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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

IT'S THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES INCLUDING UPDATE OF ELECTION RESULTS AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO THE STATE.

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.

THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

JOINING US TONIGHT, MARY JO PITZL OF ARIZONA REPUBLIC AND AZCENTRAL.COM.

LAURIE ROBERTS OF "THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC" AND AZCENTRAL.COM.

MARY JO, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ELECTION.

OVERALL, IN GENERAL, NO REAL -- APACHE COUNTY HAD TROUBLE THERE, BUT NOTHING REALLY CRAZY.

>> NO, ALL REPORTS ARE IT WAS PRETTY SMOOTH, NO BROKEN PRINTERS.

NO BALLOTS THAT WERE TOO LONG TO FIT INTO THE TABULATOR.

NO PEOPLE MAKING BIG CHALLENGES TO OTHER VOTERS OUTSIDE OF THE POLLS.

THEN NO DROP BOX MONITORS THAT I WAS AWARE OF.

TED: AS FAR AS APACHE COUNTY IS CONCERNED, DO WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE?

>> THEY HAD EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTIONS, WHICH AS I READY, WERE GOING OFF AND ON AND THAT DISRUPTED VOTING ON AND OFF FOR A NUMBER OF HOURS.

TED: THAT WAS ABOUT IT?

>> YEAH.

WE ALSO HEARD THERE WERE THREATS IN NAVAJO COUNTY WHICH EXTENDS UP TO NAVAJO COUNTRY WHICH EXTENDS UP TO APACHE COUNTY, ABOUT BOMB THREATS BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT CREDIBLE THREATS, BUT THAT CAUSED A LITTLE PAUSE IN OPERATIONS.

TED: AND MOHAVE COUNTY MAY HAVE HAD A POWER FAILURE, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

NO MAJOR DRAMA?

>> NO, IT WAS GOOD.

THE ELECTIONS OFFICIALS ACROSS THE STATE HAVING BEEN SUITABLY BEATEN UP AFTER THE LAST FEW YEARS, ESPECIALLY MARICOPA COUNTY, WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SMOOTH THINGS OUT.

THEY HAD MORE VOTING CENTERS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES, AND THIWERE MORE TRANSPARENT THIS TIME, TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT.

WE EXPECT DRAW THE STING EARLY TO SAY IT'S GOING TO TAKE 10 TO 13 DAYS TO COUNT THE BALLOTS, WHICH IS FAIRLY TYPICAL AS IT HAS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

IF YOU SPRING THAT ON VOTERS WHO DON'T THINK THAT THING, THEY THINK AH-HAH, SOMETHING STINKS.

THEY DID A GOOD JOB OF SETTING EXPECTATIONS FOR PEOPLE, HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON HAPPEN AND THEN IT HAPPENED.

TED: WHAT DO YOU THINK, JIM?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AFTER ALL THE FEARS OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, AND WHAT KIND OF DISRUPTIONS COULD TAKE PLACE ON ELECTION DAY, FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK IT WAS FAIRLY FLUID.

I THINK THE HOAX, RUSSIAN BOMB THREATS WERE THE BIGGEST DISRUPTIONS ACROSS THE STATE.

NAVAJO COUNTY BUT ALSO IN MARICOPA COUNTY AND PIMA COUNTY.

THERE WERE PLACES ALL OVER THE STATE THAT GOT THOSE AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, BUT SEEMS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT DETERMINED VERY QUICKLY AND ELECTIONS OFFICIALS DETERMINED QUICKLY THAT THOSE WERE NOT REAL.

NOTHING SUBSTANTIVE TO THEM AND NO ACTION THAT NEEDED TO BE TAKEN OTHER THAN ENGAGE LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> AND THERE WEREN'T LONG LINES WHICH PEOPLE WERE PREPARED FOR, BECAUSE WE HAD A REALLY LONG BALLOT.

TOWARDS THE END, LATE AFTERNOON, BEFORE THE 7:00 P.M.

CUTOFF, LINES FORMED BECAUSE YOU'RE SHOWING UP AGAINST THE DEADLINE, BUT I VOTED IN PERSON IN MIDAFTERNOON, FROM WHEN I WALKED INTO THE POLLING, THE VOTE CENTER, UNTIL I CAME OUT, IT WAS 23 MINUTES.

