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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," IT'S THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES, INCLUDING AN $18 BILLION BUDGET PASSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE IS NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

IT'S FRIDAY, AND THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

AND JOINING US TONIGHT, JESSICA BOEHM FROM AXIOS PHOENIX, MARK BRODIE FROM KJZZ RADIO AND JIM SMALL FROM THE "ARIZONA MIRROR."

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

JESSICA, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH YOU.

AS THINGS HAPPENED, IT TUMBLED TOWARD A FINISH HERE.

WHAT PROMPTED IT?

IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR?

LET'S GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE?

>> I THINK SO.

THIS IS A DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT'S GOING TO GET FOR ANYONE.

YOU HAVE SOME TALKING POINTS FOR DEMOCRATS TO CAMPAIGN ON.

SOME TALKING POINTS FOR REPUBLICANS TO CAMPAIGN ON, AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE A SPLIT PARTY GOVERNMENT, THAT'S KIND OF THE BEST YOU CAN HOPE FOR.

TED: SPENDING LESS THAN THE GOVERNOR WANTED, MORE THAN THE LEGISLATURE WANTED, THERE WAS SOMETHING IN BETWEEN THERE, HUH?

>> THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAPPENS.

WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP THEY WERE CLOSE, LIKE IN THE 90% RANGE IN AGREEMENT OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO, AND HAD TO HAMMER OUT A FEW LAST DETAILS.

NOT A TOTAL SURPRISE.

A COUPLE WEEKS AHEAD OF THE DEADLINE AND EVERYONE WANTS TO GET OUT AND CAMPAIGN, AND BE DONE WITH THE SESSION AT THIS POINT.

TED: JIM, SEEMS LIKE REPUBLICANS ARE VERY PLEASED, HR1, IS THROUGH, OVER, IT'S A DONE DEAL.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN AS FAR AS STATE FINANCES ARE CONCERNED?

>> WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, THE BUDGET THEY JUST PASSED, IT MEANS -- OVER THREE YEARS, IT'S AT $1.4 BILLION IN TOTAL.

THERE'S MORE OF THAT COMING OUT IN THIS VERY FIRST YEAR BECAUSE THEY ESSENTIALLY ADOPTED THE ENTIRETY OF WHAT WAS IN HR1 AND THE TAX CHANGES, THE STATE ADOPTED ALL OF THEM.

IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THEY BACK SEVERAL OF THE THINGS OUT, INCLUDING STATE AND LOCAL TAXES, THE BIGGER CONFLICT POINTS, AND THE TAX THAT GOES DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR OF THIS PROPOSAL, BUT YOU KNOW, REALLY THEY ALMOST FELT LIKE THEY HAD TO ADOPT EVERYTHING IN THE FIRST YEAR BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE FILED THEIR TAX, AND THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING ON THE SHOW AND AT THE CAPITOL SINCE JANUARY, WHEN IT WAS THE FIRST THING REPUBLICANS DID IS PUSH THE TAX CONFORMITY THROUGH, AND ALL THE FIGHTS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, WHICH SHE OVERSEES AT THE EXECUTIVE AGENCY WERE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE FOR MONTHS, AND THE END RESULT IS EVERYONE IN ARIZONA FILED TAXES, AND IF THEY WERE TO GO BACK AND CHANGE THIS, THERE IS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD THAT SOME NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE TO REFILE THEIR TAXES, WHICH I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

>> I WOULD THINK ESPECIALLY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO, IF YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE TAX GUY?

>> YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT IN AN ELECTION YEAR, PROBABLY EVER.

THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING WHEN EARLY BALLOTS ARE COMING OUT.

ANY REASONABLE POLITICIAN WOULD WANT TO AVOID THAT.

TED: CHILD CARE DEDUCTIONS, CHILD TAX CREDIT.

DEMOCRATS SEEM PLEASED WITH THAT ASPECT OF IT.

>> YEAH.

