(bright music) - Coming up next on this special edition of "Arizona Horizon," it's our annual Journalists' Year in Review.

Tonight, we'll see how three local journalists did in predicting big stories for this year and what their predictions are for 2024.

Journalists' Year in Review is next on "Arizona Horizon."

- [Announcer] This hour of local news is made possible by contributions from the friends of PBS, members of your PBS station, thank you.

- Good evening and welcome to this special edition of "Arizona Horizon," I'm Ted Simons.

Tonight, we feature our annual Journalists' Year in Review and prediction show, where we look back at predictions made for this year and get thoughts on the big stories for 2024.

Our guests tonight are Laurie Roberts of the "Arizona Republic" and azcentral.com, Howie Fischer of Capital Media Services, and Jeremy Duda of Axios Phoenix.

Let's start by seeing how our journalists did this time last year with their predictions for this year.

Producer Mike Sauceda has the recap.

- [Mike] Journalists started with predictions about which Democrat will run for the Arizona Senate seat up for grabs in 2024.

- I think we will see Congressman Ruben Gallego announced, and I don't know if we're gonna see much after that.

- Truthfully, by the time this show airs, right around New Year's, Ruben may have already jumped in.

I think he does want to control the field.

- Ruben alone, Laurie, or do you think someone joins him?

- I think it will be Ruben alone in terms of major candidates.

There may be some minor ones.

- [Mike] All the journalists correctly guessed that Ruben Gallego would run for Senate.

Next, they were asked about whether Kyrsten Sinema would run to retain her spot in the Senate.

- Well, I initially thought no, because you look at the public opinion polls, nobody much seems to like her.

On the other hand, I've changed my mind.

I think that she will run because otherwise, why change to Independent?

- I think she will make noise in 2023.

But I think when it comes down to it, now I'm predicting two years out, heaven help us, I think she's going to look at the numbers and say, "As much as people say they want Independents, "the fact that there're more Independents "than Republicans and Democrats in the state," that there's no path to victory there for her.

- [Ted] So that's a no.

- That's a no.

- Initially, I thought, yes, now I'm thinking, no, I think she wants to, I think that's the reason why she switched to Independent.

But I think she's going to do some polling, and check out the lay of the land, and sometime, probably midway through next year, she's gonna see no path to victory and decide to bow out.

- [Mike] Sinema has yet to make an announcement.

They then guessed which Republicans would run for Senate.

- [Jeremy] I think we're gonna see Sheriff Mark Lamb down in Pinal County.

There's been a lot of buzz about him.

I believe he's already confirmed that he is considering it.

I think, I don't know if he'll do it.

I think there's gonna be a lot of pressure on Juan Ciscomani to run from more of the business establishment Ducey wing.

But that's a little more, that's a little iffy here.

- I think there's gonna be, Biggs will be in the race.

I think Lamb will be in the race.

I think those are the two main ones.

- I think that Lamb has already made it very clear that he's gonna go for it.

He's the more farther Right candidate, so I definitely think you're going to need a more establishment candidate.

I think it will be Juan Ciscomani.

- [Mike] Mark Lamb did throw his cowboy hat into the ring, but Andy Biggs and Juan Ciscomani have not announced to run.

Next, the journalist turned to state government issues, including how many bills Governor Katie Hobbs would quash.

- [Ted] How many vetoes will Governor Hobbs issue next year?

- 2,143.

(Ted laughing) No, the record I believe is Janet Napolitano, Democratic governor who had a Republican Legislature, and I think her record was 58, so I'm gonna go with 59 just because Hobbs is gonna wanna do things just a little better.

- I'm gonna say 30, which is gonna be more than any governor except for Napolitano.

She had three years, I believe, that exceeded that.

- I think it's gonna be more in the neighborhood of two dozen.

- [Mike] Laurie Roberts came the closest with her guess of 59, but not even coming close to the record-breaking 143 vetoes issued by Hobbs.