>> YOU GOT TO GIVE MARICOPA COUNTY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CREDIT FOR HAVING A LIST OF HERE'S ALL THE POLLING CENTERS, AND HERE'S THE WAIT TIMES.

THEY WOULD PUT OUT TWEETS SAYING DON'T GO TO INDIAN BEND WASH ONE, GO TO THIS ONE OR THIS ONE BECAUSE THAT ONE IS BUSY.

I THINK THAT HELPED AS WELL.

CREDIT TO THEM.

TED: THERE WERE CONCERNS OVER THE TWO PAGE BALLOT.

THERE WAS THOUGHT THAT THE SECOND DUMP WOULD HAPPEN AT 11:00, 12:00, WHO KNOWS?

BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD BE STANDING IN LINE BECAUSE YOU KNOW IF YOU WERE IN LINE AT 7:00, YOU VOTED.

ALL RIGHT, JIM, EVERYONE VOTED, DONALD TRUMP WINS ARIZONA.

DID DONALD TRUMP WIN OR DID KAMALA HARRIS LOSE?

>> I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT -- TAKE ARIZONA AND LOOK AT NATIONALLY.

I THINK DONALD TRUMP WON.

THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT VOTERS IN ARIZONA AND IN EVERY BATTLEGROUND STATE ACROSS THE COUNTRY CHOSE DONALD TRUMP.

THEY LOOKED AT THE CAMPAIGN HE WAGED AND THE THINGS HE SAID AND WEIGHED THAT AGAINST KAMALA HARRIS AND DECIDED THEY PREFER DONALD TRUMP OVER HER, AND BY A WIDE MARGIN IN A LOT OF PLACES.

TED: MARGIN IN ARIZONA, 53-46 AS WE SEE FROM THE PANEL.

POLLING SUGGESTED A TIGHTER RACE THAN THAT?

>> POLLS EVERYWHERE SAID IT WAS NECK-AND-NECK.

IT WAS A TOSS-UP.

WE DON'T KNOW, AND IT DIDN'T COME TRUE.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, TRUMP DOMINATED, AND IN ARIZONA, WE DON'T HAVE OFFICIAL FINAL RETURNS YET, BUT HE'S SURELY GOING TO WIN ARIZONA, WE JUST DON'T KNOW BY HOW MUCH ULTIMATELY.

TED: YEAH, AND AGAIN, DID HARRIS NOT GIVE PEOPLE ENOUGH REASON TO VOTE.

DID TRUMP GIVE PEOPLE REASON TO SAY, WE DON'T NEED THIS ANYMORE, WE'VE GOT TO MOVE ON, WE NEED CHANGE?

>> THAT'S A LOT OF IT.

I THINK WHEN YOU'RE THE PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND THINGS AREN'T GOING WELL FROM PARTICULAR PERSON'S PERSPECTIVE, AS A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL HERE, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO CATCH THE BLAME FOR THAT.

LOOK, IN ARIZONA, THE BORDER HAS BEEN MISHANDLED.

THEY DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB HANDLING THAT ISSUE AT ALL UNTIL THE LAST SIX MONTHS WHEN THEY FINALLY WOKE UP AND THOUGHT WE BETTER DO SOMETHING, THE ECONOMY IS NOT NECESSARILY THEIR FAULT, STILL HAPPENED ON YOUR WATCH.

THE PRICE OF EGGS BEING WHAT THEY WERE.

WE IN THE MEDIA WERE FOCUSED ON TRUMP WITH HIS DARK VISION OF AMERICA, AND KAMALA WITH HER JOY, AND I DON'T THINK VOTERS GAVE A DARN ABOUT THAT.

THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT CAT LADIES AND EATING THE DOGS AND THE CATS, THEY CARE ABOUT POLICY ISSUES AND DONALD TRUMP'S POLICIES ARE THE ONES THEY WANT TO GO WITH.

TED: JIM, SOUNDS LIKE IN ARIZONA AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, MEN, ESPECIALLY FOR TRUMP, YOUNG MEN ESPECIALLY FOR TRUMP, AND YOUNG MEN OF DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS AND RACIAL GROUPS.

