>>> MANAGING EDITOR OF >>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZONS, TIGHTS JOURNALIST'S ROUNDTABLE.

WE'LL DISCUSS THE TOP STORIES IN ARIZONA POLL APPLICATION, INCLUDING KYRSTEN SINEMA ANNOUNCEMENT SHE'LL NOTUN FOR RE-ELECTION.

THAT'S NEXT -- NOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION.

THAT'S NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

>>> GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M RICK IN FOR TED.

IT'S FRIDAY AND THAT MEANS IT'S ANOTHER EDITION OF THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

JOINING US TONIGHT WE'VE GOT MARK BRODY, JIM SMALL OF ARIZONA MIRROR, AND WAYNE FROM -- I SHOULD SAY SCHULTZ KEY.

OF HAD KJZZ.

WE WERE SMOKING -- JOKING WE HAVE TWO RADIO PEOPLE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BIGGEST TOPIC OF THE WEEK.

IT'S KIND OF THE SECRET THAT YOU PREDICTED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THIS WEEK.

I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED, THE FACT THAT SENATOR KYRSTEN SINEMA WILL NOT BE RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION.

LET'S START BY TAKING THAT STEP BACK AND SAY, WHY ISN'T SHE?

WE KNOW WHAT SHE SAID, BUT JIM, YOU WROTE ABOUT THIS EARLIER THIS WEEK BEFORE SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO DO IT.

WHY DIDN'T SHE RUN FOR RE-ELECTION?

>> I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T WIN.

REALLY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE HAD LEFT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN LATE 2002 AFTER ANGERING A LOT OF DEMOCRATIC VOTERS AND HAD BECOME POLLING THAT WE'D SEEN AROUND THAT TIME SHOWED SHE WAS INCREASINGLY NOT JUSTLIKED BUT BORDERLINE REVILED ALONG A LOT OF DEMOCRATS.

IT WAS GOING TO SET HER UP FOR A DIFFICULT PRIMARY CHALLENGE.

THEY WERE RECRUITING PEOPLE TO RUN AGAINST HER, THEY WERE TALKING TO THE CONGRESSMAN FROM PHOENIX WHO NOW IS RUNNING FOR THAT SEAT.

FOR THE SENATE SEAT.

TO GET IN THERE THEIR PRY HER.

THERE WAS A -- PRIMARY HER.

SHE LEFT THE PARTY TO AVOID A PRIMARY.

AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS KIND OF LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS TRYING TO REGROUP AND SEE WHETHER THERE WAS A PATH FOR HER TO RUN AS A THIRD-PERT CANDIDATE.

AND -- THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE.

AND AFTER TESTING THE WATERS AND LOOK AT THE WAY THINGS WERE, NOTHING CHANGED.

SHE WAS STILL -- DEMOCRATS DIDN'T LIKE HER.

REPUBLICANS LIKED HER IN THEORY BUT NOT ENOUGH TO VOTE FOR HER OVER A REPUBLICAN.

AND SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL SOME INDEPENDENTS.

BOTTOM LINE WAS MOST OF THE POLLING SHOWED HER BETWEEN 15 AND MAYBE LOW 20s PERCENT.

WHEN IT COMES TO A THREE-WAY RACE.

NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH TO EVEN BE COMPETITIVE IN THE RACE.

AND SO I THINK SHE DID WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPECTED SHE WAS GOING TO DO, WHICH WAS TO WALK AWAY.

AND JUST BE A ONE-TERM SENATOR.

>> MARK, DID SHE DOOM HERSELF BY INCOMING AN -- BECOMING AN INDEPENDENT?

COULD SHE HAD MADE IT WORK?

>> WE DON'T HAVE -- THE CRYSTAL BALL IS CLOUDY RIGHT NOW.

IT'S SUCH A GOOD QUESTION, BUT AS JIM SAID, LIKE SHE REALLY ANGERED A LOT OF DEMOCRATS WITH A LOT OF HER VOTES OR IN THE CASE OF THE FILIBUSTER, A NONVOTE TO CODIFY THINGS, LIKE VOTING RIGHTS AND AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

BEING AN INDEPENDENT RUNNING AS A THIRD PARTY WOULD HAVE BEEN A FASCINATING POLITICAL SCIENCE EXPERIMENT.

I HAVE NO IDEA IF SHE WOULD HAVE PULLED IT OFF.

I KEPT HEARING, THOUGH, AS -- OVER THE LAST YEAR, IF ANYBODY COULD DO IT, IT WOULD BE KIERSTENE.

BUT -- KYRSTEN SINEMA BUT WE'LL NEVER KNOW.