The panelists then took a stab at when lawmakers might end their session.

- I think we're here June 28th, June 29th, maybe the morning of July 1st.

- [Ted] Interesting, Laurie, what do you think?

- Well, I got maybe this time next year, (Ted laughs) but no, I think probably June 25th.

- [Ted] June 25th, okay, all right.

What do you think, Jeremy?

Gimme a date.

- I would say June 15th, pretty late, but not quite up to the wire.

- [Mike] The Legislature completely shattered the record for the longest session ever at 204 days, eclipsing the old record of 173.

They ended on July 31st with Howie coming closest with his guests of July 1st.

Journalists then took a stab at whether there would be a special session in 2023.

- Every once in a while, I throw out a bonus question.

So, will there be a special session at any time in the calendar year 2023?

- I think so, yes.

- [Ted] Do you have any idea on what it would be?

- Oh God, could be budget, it could be water.

- I think, assuming that we haven't resolved the expenditure limit before the new session comes in, I think there'll have to be concurrent special session on that.

- I think that there will be a concurrent special session on the spending limit.

- [Mike] All three journalists guessed correctly that the Legislature would hold a special session.

Journalists then turned their attention to the future of failed GOP gubernatorial candidate, Kari Lake.

- [Ted] Kari Lake, will she be involved in politics, Arizona politics in any way, shape, or form next year?

- Other than maybe as a surrogate for Donald Trump in his 2024 election?

She's still very popular among the far Right, but no, I don't believe that she will.

- I think we haven't seen the last of her as far as trying to influence politics.

As far as trying to run for office, I think she'd rather be a queen maker, if you will.

- I think more of a queen maker.

I think she'll stay involved.

I think she'll still be claiming to be the rightfully elected governor.

I think she still commands the loyalty of a very large faction of the Republican base out here.

But I think her greater involvement will be on the national level.

I think she'll be very involved in Trump's campaign.

- [Mike] All three journalists got that one wrong.

She is running for Senate.

Turning to national politics, the question was about Donald Trump's future.

- [Ted] Will Donald Trump be indicted?

- I'm leaning towards just, 'cause there's so many different investigations going on, there's so many different possibilities for this to happen.

- I think that he will be.

I think that it is bad for him to keep nuclear secrets of the nation in your sock drawer.

- (chuckles) Bad for him, Howie, but is that an indictment?

- Well, I think he's gonna be indicted, but not for the stuff related to the January 6th or even this stuff.

I think there's gonna be something else with his business.

- [Mike] Everyone guessed that one correctly.

He was indicted more than once.

Sticking with national politics, the question was about Joe Biden's future.

- [Ted] Will he announce a run for reelection?

- [Howie] He will announce one, but I think before the end of the year, I think he will pull out.

- [Ted] Laurie, will Joe Biden run for reelection?

- I believe that he will run for reelection if Donald Trump runs.

- I think he's not gonna run.

I think his role for the Democrats was to defeat Donald Trump in 2020, he did that.

- [Mike] Howie and Laurie were correct with Jeremy guessing wrong.

Journalists then speculated on the future of Twitter.

- [Ted] Will Twitter exist as we know it at this time next year?

- Twitter will continue to exist.

I think what it's gonna be is the harder question.

As we know it, no.

- As we are coming to know it as a sort of a echo chamber now for the Right and for conspiracy theories and for candidates who decide the number of retweets that they get and their number of followers somehow is indicative of how many votes that they will get in things.

I think you're gonna see that kind of Twitter much more of a rightward slant and a lot of people leaving it.

- [Ted] What do you think Jeremy?

- I think it, more or less, will still exist as we know it, I mean, probably some changes.

- [Mike] Three for three on that one as Twitter is still around, although with the new name of X.

Journalists then had a lightning round on sports topics.

- [Ted] The Coyotes Arena, will Tempe voters approve it?