WHAT'S FUNNY EVERYONE IS IS TAKING CREDIT FOR THE PARTS OF THE TAX CUTS THAT THEY WANT, THAT THEY THINK WILL CAMPAIGN WELL.

SO YES, REPUBLICANS ARE SPENDING THIS AS THIS IS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PLAN, AND WE ARE ALL IN.

DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING, LIKE, HEY, WE FOUND WAYS TO MAKE THIS ABOUT WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE AND GET TAX CUTS FOR THEM.

TED: WE FOUND WAYS TO CUT ACROSS THE BOARD, STATE AGENCIES, TEN AT FIRST, NOW FIVE AND 2.5% ACROSS THE BOARD FOR MOST AGENCIES?

>> SOME OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ONCE ARE NOT INCLUDED.

THE BUDGET IS 5% ACROSS-THE-BOARD WITH THE SAME GENERAL EXCEPTIONS IN AGENCIES, NOW IT'S 2.5%.

IF YOU ARE CUTTING $450 MILLION OUT OF STATE COFFERS, IF YOU ARE LOSING REVENUE, YOU CAN'T KEEP SPENDING THE SAME AMOUNT MONEY.

YOU GOT TO FIND THE CUTS SOMEWHERE.

TED: YEAH, AND DATA CENTERS WAS A BIG DEAL FOR DEMOCRATS TO TO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, SOMETHING WAS DONE.

>> YEAH, THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED IN STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH, THEY WANTED TO ROLL BACK THE INCENTIVES ON DATA CENTERS AND THE TAX BREAKS.

THE DEMOCRATS WERE ABLE TO GET A THREE-YEAR PAUSE ON ISSUING THE NEW CERTIFICATES THAT SAY THE COMPANY CAN'T GET THE TAX BREAKS FOR DATA CENTERS AND OPERATING THEM.

IT'S SOMETHING, AND THIS OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN A GROWING CONCERN, AN ISSUE THAT HAS REALLY STARTED TO TAKE ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN NOT JUST HERE BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

LOTS OF STATES GRAPPLING WITH HOW DO WE REGULATE DATA CENTERS?

WHAT DO WE DO?

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS FAR AS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND HOW DO WE BALANCE THOSE THINGS?

AS A STATE UP TO THIS POINT, HAS BEEN AMONG THE LEADERS ON ATTRACTING AND BUILDING DATA CENTERS.

TED: INDEED, THE NEW C IS COMPUTERS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

MEDICAID, ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION, WAS THAT PART OF HR1 OR SOMETHING THE LEGISLATURE -- DID THEY ADAPT, CONFORM OR DO THIS ON THEIR OWN.

>> IT IS PART OF HR1.

DEMOCRATS FOUND A WAY TO NOT DO THE FULL ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION.

THEY SAY ABOUT 40,000 ARIZONANS WOULD BE ABLE TO REMAIN, THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE INCREASE VERIFICATION ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT.

TED: BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE LOSING FOOD ASSISTANCE.

WE'VE ALREADY KNOWN THAT, THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.

THIS IS GOING TO BE MORE OF THE SAME?

>> RIGHT.

YOU HAD THE S.N.A.P.

SIDE OF THINGS AND NOW THE MEDICARE CUTS, AND SO A LARGE PART OF THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY CUTTING PEOPLE OUT, LIKE, ON FACE VALUE, BUT MAKING IT HARDER TO PROVE YOU ARE ELIGIBLE.

SO THIS IS PART OF THAT.

TED: INDEED, MEDICAID AND S.N.A.P.

AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT PROP 123 BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE LATE SHUFFLING GOING ON WITH THAT.

>> THEY'VE BEEN TRYING DO THIS HOW MANY YEARS NOW.

IT EXPIRED MORE THAN A YEAR AGO NOW.

THIS IS THE PROPOSAL THAT BARELY PASSED VOTER APPROVAL A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN GOVERNOR DUCEY WAS IN OFFICE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF THE STATE LAND TRUST TO GIVE TO SCHOOLS.

