Wake-Up Call: Monday, September 1, 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.

This week, Politicker.com will be at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stay tuned to Politicker.com over the course of the week for live updates from the convention.

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.

Franks: Palin 'vibrant spirit'

U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Glendale) gave Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) high praise Friday after Arizona Sen. John McCain (R-Phoenix) put her on the Republican presidential ticket. (PolitickerAZ.com, Evan Brown)

Link: http://www.politickeraz.com/evanbrown/2108/franks-palin-vibrant-spirit

Napolitano's powers may be waning in Arizona

Has Janet Napolitano lost her mojo?

Unthinkable even a year ago, the question is circulating among some of the governor's watchers at the Capitol. They're struck by an administration seemingly put on its heels by a stumbling state economy, rash of key staff departures and, most recently, the disqualification from the November ballot of her two most favored initiatives. (Arizona Republic, Matthew Benson)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/09/01/20080901janet-mojo0901...

Obama has shot at carrying Arizona, Dem leader says

Don Bivens is chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party.

Bivens, a Paradise Valley resident and attorney, was a guest last week on aztalk Live Talk Wednesday. He answered questions from the Democratic National Convention in Denver, where Barack Obama accepted the party nomination for president. (Arizona Republic, Staff)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/09/01/20080901aztalk-newsmak...

Arizona called 'ground zero' in immigration fight

Arizona is "ground zero" for the Border Patrol in its quest to gain effective control of illegal immigration into the United States, and agents are making headway, the chief of the agency's busiest sector says. (Arizona Republic, Arthur Rotstein)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/09/01/20080901groundzero0901...

10,000 may attend Phoenix 'green' meeting

PHOENIX - They say big ideas come from light-bulb moments. Chris Samila's big idea began with a real light bulb. (Tucson Citizen, Kelly McGrath)

Link:  http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/95430.php

Petition issues put Az's initiative system under new scrutiny

PHOENIX - Arizona's initiative system is coming under new scrutiny in the wake of surprising developments concerning what ballot questions will end up actually being submitted to general-election voters. (Tucson Citizen, AP)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/95414.php

Judge voids Clean Elections matching funds after primaries

PHOENIX -- A federal judge late Friday voided a key provision of the state's system of publicly financed elections. (Daily Sun, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/31/news/state/20080831_arizo_...

Independent voters in Arizona on the rise

Since June, the number of independent voters grew at a faster clip in Arizona than either registered Democrats or Republicans.

And while Democrats signed up about 6,000 more voters than Republicans during that period ending Aug. 4, Republicans still had an overall lead of registered voters. (Arizona Republic, Scott Wong)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/31/20080831voter0831.html

Peoria to join suit to stop building around Luke

Peoria will join the state Attorney General's Office and other West Valley cities in suing Maricopa County to force it to stop issuing building permits in areas critical to Luke Air Force Base. (Arizona Republic, Charles Kelly)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/31/20080831peoluke0831.ht...

Acting Gov. Dean Martin takes reins for 16 hours

Joe Arizona might have missed it, but for one 16-hour period this week, Arizona saw the reign of acting Gov. Dean Martin. We're not talking about the singer, but state Treasurer Dean Martin. (Arizona Republic, Mary Jo Pitzl)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/31/20080831insider0831.ht...

Unserved warrants Job 1 for 2 Dem county attorney hopefuls

Each week leading up to Tuesday's primary election, The Republic is posing a question to the two Democratic candidates, Tim Nelson and Gerald Richard, who are vying to face Republican incumbent Andrew Thomas in the Maricopa County attorney's race.

This week's question: What would be the No. 1 change you would bring to the County Attorney's Office? (Arizona Republic, Yvonne Wingett)

Link:  http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/31/20080831MCAOquestions0...

GOP convention is packed with meaning for Arizona

Now it's their turn.

After a long and divisive primary season and a week dominated by media attention on the Democratic National Convention, Republicans are descending on the Twin Cities today to nominate Arizona Sen. John McCain as their presidential candidate. (Arizona Republic, Daniel Scarpinato)

Link:  http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/255376.php

Political Notebook by Daniel Scarpinato : '08 race for presidency is covering fresh turf

This year's election presents a lot of exciting firsts.

The first black presidential candidate. The first female Republican vice presidential candidate. A mix of pre-boomers and post-boomers on each ticket.

But the origin of the candidates also provides some historical propositions and may point to a shifting electorate. (Daily Star, Daniel Scarpinato)

Link:  http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/255330.php

Political notebook: Mitchell airs TV commercial despite lack of opposition

Although Democrat U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell has no opposition in the primary election Tuesday, he began airing the first television commercial of his re-election campaign last week. (East Valley Tribune, Paul Giblin)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/124536

Lord believes he can unseat Shadegg in 3rd Dist.

On foreign policy, social and energy issues, voters in the northeast Valley's 3rd Congressional District have a clear choice this fall between Republican Rep. John Shadegg and Democratic challenger Bob Lord. (East Valley Tribune, Mary Reinhart)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/124528

Part of Clean Elections law ruled unconstitutional

A federal judge has ruled that a key provision of Arizona's public campaign financing system violates constitutional free speech rights.

U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver issued the ruling late Friday in a suit filed last week on behalf of some Republican legislative candidates. (Arizona Republic, AP)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/30/20080830campaignfinanc...

LD 1 GOP Senate challenger has party backing vs. incumbent

The race for the Senate seat in the legislative district centered on Yavapai County but which also surrounds Flagstaff will be decided on Sept. 2, with two men vying for the votes of registered Republicans and independents. (Daily Sun, J. Ferguson)

Link: http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/30/news/local/20080830_local_...

State has 4 different governors within week

PHOENIX-- Arizona has had four governors this week.

Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano turned over the constitutional reins of power Sunday when she left the state to attend the Democratic convention in Denver. Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer became acting governor, but she left Thursday for Minneapolis to attend next week's Republican convention. (Daily Sun, AP)

Link:  http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/30/news/state/20080830_arizo_...

Az begins fiscal year with down month

PHOENIX - State government is beginning its fiscal year with sobering fiscal results carrying over from the year that ended June 30 and gloominess among economists. (Tucson Citizen, AP)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/arizona/95309.php

Ariz. ballot campaign on affirmative action ends

A campaign to put an initiative on affirmative action on Arizona's Nov. 4 ballot is over.

The Arizona Civil Rights Initiative campaign led by former California educator Ward Connerly announced Friday it was abandoning its lawsuit to overturn the state's decertification of Proposition 104. (Arizona Republic, AP)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/29/20080829affirm-action0...

District 3 race for supervisor puts focus on development

When Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson first ran for office in 1996, business interests and developers put their money toward defeating her.

Bronson said her views have changed little in the last 12 years, and she continues to be a strong advocate of growth paying for itself. (Daily Star, Erica Meltzer)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/255224.php

Federal judge voids public financing provision

A federal judge late Friday voided a key provision of the state's system of publicly financed elections.

Judge Roslyn Silver said it is unconstitutional for the government to provide matching funds to candidates who campaign with state dollars when their privately financed foes spend more. (East Valley Tribune, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/124461

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.