YOUNG MEN WENT FOR TRUMP.

WOULD A MARK KELLY ON THE TICKET, ASTRONAUT, FIGHTER PILOT, STRAIGHT TALKING, WOULD THAT HAVE MADE DIFFERENCE?

>> NO, VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES ARE NOT GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE, EXCEPT IN VERY RARE CASES WHERE THE MARGINS ARE EXTREMELY SMALL.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

I DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE MATTERED IF IT WAS MARK KELLY OR JOSH SHAPIRO OR POTENTIAL FINALISTS OVER TIM WALZ.

KAMALA HARRIS DIDN'T LOSE BECAUSE SHE HAD TIM WALZ, TRYING DIG HERSELF OUT OF A HOLE.

JOE BIDEN SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THE RACE A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND DIDN'T, SO DEMOCRATS WERE FORCED TO SCRAMBLE, THEY ELEVATED HER.

SHE HAD 2 1/2 MONTHS TO RUN A BILLION DOLLARS CAMPAIGN AND GET VOTERS TO KNOW WHO SHE WAS AND HOW SHE'S DIFFERENT THAN DONALD TRUMP, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, FAILED TO SEPARATE HERSELF FROM THE ADMINISTRATION SHE WAS PART OF.

SHE WAS HAM STRUNG AND WASN'T A WAY TO BE THE AGENT OF CHANGE THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS ABLE TO REPRESENT, AND I THINK THAT SHE DROPPED THE BALL A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN ASKED, SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO DIFFERENT THAN BIDEN?

THERE WAS A CHANCE AS RUDE AS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, HERE'S WHERE WE DROPPED THE BALL, AND WHERE I WANT TO DO BETTER?

AND SHE DIDN'T DO THAT.

AND I THINK THAT RESONATED WITH A LOT OF VOTERS.

TED: MARY JO, THE U.S. SENATE RACE, GALLEGO STILL AHEAD OF LAKE.

THAT'S A REALLY CLOSE RACE.

AGAIN, THE POLLS SUGGESTED IT WOULD NOT BE THIS CLOSE?

>> YEAH, IT WAS PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO, ONE POLL SHOWED HER -- SHOWED LAKE WITH A 10% DEFICIT COMPARED TO GALLEGO, AND I ASKED SOMEBODY, YOU THINK THAT SHE WOULD LOSE IN DOUBLE DIGITS?

AND THE ANSWER WAS YEAH, YEAH.

LOOK AT THIS.

WE'VE GOT LESS THAN TWO POINTS SEPARATING THE TWO.

>> BUT IT NARROWED, THE POLLS NARROWED AS POLLS OFTEN DO, AND I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DISCOUNT THE COATTAILS THAT DONALD TRUMP BROUGHT.

NOT ONLY TO HER, BRINGING HER CLOSE, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER SHE'LL GET OVER THE LINE BUT SHE'S CLOSE, AND YOU HAVE TO SAY IT HELPED A COUPLE OF REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN WHO WERE IN COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS, MOVE THEM OVER THE LINE AS WELL.

GO BACK TO THE TRUMP FACTOR.

THE RED WAVE WAS POWERFUL.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FOUR YEARS AGO, IT CAME THIS YEAR INSTEAD.

>> KARI LAKE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY SHIFTED THE LAST TWO, THREE WEEKS, IN HIGHLY REPUBLICAN AREAS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAW IN THE POLLS CONSISTENTLY IS SHE WAS LOSING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF TRUMP VOTERS.

SHE WAS BEHIND TRUMP AND BEHIND BY FIVE, TEN, MAYBE 12 POINTS AND THEY WENT OUT.

THEY MADE AN EFFORT TO SHORE UP THE TRUMP VOTERS AND GET THEM ON HER SIDE.

HER COMMERCIALS CHANGED IN A LOT OF THEM ADS WITH TRUMP.

SHE HAD SIGNS PLASTERED ALL OVER REPUBLICAN LEANING AREAS THAT SHOWED HER ENDORSED WITH TRUMP.

ALL KINDS OF LAKE AND TRUMP AND WORKED HARD TO TIE HERSELF TO DONALD TRUMP IN A WAY THAT SAYS HEY, HE LIKES ME, YOU SHOULD, TOO.