>> FOR THOSE OF US WHO GO BACK TO 1986, WHEN EVAN MEEKAM WAS ELECTED GOVERNOR, BUT WE HAD BILL SCHULTZ WHO WAS A DEMOCRAT, BECAME AN INDEPENDENT.

IN THIS CASE WE HAD A DEMOCRAT WHO BECAME AN INDEPENDENT, WAS A CENTRIST.

AND WOULD SHE HAVE BEEN THAT PERSON WHO SPLIT THE 15% DOWN THE MIDDLE.

WOULD IT HAVE MADE AN EXIST OR WOULD SHE HAD SPLIT THE DEMOCRATIC VOTE, DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK SHE LOOKS LIKE THE TYPE OF CANDIDATE WHO COULD HAVE, BUT WE LIVE IN SUCH A POLARIZING TIME POLITICALLY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO BRASS TACKS TACKS AND VOTING, SO MANY PEOPLE VOTE FOR THEIR PARTY THAT I KENT SEE A PETITION -- DON'T SEE A PATH FORWARD.

SHE VOTES WITH THE PRESIDENT, VOTES WITH THE DEMOCRATS.

A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TIME BUT NOT ENOUGH ON KEY ISSUES FOR THE DEMOCRATIC VETERANS.

THERE ARE SOME MODERATE REPUBLICANS AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TYPE REPUBLICANS WHO LOVE HER.

I THINK THERE'S A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PUS OUT A STATEMENT TODAY THANKING HER FOR HER SERVICE.

BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, HOW MANY REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT RECORD VOTING WITH BIDEN SAY I'M SELECTING THIS CANDIDATE.

AND THAT WASN'T THERE AND THAT'S THE VEALSATION -- REALIZATION SHE CAME TO.

>> SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE ENOUGH REPUBLICANS AWAY WAY THAT SHE WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO GALLATIONO.

IT WASN'T ONE OF THOSE CLEAR-CUT ANSWERS.

>> NO, IT REALLY WASN'T, BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND THE POLLS WERE KIND OF SPLIT ON AND IT TO THE EXTENT YOU CAN REALLY TRUST POLLS THAT ARE DONE 15, YOU KNOW, 14, 15 MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION OR EIGHT MONTHS, I THINK IT'S DIFFICULT.

BUT WE SAW IN OTHER POLLS, SHE WAS POLLING MORE -- YOU KNOW, HER EXITING IS GOING TO BENEFIT RUBEN MORE THAN IT WILL KARI LAKE.

SO I THINK IT REALLY IS THAT UNANSWERED QUESTION IN TERMS OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, LIKE MARK WAS SAYING EARLIER.

>> SO LET'S START LOOKING FORWARD NOW AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING BACK.

AND WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED.

WE NOW HAVE A CLEAR-CUT SENATE RACE BETWEEN KARI LAKE, ALTHOUGH TECHNICALLY SHE DOES HAVE A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, LIKELY SHE'S GOING TO GET THROUGH THAT, AND REUBEN GAL RUBEN GALLEGO.

AND IS THIS ONE OF THOSE EPIC BATTLES, SPENS, GLOVES OFF -- HOW -- EXPENSIVE, GLOVES OFF, WHAT DO YOU PREDICT?

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO FAR TO SUGGEST IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE AND GLOVES OFF.

JUST LOOKING AT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN SENATE RACES, YOU CAN.

WE HAVE HAD 12 OF THEM IN A ROW NOW.

YOU KNOW, GOING BACK.

BASED ON THE CANDIDATES, BASED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SEAT IN TERMS OF CONTROLLING THE SENATE, IT IS GOING TO BE, BASED ON WHAT WE WOULD IMAGINE, CLOSE, EXPENSIVE, AND PRETTY VICIOUS.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT RACE MOVING FORWARD, IS IT PRETTY OBVIOUS TO PREDICT WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO IN TERMS OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE SEEN COMING UP SO FAR OR ARE THERE THINGS YOU'RE SEEING BEHIND THE SCENES THAT MAY MAKE YOU THINK, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING THING THAT WILL CROP UP?

>> I THINK DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO MAKE ABORTION A HUGE ISSUE.

I THINK IT'S BEEN A WINNING ISSUE FOAM THERE ARE THAT THEY'VE DONE.

-- FOR THEM THAT THEY'VE DONE.

DOUGH REINVENT THE WHEEL.

WE'VE SEEN KARI LAKE TRYING TO MODERATE HER POSITION, SAYING FULL BAN TO 15-WEEK BAN, TO TRY AND BRING IN SOME OF THOSE MORE ORDINARY VOTERS.