I THINK SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 300 MILLION OR SO DOLLARS PER YEAR THAT SINCE IT'S EXPIRED, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR HAVE CONTINUED TO GIVE THE SCHOOLS THAT MONEY, BUT IT'S FROM THE GENERAL FUND AS OPPOSED TO THE INITIATIVE.

THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE WHAT TO PUT BACK TO VOTERS, AND SEEMS LIKE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE, REMEMBER, WHEN IT INITIALLY PASSED, THE GOVERNOR, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, EVERYONE WAS ON BOARD AND IT PASSED BY THAT MUCH.

TED: RIGHT.

>> THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS IF PEOPLE AREN'T ON THE SAME PAGE AND BEHIND IT, IT MIGHT NOT PASS AND THEN WHAT DO YOU DO.

TED: WHY AREN'T THEY ON THE SAME PAGE?

WHO'S AT ODDS.

>> THE REPUBLICANS, AMONGST THEMSELVES, HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THEY CAN COALESCE BEHIND.

THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE DEMOCRATS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION ADVOCATES WANTED TO STRUCTURE IT IN A WAY THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE A LOT OF LATITUDE HOW THEY USE THE MONEY AND WHO THEY USE IT TO BOOST PAY FOR.

NOT JUST TEACHERS BUT SUPPORT STAFF, FOLKS LIKE LIBRARIANS AND SOCIAL WORKERS, AND, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS WHO HELP A SCHOOL RUN, BUT AREN'T NECESSARILY IN THE CLASSROOM ACTUALLY EDUCATING KIDS.

REPUBLICANS HAVE LARGELY BEEN IN AGREEMENT THEY DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

THEY WANT IT ALL TO GO TO TEACHERS, BUT THEN THERE IS SQUABBLING ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IT SHOULD BE.

WHAT THE SIZE OF THE LAND TRUST SHOULD BE AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD BOOTSTRAP SCHOOL VOUCHER PROTECTIONS INTO THAT AS A WAY TO BASICALLY SAY, OKAY, IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS MORE MONEY AND TEACHERS MORE MONEY, THEN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE NO ONE CAN COME AFTER THE VOUCHER PROGRAM DOWN THE LINE, AND THAT'S BEEN -- THAT'S BEEN A SOURCE OF STRIFE WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHETHER THAT'S A GOOD MOVE POLITICALLY, AND IF THEY DO THAT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET DEMOCRATS, THE GOVERNOR, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCATES, SO ARE YOU SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT IS REJECTED.

TED: JESSICA, SPEAKING OF VOUCHERS, A REPORT FROM THE REPUBLIC, A COMPETING BALLOT MEASURE THAT WOULD KILL TEACHERS' UNIONS, YOU CAN NIX THAT ONE IF YOU NIX THE TWO COMPETING MEASURES.

SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS SHUFFLING THERE GOING ON?

>> LET'S MAKE A DEAL, RIGHT?

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOT LIKELY THE ESA REFORM FOLKS ARE GOING TO TAKE THEIR FOOT OFF OF THE GAS.

IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE FOR DEMOCRATS ESPECIALLY.

>> YEAH, WE'RE AT THE 11th HOUR HERE.

LITERALLY, THEY WERE HOPING TO GET THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAPPED UP TODAY.

AND GUESS WHAT?

WE'RE GOING TO DO HORSE TRADING.

WHEN THE TEACHERS' UNION LAUNCHED THIS BALLOT INITIATIVE TO PUT STRICT GUIDELINES ON THE ESA PROGRAM AND PARE IT BACK TO A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, AND PUT GUARDRAILS ON IT, REPUBLICANS RESPONDED BY INTRODUCING A BALLOT MEASURE THAT ESSENTIALLY WOULD ERADICATE THE ARIZONA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO EXIST AND DO WHAT THEY DO IN THE STATE.

THIS IS A RESPONSE FROM THE TEACHERS' UNION TO AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT, TO THE FEAR THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT THAT VOTERS MIGHT HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON IT OR DEFEAT IT.