THAT MIGHT BE A FACTOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

TED: INDEED, AS FAR AS THIS GETTING EVEN CLOSER, MARY JO, THIS COULD GET CLOSE ENOUGH FOR A RECOUNT, IT COULD NOT?

>> YEAH, I GOT A TEXT THIS AFTERNOON FROM THE LAKE CAMPAIGN SAYING LOOKING FOR MONEY BECAUSE THEY SAID WE NEED TO CHASE EVERY BALLOT.

THEY'RE GOING TO -- THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EFFORT TO TRACK DOWN, IF THERE'S A BALLOT IN QUESTION, OR SOMEBODY THROWN IN THE QUESTION PILE, THEY'RE GOING TO HELP CURE THE BALLOTS.

>> YOU HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO TURNING POINT AND THE REPUBLICANS.

THEY HAD A GOOD GROUND GAME.

PEOPLE SAID THEY WOULDN'T.

IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN.

BOY, IT DID HAPPEN AND YOU SAW IT IN THE EARLY BALLOT RETURNS.

FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, THEY WERE REPORTING EVERY DAY, REPUBLICANS RETURNING.

I WOULD ASK THE DEMOCRATS, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET BALLOTS?

WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT, OUR PEOPLE VOTE LATE.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID OR NOT.

WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE VOTES ARE IN, BUT GIVE CREDIT TO THE REPUBLICANS WHO KNOCKED ON DOORS AND GOT PEOPLE EXCITED AND GOT THE BALLOTS IN.

>> WITH THE EARLY VOTING, FOUR YEARS AGO, REPUBLICANS WERE TOLD DON'T MAIL IN THE BALLOT, EARLY VOTING IS BAD.

IT'S SUSPECT.

GO TO THE POLLS AND VOTE.

THE MESSAGE EXCHANGE CAME ALONG AND PEOPLE HEARD IT, AND THEY ACTED ON IT.

>> BASICALLY THE MESSAGE OF OLD, BEFORE 2020 OR 2016, EVEN, THAT'S WHAT REPUBLICANS HAD DONE FOR 20 YEARS.

PARTLY WHY THEY DOMINATED THE STATE FOR SO LONG, THEY GOT THE VOTES IN AND CONCENTRATE ON THE PEOPLE THAT HADN'T VOTED AND TURNED AROUND BECAUSE OF THE FEARS OF WHAT EARLY BALLOTS WERE.

TED: SPEAKING OF WHICH, IF THIS GETS CLOSER AND LAKE DOES NOT WIN OR GET OVER THE TOP HERE, ARE WE GOING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT SOMETHING WAS RIGGED, THERE WAS FRAUD HERE.

TRUMP COULDN'T HAVE THAT MANY VOTES AND LAKE NOT.

>> WE ALREADY ARE, TED.

THAT NARRATIVE IS ALREADY BEING DEVELOPED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO, IT'S REMINISCENT OF 2018 WHEN DOUG DUCEY WAS RE-ELECTED BY A WIDE MARGIN AND KYRSTEN SINEMA WON.

IT WAS HARD FOR A LOT OF REAL PARTISAN REPUBLICANS TO WRAP THEIR HEAD AROUND THE FACT TO VOTE FOR DOUG DUCEY AND ALSO VOTE FOR KYRSTEN SINEMA, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

IT'S NOT UNEXPECTED, I DON'T THINK, SHE'S TRAILING RUBEN GALLEGO BASED ON THE POLLS AND THE TRENDS AND AS THE POLLS TIGHTEN UP AT THE END.

THERE WAS A BROAD CONSENSUS THAT RUBEN GALLEGO HAD THE ADVANTAGE COMING INTO THIS.

THE FACT SHE'S TRAILING DONALD TRUMP SAYS MORE ABOUT HER THAN THE ELECTION BEING RIGGED.

>> THAT WAS EXPECTED, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE POLLS, IF YOU LOOK AT POLLS, 9.2% IN ONE OF THE MORE RECENT POLLS I SAW, 9.2% OF REPUBLICANS SAID THEY WERE GOING TO CROSS OVER AS OPPOSED TO TWO OR THREE PERCENT OF DEMOCRATS THAT CROSS OVER THE OTHER WAY.