A LOT OF REPUBLICANS, MODERATE REPUBLICANS DO NOT FAVOR A FULL ABORTION BAN.

SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE GALLEGO CAM TRY TO NEEDLE HER ON THAT AND ON THE OTHER SIDES, REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO GO WITH DEMOCRATS ON THE BORDER AND THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO BALANCEIAGO -- GALLEGO TO ADMINISTRATION'S PROCEDURES DOWN THERE.

>> BOTH RUBEN GALLEGO AND -- RUBEN GALLEGO CONGRATULATED AND THANKED HER FOR ALL HER SERVICE.

WHICH ONE DO YOU THINK IS MORE HAPPY TO SEE HER LEAVE AND DO YOU THINK THERE WAS A PART OF KARI LAKE SAYING, YOU MIGHT HAVE STAYED -- >> NO, I THINK REUBEN GALLING WEREO IS MORE HAPPEN -- GALLEGO IS MORE HAPPY TO SEE HER LEAVE.

IT BENEFITS HIM THE MOST.

HER BIGGEST DRAW -- THE VOTERS THAT REUBEN NEEDS TO WIN IN ORDER TO WIN THIS IS LIKE EVERY OTHER DEMOCRAT, WHICH IS SNORT RIGHT REPUBLICANS AND CENTER -- CENTER RIGHT REPUBLICANS AND CENTER RIGHT INDEPENDENTS.

THOSE ARE THE VOTERS THAT LAKE -- OR SKIPPING THAT RACE ALTOGETHER.

THAT'S WHAT REUBEN NEEDS TO WIN.

SO THOSE WERE THE VOTERS THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER, THE ONES THAT WERE MORE LIKELY TO GO WITH KYRSTEN SINEMA AND TO SUPPORT HER OVER A KARI LAKE.

SO NOW THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

THEY'RE EITHER GOING TO FACE THE SAME CHOICE -- EITHER GOAT FOR RUBEN GALLEGO OR KARI LAKE OR SKIP THE RACE ENTIRELY.

EVERY VOTE THAT'S NOT FOR LAKE IS THE FACT A VOTE FOR GALLEGO.

>> WE'VE SEEN IT.

AT LEAST FROM THE KARI LAKE PERSPECTIVE, TRYING TO MOVE TOWARD THAT CENTER.

HAVEN'T SEEN IT TO RUBEN YET, BUT SOME OF IT.

WHOSE WHO STANDS A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING MORE EFFECTIVE?

>> THAT SEEMS TO BE THE HUGE QUESTION.

THAT IS -- >> BECAUSE RUGGEN HASN'T BEEN -- RUBEN HASN'T BEEN WHO COURTED THOSE PEOPLE.

>> WHILE SINEMA DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH VOTERS TO WIN AN ELECTION, IT'S NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO STEAD THEY WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR HER.

SO WHERE THOSE VOTERS GO AND IF THEY GO, COULD THEY JUST SIT HOME AND NOT VOTE, COULD THEY VOTE FOR SOME RACES AND NOT THE SENATE RACE.

THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS IN DETERMINING WHO WINS THIS RACE IN TERMS OF WHO CAN GET THE MAJORITY OF THOSE SINEMA VOTERS TO THEIR CAMP OR AT LEAST PREVENT THEM FROM GOING TO THE OTHER'S CAMP.

>> AND WHEN WE'VE ALREADY SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, KARI LAKE STARTING TO MAKE THOSE MOVES, WHETHER IT WAS THE COMMENT ABOUT McCAIN AND JUST A JOKE OR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP THIS WEEK.

SHE STILL HASN'T COMPLETELY MOVED AWAY FROM BEING THAT PRETTY EXTREME CANDIDATE.

HOW CLOSE CAN SHE GET TO THAT CENTER, DO YOU THINK?

>> I WISH I KNEW.

>> ONE THING IN MY CRYSTAL BALL, IF ONLY WE HAD IT ON THE TABLE.

>> AS YOU MENTIONED, SHE'S DEFINITELY TRYING.

CONGRATULATING SINEMA.

TRYING TO PLAY OFF HER VERY AGGRESSIVE COMMENTS ABOUT JOHN McCAIN AS A JOKE.

THOSE ARE WAVES WHERE SHE'S TRYING TO SAY, I'M ACTUALLY WELCOME, YOU INTO THE PARTY AS I SEE IT, VERSUS HER LAST CAMPAIGN SHE WAS LITERALLY SAYING, GET OUT OUT OF THIS PARTY.

I THINK SHE SAW THAT THAT LOST HER THE RACE.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE BELIEVE HER OR HOW MANY CAN STOMACH VOTING FOR A DEMOCRAT AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET.

THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES, BUT YOU COULD SEE REPUBLICANS WHO KIND OF CONVINCEED THEMSELVES LAST TIME AROUND I DON'T LIKE THE CHOICE FOR REPUBLICANS.

I'LL FLIP SIDE THIS TIME.

NEXT TIME AROUND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME BETTER CANDIDATES.

NEXT TIME YOU HAVE THE SAME CANDIDATE.

CAN THEY CONVINCE THEMSELVES TO FLIP AGAIN.

>> SO THIS WEEK -- WE HADS ON SUPER TUESDAY ARIZONA'S PRIMARY TECHNICALLY IS IN ANOTHER WEEK AND A HALF.

DOES IT MATTER?

YOU KNOW, IT'S COMING UP ON MARCH 19th.

ULTIMATELY DID SUPER TUESDAY JUST SUCK ALL THE AIR OUT OF THE ROOM?

>> NO.

IT DOESN'T MATTER AND I DON'T KNOW THAT -- >> IT DIDN'T MATTER BEFORE.

>> WHEN IS THE LAST TIME IT MATTERED IN ARIZONA.

HONESTLY.

WE'VE COME LATE IN THE CALENDAR, SO MUCH OF THE RACE IS DECIDED THIS YEAR I THINK MORE SO THAN IN TYPICAL YEARS.

THE DEMOCRATS -- IT'S JOE BIDEN.

AND FOR REPUBLICANS, I DON'T THINK THAT -- NO ONE ELSE IS WINNING ANYMORE.

NIKKI HALEY DROPPED OUT.

SHE WAS THE LAST OF WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER A CREDIBLE CHALLENGER TO TRUMP.

IT'S ALREADY SETTLED.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY, AT THIS POINT FORWARD, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF LOOKING TOWARD NOVEMBER AND YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE CAMPAIGNS FIGHT AND YOU KNOW, TAKE TO TO VOTERS.

AND TRY TO SEE IF THEY CAN -- IF THEY CAN WIN ENOUGH VOTERS IN THE STATE TO WIN.

>> THERE IS ONE ODD CANDIDATE WHO'S ON OUR BALLOT COMING UP AND WILL BE POTENTIALLY ON A LOT OF BALLOTS WHICH IS ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.

HE IS THE SON OF THE FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE UNITED STATES.

RATHER UNIQUE POLITICAL INDIVIDUAL S. AND ME -- IS HE -- DO YOU THINK HE'LL HAVE ANY IMPACT, REALIZING YOU GO BACK BACK TO AL GORE AND RALPH NADER BACK IN FLORIDA, AND EVEN A TINY SLIVER OF VOTE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> OR SOMEONE LIKE JILL STEIN BACK IN 2016 WHEN IT WAS TRUMP AND CLINTON, YEAH.

>> DO YOU THINK HE'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE EITHER IN ARIZONA AS WE GO DOWN THIS PATH OR ELSEWHERE?

>> I MEAN, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT INCONCEIVABLE.

THAT CRYSTAL BALL IS CLOUDY AT THE MOMENT.

BUT IT'S INTERESTING, LISTENING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FAR SMARTER ABOUT THIS STUFF THAN I AM, THE THINGS THAT ARE INTERESTING ARE FOR VOTERS WHO DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT HIM, THEY SEE THE NAME AND ASSUME, OH, LIKE JOHN KENNEDY OR ROBERT KENNEDY, HIS DAD.

BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT HIM, THEY KNOW THAT HE'S A VACCINE SCENTIC AND YOU KNOW, WAS -- SCENTIC AND WAS PEDALING MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE -- DURING THE PANDEMIC.

SO THERE'S THIS INTERESTING DICHOTOMY BEFORE HIS FAMILY PEDIGREE AND WHAT HE HIMSELF HAS ACTUALLY DONE.

>> PEOPLE JUST THINK ROBERT F. KENNEDY AND THEY THINK DEMOCRAT AND I'M CURIOUS IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO THERE OR LOOK AT HIS ANTI-VACCINE PERSPECTIVE AND GO, THAT COULD TAKE AWAY FROM A CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVE.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE INTERESTING AS WE GO DOWN THIS PATH.

>> YEAH.

>> ANOTHER INTERESTING THING TODAY IS WE'VE GOT THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, KAMALA HARRIS, MAKING A VISIT TO ARIZONA.

DID ANYBODY NOTICE OR CARE?

IT JUST SEEMS TO BE THAT -- YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE GOVERNOR YESTERDAY WHO SAID, MY SCHEDULE IS A LITTLE BUSY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS LIKE, I'M TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO THE AIRPORT.