- [Jeremy] I think so.

I think that whole project is a big deal for Tempe.

- [Ted] What do you think, Howie?

- [Howie] I don't think so.

I think people are tired of taxpayer-funded things, even if it's a good deal.

- [Ted] What do you think?

- [Laurie] Yep.

- [Ted] You think they're gonna vote for it?

- [Laurie] Yes, I do.

- Laurie, will the Diamondbacks, the Arizona Diamondbacks, your Arizona Diamondbacks, make the playoffs?

- [Laurie] No.

- [Ted] Not at all?

- [Laurie] No.

- [Ted] All right.

What do you think, Howie?

- [Howie] Not this year, not their year.

- [Ted] Not a bit, Jeremy?

- [Jeremy] No, but they'll show some improvement, I think.

- How far will the Suns go in the playoffs?

- (sighs) I was at game seven against the Mavs, so this is tough for me.

All right, I'm just gonna say they'll go to the finals.

- Go to the finals?

- I'm gonna regret this, but I'm gonna say it.

- Oh, that's bold.

That's bold, what do you think?

- Quarterfinals about as far as it gets.

- Quarterfinals, I don't even know what that means.

- Semi-finals, Chris Paul is not getting any younger.

- Name a team that's gonna play in the Super Bowl.

- I think that the Philadelphia Eagles.

- Eagles.

- Cowboys.

- Dallas Cowboys, okay.

- My wife's family's from from Buffalo, so I'm gonna give a shout out to the Bills.

I think it's their year to make it back.

- Those are all good answers.

I think they have a really good shot.

- [Mike] Only Howie guessed that the Tempe project would be soundly rejected by voters.

None of the journalists foresaw that the Diamondbacks would actually not only get into the playoffs, but end up playing in the World Series, which they lost.

Jeremy was wrong, the Suns did not go to the finals.

Howie was also wrong, but Laurie was right as the Suns played in the semifinals.

Only Howie correctly predicted a Super Bowl game contestant, the Eagles, they lost to the Chiefs.

And finally, journalists ended in their traditional manner by going out on a limb with predictions.

- All right, time for the sure shot, long shot predictions.

Howie, we're turning to you.

- Okay, because I did so well last year.

- Yeah, give it to us.

- Okay, in terms of a sure shot, I think, well, lemme give you the long shot first.

The long shot is, I think that maybe, following up from last year, I think we will see some sort of political action committee or some other activity on behalf of Doug Ducey as he tips his toe into the Potomac River and says, "You know, I think I belong in Washington."

The two sure shots are number one, I think that Wendy Rogers will introduce a record number of election bills.

- Oh, Laurie?

- I'll give you two short shots.

We'll have an initiative for rank choice voting, and I believe there will be another initiative started, the petition drive start to ban the 1864 abortion law.

I don't think that Katie Hobbs is gonna get the Legislature to budge on that.

So my long shot, and this is pretty long, but I think we have not heard the last of Kelly Ward.

I think she'll be gunning for Paul Gosar's seat.

- Okay, long shot, sure shot.

- Sure shot, I think the Colorado River Basin states are gonna be unable to reach an agreement on who takes what cutback, so I think the Feds are going to impose one, and everyone's going to be unhappy with it.

Long shot, I think the aggregate expenditure limit fight is, everyone's gonna play chicken, no one's gonna back down, and we will see schools shut down around the end of the school year, because they won't be able to resolve this.

- [Mike] Howie's long shot on former governor, Doug Ducey's political future was wrong.

Wendy Rogers did introduce at least four election bills.

Laurie got both her sure shot predictions correct, but failed in her guess about Kelly Ward.

Finally, Jeremy got both his sure shot and long shot predictions incorrect.

The winner of the 2023 predictions was Howie with nine points, followed by Lori with eight, and Jeremy with five.

- And congratulations to Howie for his win.

Let's get that part of it over with, congratulations.