IF THEY GET THE TRADE, SEEMS LIKE A HEAVY LIFT TO DO ON THE FINAL DAY OF SESSION, WITH AN IDEA THAT HASN'T BEEN AROUND UP UNTIL THIS POINT, AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU HAVE THE FOLKS FIGHTING THE VOUCHER PROGRAM FROM THE BEGINNING, THINKING OF SAVE OUR SCHOOLS ARIZONA, WHO ARE ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THE IDEA AND DON'T WANT TO SEE THE TEACHERS' UNION ESSENTIALLY TRADE AWAY THIS INITIATIVE PROGRAM, AND THIS INITIATIVE IDEA THAT THEY WORK HARD TO PULL TOGETHER AND COALESCE BEHIND, AND TRADE THAT AWAY IN ORDER TO BENEFIT THEMSELVES AND KIND OF GET SOME MODEST, REALLY MODEST REFORMS ON THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.

>> AND THE INITIATIVE THING IS INTERESTING.

THAT'S THE LAST THING, AFTER THE BUDGET WAS TAKEN CARE OF, FIGURING OUT WHICH OF THE NEARLY TWO DOZEN REFERENDA FLOATING AROUND AT CAPITOL, THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS WANTED TO SEND UP TO THE BALLOT WAS THE LAST THING TO DO.

WE REMEMBER TWO YEARS AGO HOW MANY INITIATIVES WERE ON THE BALLOT.

HOW MANY PAGES THE BALLOT WAS, HOW LONG IT TOOK TO FILL OUT.

IT'S SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, WHICH OF THESE DO WE THINK MIGHT DRIVE TURNOUT?

WHICH WILL REALISTICALLY HAVE MONEY BEHIND THEM TO GET A GOOD CAMPAIGN GOING, SO VOTERS WILL APPROVE THEM.

HOW MANY OF THESE MIGHT GOIP THERE AND SORT OF BE LEFT TO DIE ON THE VINE?

IT'S INTERESTING THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP TODAY BECAUSE THAT REFERENDUM THING IS THE OUTSTANDING BIG ISSUE THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

TED: AND ALSO DRIVE PEOPLE TO THE BALLOT AS WELL, DRIVE PEOPLE TO VOTE.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT REGARDING BALLOT MEASURES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE FOLKS MAKING THE DECISIONS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT.

THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE NOT ONLY ARE THEY DRIVING TURNOUT BUT THE RIGHT TYPE OF TURNOUT THAT WILL BENEFIT THAT.

TED: JESSICA, WINNERS AND LOSERS IN THIS BUDGET BATTLE?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE IN DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, NO ONE IS GOING TO COME OUT FEELING LIKE A TOTAL CHAMPION, BUT IT APPEARS ON PAPER THAT REPUBLICANS GOT MORE OF WHAT THEY WANTED.

THAT SAID, LIKE, AS WE MENTIONED, SOME OF IT GOES AWAY AFTER A YEAR, THERE ARE LIKE SOME CAVEATS BROKEN INTO THE DEALS THAT WERE MADE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THAT YOU DON'T REALLY DRIVE A LOT OF TURNOUT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE UNDECIDED, BASED ON ANYTHING THAT EITHER SIDE GOT.

IF I'M BEING HONEST.

TED: WHAT DO YOU THINK, JIM?

WHO OPPOSED THIS BUDGET IN ITS FINAL FORM, THE MOST AND THE LOUDEST?

>> HANDFUL OF DEMOCRATS WHO OPPOSED IT, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

SOME HAVING TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION FUNDING, SOME HAVING TO DO WITH CUTS AND TAX CUTS.

JUST THE TOTALITY OF IT.