I CAN'T DO IT.

WHERE IS SHE DOING IT?

IT'S PART OF THE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS TOUR.

BUT WAYNE, IS IS THIS A PROBLEM THAT THE -- FOR THE DEMOCRATS, IS THERE A PROBLEM THAT WE DON'T HAVE THIS COHESIVE YOU KNOW, PERSPECTIVE MOVING FORWARD WITH EVERYBODY GETTING TOGETHER AND SAYING, YEAH, WE'RE READY, THUMBS UP?

>> I THINK THEY DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM GETTING VOTERS EXCITED, ESPECIALLY -- WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUES THAT A CERTAIN SEGMENT, ESPECIALLY YOUNGER VOTERS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, HAVE WITH THE PRESIDENT'S AGE AND SOME OF HIS POSITIONS ON PROGRESSIVE ISSUES.

AND SO SOMETHING LIKE ABORTION AS I MENTIONED, A BIG ANIMATING ISSUE FOR DEMOCRATIC VOTERS.

THE FACTS THE VICE PRESIDENT IS COMING HERE AND AS WE DISCUSSED NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT.

SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE COORDINATION FROM THE CAMPAIGN SIDE TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE DOING THESE BIG EVENTS IN THESE KEY STATES WITH ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT.

MAYBE LET'S TALK TO EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT MORE AND GET THE WORD OUT.

>> JIM, WAS IT A PROBLEM OR IS IT, IT'S EARLY, WHO CARES?

>> I THINK MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

IT IS EARLY.

AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE CAMPAIGN SUCCESS ON THOSE ISSUES AREN'T GOING TO PIVOT ON THIS VISIT FROM KAMALA HARRIS TO ARIZONA.

THERE'S A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER, A LOT OF CAMPAIGN WORK.

THE ABORTION RIGHTS BALLOT MEASURE IS GOING TO DRIVE A LOT MORE I THINK THAN ANY SINGLE APPEARANCE BY THE VICE PRESIDENT OR EVEN BY A PRESIDENT, IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DRIVING FOLKS ON THAT ISSUE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THAT IT IS A LITTLE CONCERNING THAT YOU KNOW, YOU DID HAVE THE VICE PRESIDENT COME TO TOWN AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE GOVERNOR THERE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THERE.

YOU DON'T HAVE -- YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE TOP FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE SURROGATES FOR THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN IN ARIZONA, THAT THEY WEREN'T THERE FOR THIS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SPEAKS TO JUST REALLY BAD TIMING OR IF THAT SPEAKS TO LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION FROM THE CAMPAIGN WITH PROMINENT DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE.

>> LET'S TAKE A PIVOT AND GO BACK TO ARIZONA.

THE FACT THAT OUR GOVERNOR VETOED THE FIRST BILL OF THIS SESSION THIS WEEK.

LAST YEAR SHE HAD 143, SET A NEW RECORD, ALMOST TRIPLE WHAT00 BEEN THE PREVIOUS -- WHAT HAD BEEN THE PREVIOUS RECORD, IT WAS THE BORDER INVASION ACT.

IS THIS GOING TO BE THE FIRST OF ANOTHER RECORD OR IS THE LEGISLATURE GOING TO GO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY MADE OUR STATEMENT.

WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE HER HAVE 144 VETOES.

>> IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO WATCH, BECAUSE IF SHE'S GOING TO SET THAT RECORD, THEY GOT TO START -- SENDING HER A LOT MORE BILLS, BECAUSE SHE'S TRAILING HER PACE FROM LAST YEAR.

THIS IS ONE THAT SHE TELEGRAPHED PRETTY EARLY ON THAT SHE WAS GOING TO VETO.

>> EXPLAIN THE BILL.

>> THIS IS A BILL, CRITICS WERE CALLING IT SB 1070 VERSION 2.0.

WOULD HAVE MADE A STATE CRIME OF BEING IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY AND ALLOWED STATE POLICE TO DETAIN PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE ILLEGALLY, AMONG MANY, MANY OTHER THINGS.

THAT'S A VERY THUMBNAIL VERSION OF THIS BILL.

BUT THE GOVERNOR SAID THIS IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE ANYTHING.

THERE'S NO REASON TO DO THIS.

IT'S GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE FOR THE STATE BECAUSE IT WILL -- WE WILL BE SUED, LIKELY FOR SB 1070, LIKE TEXAS HAS BEEN FOR SB4, WHICH IS A MODELED ON.

SO THIS WAS A PRETTY EASY ONE TO ASSUME THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO VETO, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SHE SAID THEY WOULD.