I THINK YOU ARE STARTING TO HEAR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OH, WHY CAN'T THEY COUNT THESE VOTES FASTER AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING THAT TAKES THIS LONG TO RIG THIS THING?

WAIT WHAT HAPPENS IF DEMOCRATS ARE RIGHT AND VOTERS DROPPED OFF LATE, EARLY BALLOTS, DROPPED OFF AT THE ELECTION DAY AND SEE SOMETHING LIKE WE SAW WITH THE KYRSTEN SINEMA RACE, WHERE YOU WENT TO BODE ELECTION NIGHT AND SHE WAS BEHIND, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DAYS LATER, PULLS OUT A WIN.

IF SHE MOVES UP TO WIN AND EARLY BALLOTS THAT DEMOCRATS OR INDEPENDENTS WHO VOTED DEMOCRATIC TURNED IN, AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO AMP UP THE SOUNDS OF CONSPIRACY.

TED: MARY JO, COUPLE OF CONGRESSIONAL RACES, DAVID SCHWEIKERT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1.

WE GO TO BED ELECTION NIGHT, LOOKS LIKE HE'S IN SERIOUS, SERIOUS TROUBLE.

HE'S GOT LATE SEPARATION OF HIS OWN.

ARE WE TALKING TRUMP COATTAILS HERE?

>> DEFINITELY.

DEFINITELY.

AS LAURIE SAID, I THINK THERE'S TRUMP COATTAILS THROUGH THE BALLOT, THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE RACES, COUNTY RACES, YOU TELL ME WHERE WE'RE SEEING A BRIGHT SPOT FOR DEMOCRATS.

EVEN GALLEGO'S NARROW LEAD ISN'T SHINING BRIGHT.

TED: SO SCHWEIKERT WINS AGAIN, JIM?

>> HE DOES.

THIS IS DEMOCRATS HAD LOOKED AT THE RACE AND SEEN DAVID SCHWEIKERT AS VULNERABLE AS HE'S BEEN IN HIS CAREER IN CONGRESS, AND AS WITH SO MANY OTHER SEATS.

THIS WAS THE YEAR THEY WERE GOING TO WIN THAT REPUBLICAN SEAT AND THINK, KIND OF GET THE VICTORIES ON THE WISH LIST FOR A LONG TIME, AND DOES NOT SEEM TO BE IN THE CARDS.

TED: CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6, LAURIE, JUAN CISCOMANI, ELECTION NIGHT LOOKS LIKE HE WAS IN SERIOUS -- THIS RACE WAS SUPER CLOSE.

>> BLINK AND IT CHANGES.

LAST NIGHT, SHE WAS AHEAD.

TODAY ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S THE OTHER SIDE.

TED: YEAH, AND CISCOMANI HAS -- BUT I CAN'T, AND JIM, BACK TO YOU, LATE SEPARATION, EITHER ONE OF THESE CANDIDATES COULD SEE THAT, COULD THEY NOT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A DISTRICT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A BATTLEGROUND DISTRICT, VERY CLOSE IN VOTER REGISTRATION AND GOING TO COME DOWN TO WHERE THE EARLY BALLOTS ARE LEFT AND WHAT PARTS OF THE DISTRICT THEY'RE FROM.

COCHISE COUNTY THAT IS HEAVILY REPUBLICAN, PIMA COUNTY, A MIX OF PRETTY DARK BLUE AREAS AND ALSO VERY DEEP RED AREAS, AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE A MATTER OF KIND OF WHO WAS ABLE TO GET THEIR VOTERS TO SHOW UP AT THE POLLS OR SHOW UP AND TURN IN EARLY BALLOTS ON ELECTION DAY.

TED: PROPOSITIONS OF VOTE HERE, MARY JO, PROP 139 WINS AND WINS BIG, THAT WAS NOT A SURPRISE.

>> NO, NOT A SURPRISE.

I WAS SURPRISED IT DIDN'T GET CALLED ON ELECTION NIGHT.