I MEAN, I DO THINK, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED JESSICA, I THINK REPUBLICANS CAME OUT FAR BETTER ON THIS BUDGET THAN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAN THE DEMOCRATS DID, AND SOME OF IT IS DUE TO THE FISCAL REALITIES OF THE SITUATION WE'RE IN AND WHERE THE ECONOMY IS AND WHERE STATE REVENUES ARE, AND YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY THEY WERE ABLE TO -- THE GOVERNOR REALLY PLAYED HER POLITICAL STRATEGY WAS TO TRY TO FORCE REPUBLICANS TO TRY TO COME TOGETHER AND GET BEHIND SOMETHING THAT, I THINK, THEY THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE UNPALATABLE AND POLITICALLY BAD BUDGET, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, REPUBLICANS RALLIED BEHIND SOMETHING WERE AND ABLE TO STAND TOGETHER, AND YOU KNOW, THIS BUDGET LOOKS FAR MORE SIMILAR THAN THE BUDGET REPUBLICANS PASSED IN MAY THAN IT DOES TO ANYTHING DEMOCRATS PROPOSED AND CERTAINLY TO WHAT THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED IN JANUARY.

TED: CERTAINLY THE HR1 CONFORMITY.

>> JESSICA MADE THE POINT EARLIER, TO THE EXTENT THE TAX CUTS ARE THE BIG HEADLINE FROM THIS, DEPENDING HOW YOU FRAME IT, EVERYONE IS TAKING CREDIT FOR IT.

REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING ARIZONA IS THE FIRST STATE TO CONFORM WITH HR1, THE GOVERNOR IS CLAIMING CREDIT FOR THE TAX CUTS, SHE AND DEMOCRATS PROPOSED SOME OF THESE, THEY DEFINITELY WANTED SOME OF THESE EARLY ON IN THE SESSION, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE, TO THE EXTENT THAT ANYBODY TRIES TO CAMPAIGN ON THESE HOW THEY DO IT AND VOTERS RESPOND TO IT.

TED: LET'S MOVE ON, THERE WERE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED, INCLUDING AN APPEARANCE IN OUR STUDIOS OF DEMOCRATS RUNNING IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1.

WE HAD A CONVERSATION, JESSICA, "CANDIDATES IN CONVERSATION."

>> YES, OF COURSE.

TED: YES.

WHAT DID YOU GET OUT OF THAT?

>> EVERYONE WAS AWFULLY POLITE UNTIL ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LEFT, WEREN'T THEY?

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT BEFORE THE SHOW.

IT'S SO HARD IN A PRIMARY, AND ESPECIALLY IN THAT PRIMARY, WHERE THESE FOLKS CAN NOT BE TOO FAR TO THE LEFT BECAUSE IN CD-1, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO WIN A WHOLE LOT OF INDEPENDENTS OR NO PARTY DESIGNATED, AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF REPUBLICANS, TOO.

THEY HAVE TO BE KIND OF CAREFUL.

THEY WERE AWFULLY NICE, THEY AGREED ON ALMOST EVERYTHING, BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE JABS THERE AT THE END.

TED: YEAH, AMISH SHAH AND MARLENE GALAN-WOODS, THE TWO FRONT-RUNNERS, D.C.

INSIDERS WERE PUSHING FOR WOODS AND THEN WOODS CAME BACK WITH HER OWN ATTACK ON HIM.

LATE IN THE GAME.

ALMOST LIKE THEY REALIZED, WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME, I HAVEN'T GOT MY SHOTS IN.

>> IT DID SEEM LIKE THAT.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING PRIMARY, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OPEN SEAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN TARGETING PRETTY MUCH SINCE IT WAS DRAWN, THE LAST DECADE WE SPENT, DEMOCRATS HAVE SPENT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WATCH THEM GO AFTER THE SEAT AND CONTINUE TO THROW PEOPLE AT IT AND GET CLOSE A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT NOT BE ABLE TO GET OVER THE HUMP.

THIS YEAR THE SEAT IS VACANT.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO SEE MAYBE THE BEST CHANCE THE DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD TO TAKE THIS SEAT ON, AND STOW DOES MATTER, TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, WHO COMES OUT OF THIS PRIMARY, AND AMISH SHAH WAS THE NOMINEE LAST TIME.

I THINK HE WAS GENERALLY NOT THE ONE WHO ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS AND D.C.-ORIENTED DEMOCRATS WANTED TO SEE GET OUT OF THE PRIMARY.