BUT SAN FRANCISCO WHETHER OR NOT -- AS TO WHETHER THRRNLTD WILL BE MANY, MANY -- THERE WILL BE MANY, MANY MORE.

WE'LL SEE HOW MANY MAKE A TOUR.

>> FOR THOSE WHO DON'T PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE LEGISLATURE, IF YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO TO GET VEOD, WHY -- VETOED, WHY SEND IT UP?

>> SHE TOLD ME RIGHT IS RIGHT, WRONG IS WRONG.

WE NEED TO PROTECT CITIZENS.

I THINK THAT'S THE MORE OR LESS THE QUOTE SHE GAVE ME.

SO THESE ARE ISSUES SHE THINKS NEED TO BE SOLVED, THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO SOLVE IT ACCORDING TO HER, SO WE CAN'T BOTHER OURSELVES WITH THREATS FROM THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE OUR JOB IS TO WRITE THESE LAWS AND SEND THEM HER WEAR.

THEY'RE GOING -- HER WAY.

THEY'RE GOING THE BALLOT ROUTE, WHICH I THINK WE'LL SEE A FEW LESS VETOES, BECAUSE SOME OF THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL IDEAS, THEY'RE SAYING LET THE VOTERS DECIDED.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW THAT'S DIFFERENCE AND WHY THAT ROUTE.

>> LAST YEAR THEY SPENT THEIR TIME WRITING BILLS, WHICH IS JUST NORMAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT CHANGE STATE LAW.

THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE HOUSE.

STATE HOUSE, THE STATE SENATE, AND THEN GO TO THE GOVERNOR AND GET AN APPROVAL.

A LOT OF THE BILLS 143 DID NOT GET THAT APPROVAL AND WERE VETOED.

THIS YEAR LIKE WAYNE SAYING, THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF BALLOT REFERRALS OR THEY'RE CONSIDERING -- CERTAINLY CONSIDERING THEM.

WE'LL SEE HOW MANY THEY END UP SENDING TO THE BALLOT.

BUT IT CUTS KACIE HOBBS OUT OF THE LOOP.

-- KATIE HOBBS OUT OF THE LOOP.

>> GOES STRAIGHT TO THE PEOPLE.

>> IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.

I THINK THAT THEY'VE GOT, GOSH, 40 OR 50 OF THEM THAT ARE KICKING AROUND THAT ARE -- SOME OF THEM ARE THINGS THAT WERE VETOED LAST YEAR.

SOME OF THEM EXISTING BILLS THAT WILL GET VETOED AGAIN THIS YEAR AND MAY BE END UP ON THE BALLOT.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP TO DECIDE HOW MANY THEY WANT TO PUT ON THE BALLOT.

I THINK THE LAST TIME WE HAD A REALLY LONG BALLOT U2006.

I THINK WE HAD 19 THINGS ON THE BALLOT.

THIS YEAR DEPENDING ON WHAT REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURES DO, WE COULD BE LOOKING AT HAVING A BALLOT THAT'S THREE OR FOUR PAGES LONG IN MARICOPA COUNTY, WHICH I THINK EVERYONE UNIVERSALLY AGREED IS PROBABLY BAD FOR THE PROSPECTS OF ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ON THE FIRST PAGE.

>> IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IN RECENT YEARS, REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF THE REFERENDUM PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUTTING THINGS ON AND THE INITIATIVE PROCESS.

AND NOW THEY'RE GOING THEIR OWN ROUTE SAYING THE REFERENDUMS IS IN THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE WE'RE COMING UP WITH THOSE.

WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT, DO YOU WANT THE PEOPLE TO VOTE ON IT?

>> I THINK THEY WANT THE PEOPLE TO VOTE ON THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO VOTES ON.

THERE'S A TON OF THEM FLOATING OUT THERE THIS YEAR, THAT THEY -- CITIZEN INITIATIVES.

THE ABORTION BILL.

HEARS SOME ELECTION ONES AND OTHERS THAT ARE CIRCULATING FOR SIGNATURES RIGHT NOW, NOT TO MENTION ALSO ANY REFERENDA THAT THE LEGISLATE -- REFERENDA -- REFERENDUM THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAD LAST YEAR.

MARICOPA COUNTY IS LOOKING AT THREE BACK FRONT AND BACK.

THEY COULD BE GOING TO THREE PIECES OF PAPER FOR THE BALLOT, WHICH AS JIM SAID, WHEN THERE ARE THAT MANY, THERE'S A FEAR THAT PEOPLE JUST VOTE NO ON ALL OF THEM.