THERE WAS A BIT OF A DELAY UNTIL MORE VOTES WERE IN, BUT YEAH, EASY WIN.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT SURPRISED ME ABOUT THAT ONE?

DEMOCRATS SAID THAT'S GOING TO BRING OUT THE WAVE OF EXTRA VOTERS.

I DON'T THINK THE WAVE MATERIALIZED.

2020, WE HAD 3.4 MILLION PEOPLE VOTE, AND THIS YEAR ROUGHLY THE SAME.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WAVE THAT WAS COMING OUT FOR THIS.

>> I TALKED TO AN ANALYST WHO SAID WHEN THE LEGISLATURE REPEALED THE 1864 LAW, THAT PEOPLE THOUGHT, OKAY, THIS IS SORT OF SETTLED, THEN, WE'RE OKAY ON THE ABORTION FRONT, AND THEN GOT CONFUSING TO WHICH LAW PERTAINS AND WILL THE 15-WEEK BAN CUT IN, AND DEMOCRATS YOLKED THEMSELVES TO THE ABORTION MESSAGE ON A BIGGER SCALE, WHICH MEANT THEY WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND THE BORDER THE WAY THE TRUMP PEOPLE WERE.

TED: JIM, THIS IS BECOMING LAW, THERE ARE LEGAL THINGS, YOU CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE IT BECOMES LAW AND LEGAL CHALLENGES TO GO THROUGH TO GET RID OF THE THINGS THAT COMPETE AGAINST THE LAW, CORRECT?

>> RIGHT.

FIRST STEP IS WAIT FOR THE ELECTION TO BE CANVASSED WHICH IS LATER THIS MONTH.

ONCE THAT IS DONE, THIS WILL OFFICIALLY BE PART OF ARIZONA'S CONSTITUTION AND BE THE STARTER'S PISTOL FOR A WAVE OF LAWSUITS THAT ARE FILED AGAINST EXISTING ARIZONA LAWS, EVERYTHING FROM THE 15-WEEK BAN PASSED IN 2022 TO -- A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS, DOZENS OF REGULATIONS THE LEGISLATURE PLACED ON ABORTION PROCEDURES, AND SO I THINK THAT THE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS GROUPS ARE DILIGENTLY MAKING A LIST OF ALL THE LAWS AND DRAFTING THE LAWSUITS TO GO TO COURT AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN IN ORDER TO GET THOSE THINGS STRUCK DOWN.

YOU NEED TO HAVE A COURT COME IN AND SAY THIS LAW IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE OF THE TIME FRAME.

TED: PROP 314, LAURIE, WINS BIG AS WELL.

ENFORCING IMMIGRATION STATE LAW NOW.

THIS IS A STATE LAW, AND IT WINS, PROVIDED, OF COURSE, THE TEXAS THING GOES THROUGH.

HUNG UP IN THE COURTS AND MIRRORING THE TEXAS LAW.

IF TEXAS SUCCEEDS, THIS SUCCEEDS, CERTAINLY SUCCEEDS AT THE POLLS?

>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BIG SURPRISE IT PASSED.

THAT GOES ALONG WITH TRUMP WINNING SO BIGLEY, IF THAT'S A WORD.

YEAH, IT'S GOING TO EMPOWER LOCAL POLICE TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAW, IT DOESN'T EMPOWER THEM TO HAVE MORE MONEY IN THEIR WALLETS TO PAY FOR THE ENFORCEMENT, AND NOBODY LAID OUT HOW IT IS THAT YOU DETERMINE PROBABLE CAUSE THAT SOMEONE IS -- SAY, YOU ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THIS IS A PERSON HERE ILLEGALLY AND THUS SHOULD ARREST THEM, GET THEM TO BE DEPORTED AND THROW THEM IN JAIL.

DO YOU GO BY HOW THEY LOOK?

IMMIGRANTS HERE ILLEGALLY, WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE COME FROM UKRAINE AND THE CONGO AND CENTRAL AMERICA AND ALL OVER THE WORLD.

HOW YOU TELL SOMEONE IS HERE ILLEGALLY, THIS IS A THING YOU SEE IN THE COURTS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN TEXAS, JUST TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT THAT THE POLICE ARE EMPOWERED TO DO AND HOW WILL THEY DO IT?

