rodeo. There’s still a lot of old west culture in this state, and I’ll always view Arizona as that.”
The difference between the two bills lies in their focus—one is rooted in concrete historical trivia, designating Pluto as Arizona’s state planet, while the other relies on a broader cultural argument for adopting “Howdy” as the official state greeting. This bill may have less support in the House, and has been met with criticism from some locals, who may call such legislation a waste of time.
“I love Arizona,” said sixth-generation Arizona native Philip Petersen. “I appreciate the show of Arizona culture. And so we do have a Wild West heritage. But I don’t think it’s the best use of time because the legislature only has so much time to take up different bills because they don’t meet year-round. I will also say, I very rarely heard anybody in Arizona say ‘Howdy.’ I’ve done work in 38 states. I’ve heard it a lot in Texas, and I’ve heard it a bit in New Mexico. I have not heard it at all in Arizona.”
So, what makes something a part of a state’s identity? How much significance does a firearm, drink, or salutation need to be considered an official mark of the state and to be worth an hour of lawmaker’s time? That’s up to legislators to decide.
Hannah Bolick is a guest contributor and student in ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 19, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Democrats returned to work at the state legislature last week – this time with smaller numbers than the previous year.
Last Monday, the Arizona Legislature revved back into action for the 57th Regular Session. Even though legislative Democrats lost ground in both chambers during the November 2024 General Election, they were still excited for the start of the year and the work ahead to stand with Governor Katie Hobbs in a divided state government.
On its X account, the Arizona Senate Democrats Caucus posted, “Today the 57th Legislature kicks-off and Democrats have set a bold agenda to make Arizona more affordable, invest in public education, secure our water future, keep government out of our private lives, and protect our right to vote.”
State Representative Consuelo Hernandez wrote, “Honored to be sworn in for my second term in the 57th legislature as your state representative in district 21! Thank you for the confidence I commit to fighting to help improve our community. Thank you for your support!”
In a press conference before the Opening Day festivities, House Democrat Leader Oscar De Los Santos said, “It is time to put working families first. That is why we will make the government work for you and not the special interests.”
State Senator Eva Diaz added, “Today is Opening Day at the State Legislature. I will continue to take action for District 22 by advocating for effective public education, quality healthcare that’s accessible and affordable, and the rights of vulnerable communities and working class families.”
Senator Analise Ortiz stated, “Today I was officially sworn in as your State Senator. Thank you, Maryvale and Glendale for your trust in me. I’m honored to go to work every day to fight on your behalf for housing we can afford, fair wages, safe communities, and fully-funded public schools.”
Representative Kevin Volk posted, “This week, I was sworn in as State Representative for District 17 in Arizona’s 57th Legislature. I’m grateful to my family, friends, and supporters, and to the voters who entrusted me with this great responsibility. It is an honor to serve.”
While Democrats are filled with optimism at the beginning of this new legislative session, they will be largely relegated to the background as Republican lawmakers control the mechanisms of the House and Senate and lead negotiations on key items during the session, such as the budget. Democrats will again provide support for Hobbs however they can from their perches in the minority and attempt to set the stage for a legislative takeover in two years, in what will be another critical election year for the State of Arizona.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Nov 15, 2024 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Democratic Party (ADP) indicated that top Democratic leaders were to blame for their party’s massive election losses at the state and federal levels.
In a statement from Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (ADLCC) reposted by ADP, executive director Elsa O’Callaghan said that “down-the-ballot Democrats” in Arizona and across the nation were unable to overcome “top-of-the-ticket” troubles. O’Callaghan didn’t specify what those troubles were or who was behind them.
“We are deeply grateful for the candidates who put their lives on hold and stepped up to run, the staff who gave it their all, and the supporters who donated their time and money to protect Arizona’s future. Final results are now tallied and Arizona’s legislative chambers will remain in Republican control. Across the country, down-ballot Democrats worked tirelessly to combat top-of-the-ticket trends. It is now clear that those trends proved to be insurmountable. Too much is at stake to abandon our mission — especially with an extreme presidential administration coming into power. The work continues.”
Donald Trump won Arizona by over 52 percent of the vote (1.7 million votes), where Kamala Harris gained over 46 percent of the vote (1.5 million votes) — a difference of nearly 187,000 votes among 3.2 million voters. Comparatively, Joe Biden won by .3 percent of the vote back in 2020, a difference of just over 10,400 votes among 3.3 million voters.
Arizona Republicans flipped a net total of three seats in the state legislature: one in the senate and three in the house (and the loss of one other seat). That grew the Republican majority to 17 in the Senate and 33 in the House.
In the Senate, Republicans flipped one seat: LD4, with Republican challenger Carine Werner ousting incumbent Democrat Christine Marsh by 52 percent of the vote (over 5,400 votes).
In the House, Republicans flipped three seats: LD4, with Republicans Pamela Carter and Matt Gress securing both seats; LD13, with Republicans Jeff Weninger and Julie Willoughby securing both seats; LD16, with Republicans Teresa Martinez and Chris Lopez securing both seats.
Democrats flipped one seat in the House: LD17, ousting Republican Cory McGarr for Democrat Kevin Volk while Rachel Jones retained her seat.
