Wake-Up Call: Wednesday, August 6, 2008

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Rasmussen: McCain way up in Arizona

A Rasmussen Reports poll released Monday showed presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain with a 16-point lead over his Democratic counterpart, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in McCain's home state of Arizona. (PolitickerAZ.com, Daniel Trudeau)

Link: http://www.politickeraz.com/danieltrudeau/1826/rasmussen-mccain-way-ariz...

GOP leader: UA, NAU spending scrimps on safety

The speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives has sent a letter to Gov. Janet Napolitano accusing the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University of putting student lives at risk. (Tucson Citizen, Renee Schafer Horton)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/arizona/92844.php

Recess vote by Giffords draws flak from rival

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' vote in favor of Congress' taking a five-week hiatus has resulted in mounting criticism from Republicans — but her aides promise the next month won't be about lounging by the pool and sipping drinks with little umbrellas. (Daily Star, Staff)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/251512.php

GOP leaders seek new session to fund 500 school vouchers

PHOENIX — The top Republican legislative leaders want a special legislative session, and soon, to authorize use of surplus House funds to finance two programs which pay to send some children to private and parochial schools. (Daily Star, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/251527.php

Senate to hear limited testimony on ethics issue

A Senate panel voted Tuesday to hear from Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, and the senator who filed the ethics complaint against him, but not anyone else now - if ever.

Members of the ethics committee rejected a request by Sen. Ben Miranda,D-Phoenix, to seek testimony from Senate Majority Leader Thayer Verschoor, R-Gilbert, when the panel hears evidence next week about whether Harper broke ethics rules. (East Valley Tribune, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/122404

Mesa mayor named airport board chairman

Like his predecessor, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is a pilot and he'll hover over his city's burgeoning reliever airport.

Smith was elected Monday by his Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport governing board colleagues as board chairman. (Arizona Republic, Art Thomason)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/05/20080805mr-gatewaypres...

Council may show support for federal visa program

The City Council will vote Wednesday on whether to declare its support for a federal visa program for noncitizens that rewards them for helping fight certain crimes. (Tucscon Citizen, Sheryl Kornman)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/92842.php

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.