AND YOU HAVE THE SHERIFFS DOWN AT LEGISLATURE SAYING WE NEED MONEY TO DO THIS BECAUSE YOU WANT US TO LOCK THEM UP.

THE STATES.

THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT COSTS TO THEM, IF IT FALLS TO THEM.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE MONEY, IF THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENS.

>> AND THAT IS A CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE FOR THIS MEASURE BECAUSE VOTERS 20 YEARS AGO IN 2004, PASSED AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION SAYING HEY, THIS WAS SOMETHING PUT UP BY REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS WHO WERE MAD THAT VOTER INITIATIVES WERE PRESCRIBING A BUNCH OF THINGS TO BE FUNDED AND TELLING THE LEGISLATURE YOU GO FIND THE MONEY, THE LEGISLATURE DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY.

THEY PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT AND VOTERS SAID ANYTHING THAT GOES ON THE BALLOT THAT REQUIRES AN EXPENDITURE OF STATE FUNDS NEEDS TO HAVE A DEDICATED SOURCE OF REVENUE, NOT THE GENERAL FUND, ITS OWN SOURCE OF REVENUE TO PAY FOR IT.

IF IT DOESN'T, IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

THIS DOES NOT HAVE THAT.

THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

SOMETHING THAT COULDN'T BE LITIGATED BEFORE IT'S PASSED, BUT NOW IF IT'S IMPLEMENTED, THERE WILL BE LAWSUITS SAYING, LOOK, REPUBLICANS SENT THIS UNFUNDED MANDATE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION, WE HAVE TESTIMONY IN THE LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, ALL THE SHERIFFS AND POLICE CHIEFS SAYING THIS IS GREAT, WE LOVE IT.

GIVE US MEAN, WE NEED MONEY TO ENFORCE IT.

THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IS GOING TO BE HOUSING PEOPLE.

ALL KINDS OF COSTS, THE COURT SYSTEM WILL HAVE COSTS TO GO ALONG WITH THIS.

NONE OF THIS IS PAY THE FOR AND COULD GET THIS STRUCK DOWN IN COURT.

TED: BUT WAS THAT NOT DISCUSSED DURING THE REFERRAL PROCESS?

>> NO, NOT MUCH.

AS JIM SAID, THE SHERIFFS BROUGHT IT UP, GROUPS THAT OPPOSE THE CONCEPT BROUGHT IT UP, BUT NOT FROM THE SPONSORS.

>> THIS WAS A BILL, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE LEGISLATURE EXPECTS TRAFFIC COPS TO GO OUT HUNTINGS DOWN IMMIGRANTS HERE ILLEGALLY, THIS WAS PUT ON THE BALLOT AS A COUNTERMEASURE TO ABORTION BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID THE ABORTION ISSUE WAS GOING TO BRING OUT NEW VOTERS.

THAT'S WANT SOMETHING TO MOTIVATE THEIR OWN VOTERS.

>> WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES THE STATE LEGISLATURE, BALANCE OF POWER.

SOUNDED LIKE THE GOVERNOR WAS WORKING HARD TO FLIP ONE, IF NOT BOTH CHAMBERS.

SOUNDS LIKE NEITHER ONE IS FLIPPING AT ALL.

WHAT'S THE LATEST?

>> WHAT YOU SAID.

NOT HAPPENING.

WE HAD, ON ELECTION NIGHT, THE FIRST DROP OF RESULTS LOOKED GOOD FOR THE DEMOCRATS.

THEY WERE IN THE KEY DISTRICTS, BUT THE NEXT -- BY EARLY THE NEXT MORNING, THE REPUBLICANS ARE OVERTAKING THEM IN THE KEY DISTRICTS.

THERE'S BEEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS POURED INTO, THIS NOT JUST FROM THE GOVERNOR, IT'S UNCLEAR TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH MONEY HER CAMPAIGN SENT THAT WAY, BUT THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATS HAVE PUT LOTS OF MONEY INTO IT, IN THE HOPE OF GETTING THAT 14 UP TO A 15 OR IT WAS 16.

NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE 13, 17.

>> I ENVISION A T-SHIRT THAT SAYS I SPENT $10 MILLION FOR DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE AND I GOT MORE REPUBLICANS.