- Okay, I'm done.

- Good for you.

All right, let's get now to our predictions for 2024, and Howie, since you're the winner for the last go round, we'll start with you.

Let's start with the biggie.

Who will be elected president in November?

- [Howie] Donald Trump.

- [Ted] President Trump redo.

- President Trump redo, economy is bad.

Joe Biden is fumbling around.

We can make a prediction as to whether he'll even stay in the race, but they spend a lot of money.

But I don't see Biden coming back for a second term.

- [Ted] Laurie, who's the next president?

- Well, I think it's gonna be really close, but I think that ultimately, it will be Joe Biden.

I think he's got a lot of ground to make up right now, but I think that there are some things coming down the pike legally with Donald Trump perhaps, that are gonna turn off some people.

I think you're gonna see a lot of the electorate change this year, new people coming into the polling places, and I think it'll be Joe Biden by a hair.

- [Ted] What do you think, Jeremy?

- I think Biden, things don't look great for him right now, obviously, but there's still a long way out, and there's a lot that can happen, a lot that probably will happen.

I think he'll probably squeak through this one, although I'm not sure if he's gonna win Arizona again.

- All right, Jeremy, sticking with you.

Donald Trump, will he be criminally convicted?

- I think he will.

I mean we've got what, three, four, however many cases we have going on, and looks like they're really eager to get these taken care of before the election.

So I think at least one of those is going to result in a conviction against him.

- [Ted] Criminal conviction, Howie?

- Well, not on anything with related to January 6th, and we've seen recently what's happened with the Supreme Court taking up the issue.

I think he may end up with some criminal issues in terms of the New York case, but nothing related to January 6th.

- Interesting, criminal convictions?

- Yes, I think that he will be criminally convicted in January 6th on maybe one charge and in Georgia.

- All right, sticking with you, the Senate race in Arizona.

Who wins that race?

- Ooh, another close one.

I think it's going to be Ruben Gallego by a hair, by a half a hair.

Is there such a thing as a half a hair?

- All right, bonus question, will Senator Sinema be in that race?

- No, unless the answer is yes.

I go back and forth on her every single day.

We've been debating this for a year.

I don't think anybody knows the answer to that, maybe not even Senator Sinema.

- Big question and bonus question.

What do you got?

- I think that Diego will win.

I think that Sinema, this is a rerun of last year.

I think she's gonna get there, and she's gonna say, "There's no path to victory."

She will find something else to do.

- [Ted] At the last minute?

- June.

- Okay, Jeremy, what do you think?

- I think probably Ruben Gallego wins this one in a pretty close race.

I do not think Sinema will be in it.

She's spent the past year since we were last here, trying to find that path to victory, and if she hasn't found it yet, I don't think she's going to find it.

- Interesting, interesting.

All right, Congressional District 8, Jeremy start with you.

Who wins the Republican primary there?

- I think it's gonna be Abe Hamadeh.

I mean, that Trump endorsement as we saw in 2022, that goes a long way, and I think that's gonna carry him to victory in the CD-8 primary.

- [Ted] What do you think, Howie?

- I have to go the same thing.

I see Hamadeh is already trashing House Speaker Ben Toma and so again, the Trump endorsement, and he's got the name ID, plus he'll be in the news a lot with the latest effort to become attorney general.

- [Ted] Laurie?

- Speaker Toma has the credentials.

He has the voting record.

He's a conservative.

He lives in the district.

So Abe Hamadeh will be the nominee, because he's got the golden seal of approval from the orange guy.

- You got us going one way, and you came back the other.

Any congressional incumbents ousted in this next election?

- I think that David Schweikert's in trouble.

He won two years ago with like 50.4% of the vote in a race where Democrats nationally didn't even put any money into Jevin Hodge.

It was very, very close.

I think if any will lose, it will be David Schweikert.

- Any incumbents, Jeremy, that will lose their seats next year?

