Image 01 Image 03

Arizona Tag

Tuesday had a bunch of primaries, but Florida and Arizona caught my eyes. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, a progressive backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), managed to win the Democrat primary for the Florida governor race and is the first black nominee for the position. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), defeated former state senator Kelli Ward and former Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the Republican primary to take over retiring Sen. Jeff Flake's seat.

The family of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has announced that he will end treatment for brain cancer. From The Washington Examiner:
“Last summer, Senator John McCain shared with Americans the news our family already knew: he had been diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma, and the prognosis was serious. In the year since, John has surpassed expectations for his survival. But the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict,” the McCain family said.

The Republican field for Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake's Senate continues to grow as Rep. Martha McSally has officially joined the race. She joins former controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former Arizona State Senator Kelli Ward.

More details have come out after reports revealed that Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) asked former female aides to carry his baby. In his resignation statement, Franks insisted he never "physically intimidated, coerced, or had, or attempted to have, any sexual contact" with members of his staff. However, aides believe Franks wanted to impregnate them via sex. One of the aides said he offered her $5 million to have his baby and he retaliated against her after she said no.

*UPDATE 3:25PM* AP just tweeted that Franks is retiring immediately after wife is admitted to the hospital. Frank Thorp tweeted Franks' statement, which said she is in the hospital for an ongoing ailment and after discussions with family, he decided to retire today. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) has decided to resign amid reports that he asked female staff members to bear his child. The House Ethics Committee had said it would investigate the lawmaker. Franks said in a statement that he brought up surrogacy with two former female staffers because he and his wife have struggled with infertility. The topic made the females feel uncomfortable.

The Washington Times has revealed that Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) had his own hush fund to keep one former employee quiet. She claimed that the lawmaker "was frequently drunk and created a hostile working environment." She threatened a lawsuit, but he settled on a $48,395 deal with her to keep her quiet. The female employee left after three months, but the value of the settlement equaled five addition months pay. This may have violated House rules since a lawmaker cannot keep “an employee who does not perform duties for the offices of the employing authority commensurate with the compensation such employee receives.”

Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake has decided not to run for re-election in 2018. He told The Arizona Republic he doesn't think there is a place for him in the Senate:
He told The Arizona Republic ahead of his announcement that he has become convinced "there may not be a place for a Republican like me in the current Republican climate or the current Republican Party."

The Cook Political Report (CPR), a non-partisan group that analyzes elections, has changed the ratings in 12 districts across the country for the House 2018 elections as Democrats gain strength. It's important to note that the ratings have not gone directly to Democrat, but it shows that these districts have become vulnerable. Only one went from solid Democrat to likely Democrat, a plus for the Republicans.

Another earthquake has hit the sports world after reports emerged that the FBI has arrested 10 NCAA basketball officials, including four assistant coaches, along with executives at Adidas on charges of fraud and corruption. From ESPN:
"The picture painted by the charges brought today is not a pretty one,'' Joon H. Kim, the acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at a Tuesday news conference. "Coaches at some of the nation's top programs soliciting and accepting cash bribes. Managers and financial advisers circling blue-chip prospects like coyotes. And employees of one of the world's largest sportswear companies secretly funneling cash to the families of high school recruits."

Last night, President Donald Trump held a rally in Phoenix, AZ, where he trashed the media for its dishonesty about his remarks about Charlottesville. He also railed against the GOP in Congress for not repealing Obamacare. From Fox News:
But Trump was most animated when defending himself against accusations he wasn’t forceful enough in condemning the white supremacists and racists who were protesting in Charlottesville earlier this month. He blamed the media for distorting his comments.

As Senate Republicans pick up the pieces of an embarrassing Obamacare repeal defeat, one that was self-imposed, those up for re-election in 2018 are grappling for an explanation. Like other's before him, Arizona's Junior Senator Jeff Flake says returning to traditional conservatism is the GOP's only hope of success.