>> AND THEN SOMEBODY IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF RUNNING IT THROUGH A MACHINE AND THAT WILL BE A DIFFERENT ISSUE COMPLETELY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE STRANGE WEEK AT THE LEGISLATURE.

HERE WE HAVE 17 HOUSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE GONE ON A TRIP TO ISRAEL.

AND THEY ESSENTIALLY SHOULD SHUT THE HOUSE DOWN.

SENATE STAYEDWORKING.

ON -- STAYED WORK WORKING.

DID IT MATTER?

DID ANYBODY CARE?

>> YOU SAW A LOT LESS ACTIVITY IN THE HOUSE.

SO THERE'S STILL A FEW COMMITTEE HERE'S HERE AND THERE, BUT THE SENATE WAS.

[ROLL CALL VOTE] OGBILLS AS A WHOLE -- WAS VOTING ON BILLS AS A WHOLE.

THE BUDGET IS IS THE ONLY THING THE LEGISLATURE LEGALLY HAS TO PASS.

EVERY YEAR.

AND THOSE TALKS BETWEEN THE LEGISLATE -- REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE AND THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR JUST STARTING TO PICK UP.

IT'S REALLY JUST AT A STAFF LEVEL THE GOVERNOR SAID, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, PART OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS OUT OF TOWN, THERE'S JUST GOING TO TAKE LONGER.

>> I THINK FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAS FOLLOWED THE LEGISLATURE, IT WAS PRETTY UNUSUAL.

I CAN'T REMEMBER EVER SEEING THIS PEOPLE LEAVE IN THE MIDDLE BUT I ALSO GO BACK TO THE QUESTION OF DID IT MATTER.

THE PERSPECTIVE WAS WE'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS ON BUDGET ANYWAY.

MIGHT AS WELL TAKE A VACATION.

DID IT MATTER?

>> I THINK IT MATTERS FOR SENATORS WHO HAVE BILL THAT IS THEY WANT TO GET HEARD IN A COMMITTEE.

THEY HAVE A DEADLINE ON THAT THAT'S QUICKLY APPROACH EPG.

THERE ARE TWO OR THREE WEEKS TO HEAR BILLS, UNLESS THEY EXTEND THE DEADLINE.

>> WE HEARD THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THEY WON'T EXTEND THE DEADLINE.

>> THEY OFTEN DON'T.

I THINK IT'S THE THING EVERY YEAR.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE -- IT'S LIKE RUNNING LATE FOR A BUS, YOU'RE HOPING TO GET AT THE STOP AND IT IS UP TO THE BUS DRIVER WHETHER THEY WANT WANT TO HIT THE BRAKES AND LET YOU ON OR THEY'RE GOING TO DRIVE AWAY.

AND GENERALLY, THOSE BILLS GET LEFT BEHIND.

AND THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE AGAIN THIS YEAR.

IF I WAS A SENATOR AND I GOT TO WATCH THE HOUSE BASICALLY DO NOTHING FOR A WEEK, AND STAGNATE AND ALL THESE COMMITTEES NOT MEET, YOU KNOW, I'D FEEL A LITTLE SALTY, PERSONALLY.

AND I THINK YOU SAW THAT IN THE SENATE.

EVEN LAST WEEK, WHEN THE HOUSE -- THE HOUSE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REASONS HAS TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO NOT SHOW UP AND DID ITS WORK.

AND THE SENATE SAID NO.

WE WANT YOU TO SHOW UP AND DO YOUR WORK.

AND IT DIDN'T AMOUNT TO ANYTHING, BUT OTHER THAN JUST KIND OF A LITTLE PUBLIC TIFF AND I THINK THAT -- I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT.

I THINK THERE'S A FEELING THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS SUPPOSED SUPPOSED TO BE 100 DAYS LONG.

WHY ARE YOU LEAVING FOR A WEEK OF THAT?

WE DON'T HAVE MANY WEEKS TO DO OUR WORK.

>> WHILE THEY DID HAVE TO ASK PERMISSION, THEY FIGURED OUT A TECHNICAL WORK-AROUND TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.

>> THE SENATE SAID YEAH, NO.

AND MAYBE TO JIM, A LITTLE MORE SALTY LANGUAGE THAN THAT.

BUT YEAH, THERE'S A WORK-AROUND.

THERE'S ALWAYS A WORK-AROUND.

YOU CAN BRING SOME PEOPLE IN, REALIZING YOU DON'T HAVE A QUORUM.

I GUESS WE CAN'T MEET TODAY.