- At least one, possibly two.

I mean, Schweikert and Ciscomani, the Democrats.

If they had really targeted those races last year, they might've won, I think.

Schweikert is definitely in the most trouble.

That was the closest race, and he might have some tough opponents.

- See, I think that Ciscomani is the most likely to lose, 'cause again, he's the new guy.

Look, if Schweikert survived all the stuff with the scandals and having to pay back money and the rest of it, I think he's there.

- Let's stay in that district, that city.

Who wins the Democratic primary there?

- Oh Lord, not sure.

I mean, you know- - [Ted] Too tough to call?

Too close to call?

- Too close.

- [Ted] We'll make it a too close to call.

Laurie, what do you think?

- I think it's gonna come down to Conor O'Callaghan.

I think his name is relatively unknown, long time lived here, left, has come back, probably the most conservative of the three main candidates in the race.

He's not been in the race for long and already, he's raising money.

I think it will be O'Callaghan.

- What do you think of the Democrats going up against Schweikert?

Who's gonna take that race?

- I'm leaning towards Andrei Cherny.

He's got connections.

He's gonna have the fundraising.

He has some experience.

I think this will be the time he gets outta that primary.

- Jeremy, sticking with you, United States Senate, do Dems keep the Senate?

- I don't think so.

I think there's too many tough holds for them.

They're gonna lose West Virginia.

Ohio and Montana both look really shaky.

As I said, I think they'll hold the seat here, but Republicans don't need to win Arizona to win the Senate.

- What do you think, Howie?

- I think that the Senate goes down, the House stays in Republican hands.

And assuming my prediction on Trump is correct, we're gonna have an all Republican government, so hang onto your hats.

- What do you think?

Were the Democrats gonna lose the Senate?

- No, I think the Democrats are gonna hang on to the Senate.

I do think though that the Republican, wait, who's got the House?

- [Ted] Republicans.

- Republicans, yeah, I get 'em mixed up.

I think that they will lose the House.

- My goodness, so you think, you've got Biden Democratic House, Democratic Senate?

- Yeah, but by little bitty margins.

And the reason I say that with the House is because I think that there are far more Republicans having to defend their seats in states that Biden won than there are vice versa.

I think it's something like 18 and five, so I think it'll be close, but yeah, Democrats only have to pick up five seats in the House.

- Okay, Democrats, House, Republicans, House.

Jeremy, what do you think for the House?

- I think the Democrats will take back the House while they're losing the Senate.

- Wow, all right, let's get to Arizona here.

Jeremy, will Democrats win control of the Arizona House or Senate?

- This is a tough predicament, because people have been predicting for a lot of years, that they'd finally get over the hump.

I think they will take one chamber, probably the House.

I have a hard time seeing 'em take both though.

- [Ted] The chamber that they don't take, will Republicans increase their margin?

- I don't think they will.

I think there's even a shot we could see a split Senate.

- Interesting, what do you think, Howie?

- I like the idea of the split Senate, because you've got Judy Schwiebert, who is a fairly conservative, middle-of-the-road person running against Senator Bullock who was in the House, left, dropped out, reappointed.

I think that I say a 15-15 Senate, which we haven't had since Randall Gnant was Senate president.

- Interesting, Senate, what's the Senate and House?

What's the makeup?

- I think the Democrats will either take the Senate or more likely tie it up.

I think that the races that you're mentioning.

The other race I'll be watching is Justine Wadsack.

That is a firmly, in Tucson, that is a firmly Republican district, and she should have won it by a lot last time, and yet she didn't.

- But you're making the assumption that Vince Leach doesn't oust her in the primary also.

And he's got a history.

- Well now if he wins, that's different.

But assuming the incumbent is the nominee, I think that it will probably be tied up, or maybe Democrats will win by one.

- How many vetoes for Governor Hobbs?

Not necessarily will she break her own record, maybe she will, how many vetoes do you see?