THEY BEHIND THE SCENES WERE BACKING MARLENE GALAN-WOODS.

THIS YEAR IT'S MUCH MORE OPEN AND THEY'RE OUT IN FRONT OF THAT.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AMISH SHAH HAS PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN, EVEN IN CROWDED PRIMARIES BACK IN THE LEGISLATURE, HE IS ABLE TO CONNECT WITH VOTERS AND MUSTER THE SUPPORT HE NEEDS TO EMERGE INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION.

TED: HE'S GOT QUITE A GROUND GAME.

HE KNOCKS ON ALMOST EVERY DOOR HE FINDS.

>> PRETTY WELL KNOWN FOR KNOCKING ON A LOT OF DOORS AND KNOCKING ON A LOT OF DOORS MULTIPLE TIMES.

WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS CASE, SHAH AND WOODS RAN TWO YEARS AGO, AND NOT LIKE THEY HAVEN'T DEBATED EACH OTHER BEFORE, AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT POLICY DIFFERENCES, ESPECIALLY IN A PRIMARY, THERE OFTEN AREN'T A TON OF POLICY DIFFERENCES, BUT THIS IS ALSO A REALLY INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT DISTRICT FOR THE COUNTRY TO DECIDE WHO'S GOING TO CONTROL CONGRESS.

THIS IS MAYBE THE SWING -- ONE OF THE TWO SWING DISTRICTS IN ARIZONA, AND A LOT OF FOLKS SAYING IF DEMOCRATS WANT TO CONTROL CONGRESS, TAKE CONTROL OF CONGRESS, THEY HAVE TO WIN THIS SEAT.

TED: WHICH IS WHY MARLENE GALAN-WOODS WENT AFTER AMISH SHAH AT THE VERY END, WHEN SHAH WAS SAYING, THE QUESTION WAS, WILL YOU SUPPORT A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE?

THE ANSWER IS YES, YES, YES, SHE JUMPED RIGHT.

IN YOU ARE GOING TO SUPPORT A REPUBLICAN HERE?

A LITTLE BIT OF THAT GOES A LONG WAY.

>> THAT GOT FIERY FOR A WHOLE HOT SECOND, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S AT THE END OF THE DAY, AMISH SHAH IS NOT PLEASED WITH AT LEAST WHAT HAS COME OUT OR WHAT HE SUSPECTS ARE GOING TO COME OUT AS FAR AS ATTACK ADS, BUT HERE'S THE THING, LIKE MARK SAID, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE DISTRICT, AND NATIONAL DEMOCRATS, LOCAL DEMOCRATS, EVERYBODY WANTS TO MAKE SURE THE STRONGEST CANDIDATE EMERGES, OBVIOUSLY THE D.C.

DEMOCRATS DECIDED THEY BELIEVE THAT'S MARLENE GALAN-WOODS, BUT I WOULDN'T EVER WRITE AMISH OUT.

TED: JONATHAN TREBLE AND RICK McCARTNEY PRESENTED THEMSELVES WELL.

COULD THEY SIPHON VOTES OFF THE TWO FRONT-RUNNERS?

>> TOUGH TO SAY.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE TWO CANDIDATES WHO HAVE RUN BEFORE AND WHO HAVE GOOD NAME I.D.

SHAH OBVIOUSLY KNOCKS ON EVERYBODY'S DOOR SEVERAL TIMES AND MARLENE GALAN-WOODS WAS ON TV FOR A LONG TIME, AND HAS BEEN AROUND A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.

IT'S TOUGH.

WE SAW TWO YEARS AGO, I FORGET EXACTLY HOW MANY CANDIDATE BUS A LOT OF CANDIDATES IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TWO YEARS AGO, AND A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T END UP GETTING A LOT OF SUPPORT.

TED: YEAH, YEAH.

OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOT A LONG WAY TO GO AS FAR AS GETTING SOMEONE WITH THE EDGE THERE.