TED: THE 16, 14 COULD GAIN FOR REPUBLICANS AS MARY JO MENTIONED.

>> ABSOLUTELY COULD.

A MORE LIKELY NUMBER COULD BE 17 OR 18 REPUBLICANS.

DEMOCRATS WENT INTO THIS ELECTION CYCLE WITH HIGH HOPES OF WE SPENT FOUR YEARS WITH THE ONE-SEAT REPUBLICAN MAJORITIES AND THIS WAS THE YEAR THEY WERE GOING KNOCK IT OFF AND UNDO 60 YEARS OF REPUBLICAN CONTROL AND END UP WORSE OFF THAN WHAT THEY STARTED WITH.

IN THE SENATE, 16 REPUBLICANS AND GET 17 OR 18.

THERE ARE A COUPLE MORE ON THE CUSP THAT DEMOCRATS HOLD NOW THAT THEY MIGHT LOSE.

IN THE HOUSE, REPUBLICANS HAVE PICKED UP TWO SEATS ASSUREDLY TO GO TO 33, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OR TWO THEY COULD GRAB THERE AS WELL.

>> THEY LOST ONE, TOO.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

BECAUSE DEMOCRATS LOST A COUPLE.

SEATS THERE, AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL THE MONEY THAT WAS SPENT, THEY'RE GOING TO WIND UP WORSE THAN THEY STARTED AND IT'S BECAUSE IN ORDER TO GO FOR THE MAJORITY, THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE STRATEGY.

>> THE SIGNIFICANCE IS NO ONE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY I'M A HOLDOUT AND I SAY NO TO THIS.

USED TO HAVE, BACK WHEN THERE WAS A MODERATE REPUBLICAN, YOU USED TO HAVE A HOLDOUT, ONE WAS KEN BENNETT.

NOW THAT WON'T HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BIT OF A CUSHION THERE.

>> ARE WHEN IT GETS THAT MUCH SEPARATION, DO YOU GET A COALITION?

>> YOU HAVE PEOPLE IDENTIFY AND VOTE AS MODERATES, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

>> WHY DO THE REPUBLICANS -- THEY HAVE TO FEEL EMBOLDENED, WHY ON EARTH, KNOWING THERE IS A GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION, WHY ON EARTH WOULD THEY WANT TO COMPROMISE WITH A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR?

TED: JIM, DID KATIE HOBBS LOSE THIS ELECTION WITHOUT RUNNING.

WAS THIS A BAD NIGHT FOR HER?

>> I THINK IT WAS A BAD NIGHT FOR HER.

THE HOPE WAS THE FIRST HALF OF HER TERM WOULD SET THE STAGE FOR A REVERSAL OF POLITICAL POWER, AND THAT DEMOCRATS WOULD SWEEP INTO CONTROL OF ONE CHAMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE, IT WOULD GIVE HER POLITICAL CAPITAL AND JUICE TO GET HER AGENDA THROUGH, AND TO GET HER NOMINEES AND CAPITAL DIRECTORS, AGENCY DIRECTORS INTO THEIR JOBS, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN NOW.

SHE'S ABSOLUTELY WORSE OFF THAN SHE WAS ON MONDAY.

>> THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.

IT COULD BOLSTER HER AS I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN BE A DEFENSE AGAINST THIS.

I'VE GOT THE VETO STAMP AND USE IT, AND I'LL PROTECT ARIZONANS FROM ALL THE CRAZY STUFF THAT REPUBLICANS WANT TO DO.

>> WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A STATE THAT THINKS WHAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE DOING IS CRAZY STUFF.

YOU SAW THE ELECTION RESULTS THIS WEEK.

>> YES AND NO.

IF YOU LOOK AT MEASURES THE REPUBLICANS PUT ON THE BALLOT, A VAST MAJORITY OF THEM WERE DEFEATED HANDILY.

>> DON'T YOU THINK IT WAS BECAUSE VOTERS, THERE WERE TOO MANY OF THEM, AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING OR CONFUSED ABOUT IT, WE VOTE NO.

TED: WE HAVE NO CONFUSION HERE, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

GREAT CONVERSATION.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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