- I see, oh, I can't remember what I went with last year.

Let's go with 66.

- [Ted] 66, okay, what do you think, Howie?

- Well, I'm divided on this.

On one hand, it's an election year, and the Republicans are doing everything they can to throw stuff up there to say, "Look, she hates people."

But you know, Jeremy and I spent some time with Republican leadership and Warren Petersen had a good point.

He say, "Look, at some point the people who had bills "that were vetoed last year, maybe they will do it, "or they won't offer 'em again, or they'll try to fix it."

Consider the bill for example, on tamale sales, and I think they're gonna try to fix things.

So I think it's gonna be 98.

- [Ted] 98, all right.

What do you got, 66, 98, what do you got?

- I'm gonna go for 90.

I think it'll be more than the record she broke, the previous Napolitano record of 58, but they're not gonna get near the 143.

I think it'll be a little bit egregious, and they'll probably tone it down a little bit, not make her veto- - [Ted] A record.

- Not send her quite as much stuff.

She'll have the top two veto records.

- A record to stand for the ages is basically what you're saying?

- [Jeremy] Yes.

- All right, so (indistinct), what do you got, gimme a date.

- I'm gonna say May 20th.

I think they're gonna get out a little earlier than people think, certainly not like last year.

It's an election year.

They want to get out, they want to campaign.

Both sides have their eye on the Legislature, so they're gonna try and get outta there a bit early, certainly not August.

(laughs) - You took my date.

I was gonna say that.

So, on the idea that under wins, right?

I'll go with May 19th.

- [Ted] (laughing) Tactical, what do you think?

- I think it's gonna be June 15th.

I think they're gonna do some of what they did this year, which is having to do with, well, we'll put everybody out on vacation while we negotiate the last little bits, but I think it's gonna be June 15th, as much as they wanna get out to raise money for reelection.

- Howie, Make Elections Fair Act.

First of all, is it gonna make the ballot?

And if so, does it win?

- It does make the ballot, recognizing there are two competing measures.

I'm assuming the main one doesn't.

I don't think it wins.

I think that the idea of rank choice voting as much as, once you sit down with somebody, you can explain it.

I think when voters are confused, they're gonna say no.

- [Ted] What do you think?

- I think it makes the ballot.

I think it wins.

And I think that the powers that be immediately sue to get it thrown out like they always do.

- Well yeah, regardless, what do you think?

First, does it make the ballot.

Secondly, does it win?

- I think it makes the ballot and whether it wins is hard to call, but I leaning towards yes, I think it probably wins, I think.

Having a presidential race between Trump and Biden, who a lot of folks are not gonna be happy about is going to help, and people say, "Hey, do we really just want the two choices "in elections anymore?"

- Arizona Abortion Act, make the ballot, succeed?

- It'll make the ballot, and I think it'll win pretty easily.

- [Ted] Pretty easily, what do you think, Howie?

- I think it'll make the ballot.

I think it'll be approved.

I think that presidential year, and a lot of people are really upset.

Now the caveat is, what does the Supreme Court do?

If the Supreme Court goes back to no abortion except to save the life of the mother, I think the thing gets 78%.

If the Supreme Court goes back to 15 weeks, I think it wins by 59%.

- [Ted] Laurie?

- I'm with you on that.

I think that it makes the ballot and it wins.

I don't think it will necessarily win by as much as 59% if we have the 15 week law.

Polls have shown people want abortion up to a point, and I think for a lot of people, that point, 15 weeks, seems reasonable to them.

However, if we go back to the 1864 law, I bet it's eight to two.

- [Ted] Wow.

- 80% - Quickly here, will there be a recession next year?

- Well, Donald Trump has said there'll be a depression if he loses, so I'm gonna go with no.

- (laughs) Okay, that's right, 'cause you... Howie, recession next year?

- No, I don't see it.

I think that we're gonna have the soft landing.