JIM, EVERY WEEK, EVERY WEEK, IT'S MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER GOING AFTER EACH OTHER FOR A VARIETY OF -- NOW WE'VE GOT STOLEN SCANNERS OR SCANNERS REMOVED WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON IS THERE'S A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR THAT IS LOOKING INTO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE AND THE ELECTIONS, THE COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO IS THERE WAS A SCANNER AND EQUIPMENT AND SOME BOXES OF BALLOT ENVELOPES THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THE ELECTION OFFICE, AND WERE TAKEN OUT, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WAS THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE RECORDER'S OFFICE.

ONE OF THE TOP AIDES TO THE TOP ADMINISTRATORS UNDER JUSTIN HEAP, AND THE BOARD AND THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT VERY QUICKLY WORKED TO TRY TO GET THE EQUIPMENT RETURNED, AND SAID THIS ISN'T YOURS, YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO IT.

THERE IS FIGHTING OVER WHO ACTUALLY OWNS THIS EQUIPMENT.

THE RECORDER'S OFFICE SAYS THEY DO.

THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT SAYS IT'S RUN BY THE BOARD SAYS IT OWNS IT.

THE BOARD ULTIMATELY JUST GOT REFERRED TO MARICOPA COUNTY'S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE, AND COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS AN UNDERSTANDABLE CONFLICT SO THEY FARMED IT OUT TO A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR.

THEY HIRED THE FORMER PINAL COUNTY ATTORNEY KENT OLT MER TO INVESTIGATE IT.

THEY ARE INVESTIGATING IT, AND PINAL COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTIES HAVE BEEN HELPING AND INTERVIEWING PEOPLE AND KNOCKED ON DOORS FROM THE RECORDER'S OFFICE EMPLOYEES.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING TO GO NEXT.

HERE WE ARE ON THE DOOR STRETCH AN ELECTION AND THIS FIGHTING NOT ONLY CONTINUES BUT GETTING WORSE AND MORE INTENSE AND THE BARBS THAT ARE TRADED ARE JUST -- NOT THE KIND OF THING YOU WANT TO SEE IF YOU WANT AN ELECTION THAT'S GOING TO BE MANAGED WELL.

IT DOES NOT INSTILL A LOT OF CONFIDENCE.

TED: WHY IS A STAFFER FROM THE MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE, PULLING UP IN A CAR AND TAKING OUT A SCANNER ALONG WITH OTHER MATERIAL, AND THEN RETURNING A SHORT TIME LATER AND PUTTING IT BACK?

WHAT?

>> I MEAN, I THINK THEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT.

THERE HAS TO BE A COMPLETELY ABOVE BOARD REASON FOR THAT, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE.

EVEN IF IT'S ABOVE BOARD, THIS JUST FUELS MORE BAD OPTICS AROUND MARICOPA COUNTY ELECTIONS.

WE ARE LITERALLY WEEKS AWAY FROM EARLY BALLOTS GOING OUT.

I COVERED THE COUNTY LIKE A MILLION YEARS AGO AND STILL GET THEIR TWITTER OR X UPDATES, AND EVERY THREE HOURS ALMOST ON THE DOT, THE BOARD SAYS THE RECORD SER FULL OF LIES, AND THE RECORDER SAYS THE BOARD IS FULL OF LIES.

WHETHER ANY OF THAT IS TRUE, WE ARE IN A POSITION WHERE CONGRESS COULD BE -- THE CONTROL OF CONGRESS COULD COME DOWN TO ARIZONA, COME DOWN TO MARICOPA COUNTY, AND WE HAVE ELECTION OFFICIALS THAT NOT ONLY CAN'T GET ALONG, BUT ARE ACTUALLY SUING EACH OTHER, AND SENDING SPECIAL INVESTIGATORS AFTER EACH OTHER.

IT'S A VERY CONCERNING AND DISAPPOINTING THING.

TED: THREATS OF ARRESTS ON ALL SIDES HERE.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF THAT, AND I THINK THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT, TO JESSICA'S POINT ABOUT THE OPTICS, THE SCANNER WAS REMOVED DURING AN ELECTION, DURING THE TEMPE CITY COUNCIL ELECTION.

