The After Math: Crunching Numbers in Last Week’s Primary

Questions and answers in the wake of last week’s primary election:
What was the big takeaway in the legislative races?

Conservatives ruled. In almost every local race in GOP districts, the most conservative candidates carried the day.
In the GOP primary for the Legislative District 26 Senate seat, Republican Al Melvin beat state Rep. Pete Hershberger by exposing [...]

Hershberger Vs. Melvin: Televised Debate!

Rep. Pete Hershberger and Al Melvin, who represent the yin and yang of the Arizona Republican Party, had a fiery debate on KUAT-TV’s Arizona Illustrated tonight as part of their race for the Arizona Senate in Legislative District 26. Two years ago, Melvin tore up Toni Hellon, the incumbent senator, on the program; this year, [...]

Hershberger Vs. Melvin: GOP Split Ends in LD26

Nobody gave stalwart Republican Al Melvin much of a shot two years ago when he launched his campaign to knock out then-Sen. Toni Hellon.
A well-connected moderate Republican, Hellon had served the district, which sweeps from Saddlebrooke down through Oro Valley and across the Catalina Foothills, for three terms.
Melvin, who moved to Saddlebrooke just six years [...]

ScrambleWatch Q&A: Republican Pete Hershberger on Taxes

Republican Pete Hershberger is facing Al Melvin in the GOP primary for the Legislative District 26 Senate seat. ScrambleWatch asked him a few questions about state taxes. (You can compare his answers to Melvin’s here.)
Do you support the permanent repeal of the state property tax?

We suspended that back when our economy was good, saying we [...]

ScrambleWatch Q&A: Republican Al Melvin on Taxes

Republican Al Melvin is facing Rep. Pete Hershberger in the GOP primary for the Legislative District 26 Senate seat. ScrambleWatch asked him a few questions about state taxes.
Do you support the repeal of the state’s property tax?
I absolutely do.
Since it will cost the state $250 million, what should the state cut to make up for [...]

Hershberger Vs. Melvin: A Slightly Delayed Liveblog

As we’ve mentioned before, Legislative District 26, where Republicans Pete Hershberger and Al Melvin are fighting for a Senate seat in the Sept. 2 primary, is in the ScrambleWatch spotlight. The two candidates squared off in a Clean Elections debate last night.
Although the district leans Republican, Democrat Charlene Pesquiera won LD26 in 2006 by fewer [...]

Debate Throwdown: Hershberger Vs. Melvin

Get a look at the two wings of the GOP fighting for the future when social conservative Al Melvin debates Country-Club Republican Pete Hershberger at tomorrow night’s Clean Elections Legislative District 26 forum. Hershberger, who is now representing LD26 in the House, wants to move to the upper chamber; Melvin, who knocked out incumbent Sen. [...]

Our First Muckraker’s Challenge: Follow The Money!

Hey there, Jimmy Olsen: Here’s your chance to play investigative reporter!
Welcome to the very first ScrambleWatch Muckraker’s Challenge: Just yesterday, candidates for state and local office, as well as the backers of ballot initiatives, filed their campaign finance reports.
We’re challenging you to comb through the numbers and dig up some dirt. Post your exposé in [...]

ScrambleWatch Smackdown: Clean Elex Debates

Mark your calendars: The Clean Elections Commission has announced the upcoming dates for the primary election debates!
Up first in Southern Arizona is the GOP battle everyone will be watching: Al Melvin vs. Pete Hershberger in Legislative District 26. The forum will also feature GOP House candidates Trent Humphries, Vic Williams and Marilyn Zerull. The bell [...]