I THINK THE DEADLINE THING IS THE INTERESTING THING HERE IN TERMS OF GETTING BILLS THROUGH HOUSE COMMITTEES AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THIS IS LIKE TRUE BAD BLOOD NOW BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE LIKE IF THIS IS A LINGERING THING WHERE SENATORS ARE KIND OF ANGRY WITH THE HOUSE AND THE HOUSE IS YOU KNOW, A LITTLE FRUSTRATED WITH THE SENATE, OR IF THEY CAN PUT THAT ASIDE, ESPECIALLY AS BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS RAMP UP.

>> SPEAKING OF ANGER IN THE SENATE, THERE WAS A BILL GOING THROUGH THE SENATE THAT EVERYBODY JUST ASSUMED WOULD CRANK THROUGH, WHICH WAS THE VEHICLE MILE TAX RESOLUTION BILL, WHICH HAD SUFFICIENT THEY THOUGHT REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO GO THROUGH AND ONE REPUBLICAN JUMPED OVER THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE AND SAID, NO, NO, I'M KILLING THIS.

ENDED UP IN A TIE.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY?

>> IT'S JUST THE REALITY I THINK OF SPLIT -- OF SPLIT GOVERNMENT WITH VERY CLOSE MARGINS THERE.

SO YOU HAVE ONE SENATOR OR ONE REPRESENTATIVE AT ANY GIVEN TIME -- >> BECOMES THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN THE ROOM.

>> YEAH.

AND SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A LEGITIMATE LEGISLATIVE REASON AND SOMETIMES IT CAN BE PETTY BEHIND-THE-SCENES BEEFS.

BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW TENUOUS ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IS IN THE LEGISLATURE AT A TIME LIKE THIS.

SENATOR KEN BENNET VOTED AGAINST ONE OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE USE OF PRONOUNCE IN SCHOOLS WITH TRANSGENDER STUDENTS.

IN THAT CASE HE EXPLAINED IT AND HE SAID I MET WITH SOME OF THESE STUDENTS AND I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT IF THIS GETS VOTED ON AND GOES INTO LAW, IT'S A LOT HARDER FOR US TO CHANGE THE LAWS.

SO THAT WAS A REASON.

IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF THE TYPE OF GOVERNMENT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

>> WAS THIS A MOVE BY ONE LAWMAKER TO BE A LITTLE MORE CENTRIST OR WAS IT -- JUST BOTHERED BY A COUPLE BILL BILLS?

>> I THINK PROBABLY MORE THE LATTER.

I THINK KEN BENNET WAS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD I THINK ABOUT WHAT HIS ISSUES WHY WERE WITH THESE AND CERTAINLY AMONG WHATEVER POLICY QUESTIONS HE MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THEM, I THINK WHAT WAYNE SAID IS I THINK IS RIGHT.

WE HAVE -- THE STATE CONSTITUTION BARS LEGISLATORS FROM ESSENTIALLY DOING MUCH OF ANYTHING TO AMEND ANYTHING THAT GETS PASSED BY THE VOTERS.

SO IF THESE THINGS WERE GOING TO -- GO TO THE BALLOT AND GET PASSED, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THEY'RE IMPLEMENTED AND IT WILL REQUIRE A FIX.

THAT FIX NEEDS TO COME ALSO FROM THE VOTERS, WHICH IS A PROBLEM.

IT MEANS YOU MIGHT HAVE A LAW THAT'S NOT WORKING FROL OR MAYBE IT'S BEING APPLIED IMPROPERLY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS UNTIL THEY CAN GET -- IN FRONT OF VOTERS AGAIN, ASSUMING VOTERS ARE GOING TO THEN PASS THE FIX.

SO THAT WAS A THING THAT SENATOR BENNET RAISED.

I THINK WITH BOTH.

CERTAINLY WITH THE TRANS STUDENT BILL.

AND SO HE'S SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN AROUND ROUND A LOT -- AROUND A LOT LONGER THAN MOST PEOPLE DOWN THERE.

I THINK HE FIRST GOT ELECTED IN 2000 AND SERVED AS SECRETARY OF STATE AND KIND OF LEFT THE CAPITOL FOR A LITTLE BIT BEFORE COMING BACK RECENTLY.

SO HE'S GOT A LONGER PERSPECTIVE AND I THINK THAT HE -- YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S TIND COULD HAVE THING THAT WEEINGED ON HIM.

>> -- WEIGHED ON HIM.

>> JE MANY.

WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU TODAY.

WHO KNOWS WHAT EXCITING THINGS WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT NEXT WEEK.

THE BEAUTY OF THIS BUSINESS.

THAT'S GOING TO DO IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "HORIZON."

WE'LL BE BACK HERE ON MONDAY.

WE HOPE YOU HAVE -- MONDAY.

WE HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

♪ ♪