Arizona Democrats failed to flip any congressional seats. They also failed to win the hotly-contested District 6 seat held by incumbent Juan Ciscomani.
Democrats did successfully win the open Senate seat left by independent Kyrsten Sinema. Democrat Ruben Gallego emerged victorious over Republican Kari Lake, winning 50 percent of the vote over Lake’s 47 percent.
Although Democrats fell short of securing the Arizona legislature, they did see a certain win with a significant ballot reform.
Arizonans approved a constitutional right to abortion up to birth: 62 percent were in favor (1.9 million voters) versus 38 percent against (1.2 million voters).
However, Arizonans also approved a ballot measure to allow police to arrest illegal immigrants entering the U.S — 63 percent (1.9 million) were in favor, while 37 percent (1.1 million) were against.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Aug 30, 2024 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Democrats are trying to win a Republican-leaning legislative seat in the southern Arizona area with a candidate who has been endorsed by several progressive organizations.
Kevin Volk is running for the Arizona House of Representatives in Arizona Legislative District 17. Volk was the only Democrat running in the primary for the chamber as his party attempts a ‘single-shot’ strategy to win enough votes for a first or second-place finish in November’s General Election. He obtained 26,330 votes in the July 30 Primary Election.
On his campaign website, Volk lists several endorsements from left-leaning organizations for his bid to ascend to the state House, including the National Organization for Women Arizona Political Action Committee, the Arizona Education Association, the Sister District Project, Moms Demand Action, Human Rights Campaign PAC, Climate Cabinet, and the Sierra Club.
Should Volk manage to win a seat in the Arizona House, his endorsement from the Arizona Education Association (AEA) shows that he would likely join with this organization and his fellow Democrat colleagues to undermine – and even dismantle – the state’s historic opportunities for school choice and educational freedom. The AEA has been a staunch opponent of the Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program, which has unlocked a chance for tens of thousands of students around the state to receive the education that best unleashes their learning abilities.
On June 18, the AEA posted, “Happy to be endorsing John McLean and Kevin Volk in LD 17. This is a vital district to win to achieve a pro-education majority in the state legislature, and we’re so glad to have two strong advocates for public education and for Arizona working families in the race!
The Pima County Democratic Party cheered on the endorsement of Volk from the AEA in a post on X, writing, “This is simple. Kevin Volk and John McLean are champions for the public schools in Marana, SaddleBrooke, Picture Rocks, Tanque Verde, Rita Ranch, East Side, Tucson, and Oro Valley. Good public schools benefit all of us, and all of our community.”
While not on his website, on May 7, Volk also acknowledged an endorsement of his campaign from Save Our Schools Arizona, another organization committed to the end of ESAs and other mediums of school choice in the state. He wrote, “Thank you, Save Our Schools Arizona for your endorsement! As a former public school teacher, I believe that all children in Arizona – more than 90% of whom attend public schools – deserve an excellent education, and that means making sure that our schools are fully funded and fully staffed.”
Earlier this year, in April, Volk announced that he had obtained the endorsement of Sister District Project, which has targeted Arizona to help Democrats win competitive races around the state. The organization states that it “prioritize[s] endorsing where we can build momentum at the bottom of the ticket to decrease roll-off in naturally higher turnout environments with strategic higher-ticket Democratic opportunities.”
To receive an endorsement from Sister District Project, Volk, like all other candidates who have been endorsed by the organization, had to agree to a six-prong policy plank, including more gun control policies and protection against climate change.
Volk’s support from Sister District Project and its devotion to the radical beliefs around the issue of climate change closely mirrors an endorsement of the LD 17 Democrat candidate from another climate-oriented organization, Climate Cabinet. This organization thanks a number of other likeminded partners – one of which is the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter.
Voters might find it hard to decipher what Volk believes (or does not believe) thanks to his nonexistent record, but as with the endorsements he has received and announced, there are concerning signs that he would be an unwavering vote for the Democrat Party in the Arizona Legislature. In an opinion piece for the Tucson Daily Star on March 6, Volk wrote against an election integrity proposal from Republican Representative Rachel Jones, stating that her legislation would mean that “politicians in our state could potentially choose the winner of the presidential election – regardless of your vote.” He added, “Bypassing Arizonans’ votes for president does not secure elections, it silences voters. I believe that Arizonans, not politicians, should help decide who the next president is.”
However, Volk’s sentiments appear to be hypocritical when it comes to recent actions from his own party at the top of the ticket, where President Joe Biden stepped aside from the votes of millions of Democrats around the country, including Arizonans, after an overwhelming crescendo of voices from his party’s elite forced his hand. What Volk raged against in the southern Arizona publication became reality, not with a Republican policy, but actually with his party’s presumed and eventual nominee who was elected by the votes of political delegates in Chicago, Illinois – not the votes of Arizonans and other men and women from states around the United States.
According to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, Legislative District 17 has an 8.34% vote spread between Republicans and Democrats in the last nine state elections. In those nine elections, Republicans have won all nine contests.
Volk will face off in the November General Election against Republicans Cory McGarr and Jones, who are both incumbent State Representatives. McGarr and Jones emerged over Anna Orth in the July Primary Election.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
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