I think there'll be a few months of things getting into, maybe a bit of deflation, but I don't see what legally constitutes a recession happening.

- [Ted] What do you think, Jeremy?

- I think, no, I think economic conditions are not going to be great, kind of like they are now, even though some benchmarks are pretty good.

A lot of folks are just going to view it as bad 'cause of inflation, 'cause of some other factors, but I don't think it'll be anything that qualifies technically as a recession.

- All right, let's get to Howie's favorite category, sports.

- Why do you keep doing this?

You're assuming I either, A, know anything about it or B, care.

- You're assuming that I'm assuming that.

Let's go as Suns, will they go back to the playoffs?

- They'll go into the first round, and they will lose there.

- [Ted] First round loss, all right, Laurie, Suns.

- I think that they will make the finals if they are healthy, and that's a big if.

- Okay, that's a big if.

Jeremy, Suns in the playoffs.

- I think they'll get to the Western Conference finals with the same caveat that if the big three are healthy.

If they're not, I think they'll still get to the second round.

- [Ted] All right, Diamondbacks, Jeremy, playoffs?

- I think they will.

Yeah, I think they can make it to the NLDS.

Getting further than that, ooh, not now that the Dodgers have Ohtani, I don't know.

It's gonna be a bit of a- - [Ted] Yeah, it kind of changes the cards.

- It would a bit tougher.

- Oh, I think they could go to the National League Championship Series, but beyond that, no.

- [Ted] No, okay.

What do you think, Laurie, Diamondback?

- They'll make the playoffs, absolutely.

They made it all the way last year, well, almost all the way.

I think they'll make it to the second round.

- Will they be successful next year as they were this year?

- Only two teams get to the World Series, so, no, I don't think so, but I think, go D-backs.

- (chuckles) All right, we finish the show with sure shot and long shot.

Jeremy, no, we're starting with you, you're the big winner.

So let's go with your sure shot and your long shot for 2024.

- Okay, my sure shot is that the recall, which will be launched in January against Katie Hobbs will fail miserably, even assuming they get the signatures, and I don't think they will.

There's just no way voters are gonna say, "Oh, we wanna put it back on the ballot."

Long shot is that, while I believe that Trump will win the presidency, I think he will lose in Arizona, because of the abortion issue and some of the other stuff on the ballot.

- [Ted] Interesting, what do you got, Laurie?

Sure shot, long shot.

- I think my sure shot, well it's not sure, but I think that the fake electors will be indicted, but only four of them.

(Howie chuckles) - [Ted] Interesting, why four?

- Well, I think that there are certain ones that were rubes and certain ones that were in on the whole thing, that's just my opinion.

- So who are the rubes?

- I don't think I'm gonna go that far, but I think there will be four.

I mean, think about it- - That's pretty good for a sure shot.

What do you got for a long shot?

- Well, for the long shot is we've had all of those Republican, remember this is also a county race year.

All of the Republican county officials who've been beaten about the head and shoulders and threatened and everything else, I think every single one of them will win reelection.

- [Ted] Wow, all right.

- In Maricopa County.

- There you go, okay, Jeremy?

- All right, Laurie took my sure shot.

I was gonna talk about the Attorney General's investigation, so I'm gonna go a little bit further out on a limb for, I don't even wanna say this is a sure shot, but I think the Arizona Supreme Court will save the 15 week ban and not the territorial ban is what is going to be in effect.

The long shot, I'm gonna say U of A's budget struggles continue, and they will have to privatize the basketball program.

- [Ted] Holy smokes, that's a bold one!

- I'm probably gonna get it wrong.

Whatever I say, I'm probably gonna get it wrong, so.

- That's all right, we like the bold long shots.

Panel, thank you so much.

Good luck in 2024.

Congratulations to you on 2023.

- [Howie] Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- That's it for now.

I'm Ted Simons, thank you so much for joining us.

(bright music) You have a great evening.