NOT JUST LIKE IT WAS A RANDOM WEDNESDAY WHERE THERE IS NOTHING GOING ON.

AGAIN, WHO KNOWS WHY AND WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED?

I CERTAINLY DON'T, BUT OPTICALLY, THAT'S A TOUGH LOOK.

TED: I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE, TAKING IT HOME TO TEST IT YOURSELF AND BRINGING IT BACK?

IS THAT POSSIBLE?

>> MAYBE.

REGARDLESS, THE BOARD DECIDED IT'S COMPROMISED AND HAD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE, IT WAS $70,000.

TED: WE'RE GOING TO WRAP IT UP WITH LYDIA HERNANDEZ.

WHO IS LYDIA HERNANDEZ AND IS SHE STILL A DEMOCRAT?

>> SHE'S A DEMOCRAT, AND CENSURED BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN THE WEST VALLEY, IN WEST PHOENIX WHERE HER DISTRICT, IS AND CENSURED FOR NOT TAKING VOTES AND STANCES THAT THE DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT AND DEMOCRATIC PARTY ACTIVISTS DECIDED THEY DIDN'T LIKE AND THEY WERE OUTRAGED ENOUGH THEY DECIDED TO VOTE, TO CENSURE HER, TO SAY WE DON'T SUPPORT THIS PERSON, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAYBE SUPPORT HER OPPONENT IN THE ELECTION, WHICH IT'S KIND OF A WAY THAT OPENS THE DOOR FOR THE PARTY WHICH TYPICALLY ABSTAINED FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN PRIMARY CONTESTS TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO BACK THE IDEA.

TED: THE IDEA IS YOU VOTE WITH THE REPUBLICANS TOO MUCH.

>> RIGHT, AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING THIS COME UP IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND RACES.

PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS ARE SEEING THAT THERE IS LIKE WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PUBLIC OPINION SHIFT IN THEIR FAVOR GOING INTO THIS ELECTION.

SO WHERE THEY CAN TRY TO OUSTDEMOCRATS, THEY DON'T SEE AS BEING PART OF THE TEAM, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY EVERY TIME, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK YOU'RE SEEING HERE.

TED: AS HERNANDEZ SAYS, SHE VOTES, REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY.

THE COMMUNITY IS NOT BLUE, IT'S PURPLE, NOT BLUE, NOT THE BEST THING TO SAY IN FRONT OF A BUNCH OF DEMOCRATS.

>> THEY MIGHT NOT WANT TO HEAR.

THAT SHE'S BEEN OUT FRONT FROM THE BEGIN WEARING SHE STANDS ON THINGS.

SHE SUPPORTED GOVERNOR DUCEY AT ONE POINT, THAT'S NOT A BRAND-NEW THING.

HE WAS IN OFFICE A LITTLE WHILE AGO NOW.

TED: NOT HER FIRST VENTURE WITH CONTROVERSY.

>> IT IS NOT.

SHE'S HAD OTHER ISSUES.

THERE WAS SITUATION AT ONE OF THE PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE SECURITY ISSUE THERE.

WAS COMMENTS THAT SHE ALLEGEDLY MADE THAT SOME FOLKS IN HER DISTRICT WEREN'T NECESSARILY THRILLED WITH.

AGAIN, IT'S ELECTION SEASON.

SHE IS SAYING THIS SAN ATTEMPT TO GET HER OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE.

WHO KNOWS?

TED: I LOVE ENDING WITH THE YEAs OR NAYS.

JESSICA, YEA OR NAY, ANY SORT OF BUDGET BUCKLING BEFORE WE REALLY GET THE GOVERNOR SIGNING ALL THESE BILLS?

>> NAY.

TED: OKAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I'LL GO WITH JESSICA.

AGREED.

TED: EVERYTHING IS A DONE DEAL?

>> YEAH.

TED: UNTIL IT'S TOTALLY SIGNED.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.