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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON" -- A CLOSER LOOK AT A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING ARIZONA'S FUNDING FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND OTHER CAPITAL NEEDS.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT A LATINO VOTER SURVEY ON THE UPCOMING NATIONAL ELECTIONS IN MEXICO.

>>> AND VISIT WITH AUTHOR AND POLITICAL STRATEGIST LUIS MIRANDA JR. ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK "RELENTLESS."

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

AN AD HOC COMMITTEE AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE TODAY RECOMMENDED THAT ATTORNEY GENERAL KRIS MAYES BE IMPEACHED FOR, QUOTE, MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE, THE COMMITTEE ACCUSES MAYES A DEMOCRAT OF, QUOTE, ABUSING THE LEGAL SYSTEM TO ATTACK HER POLITICAL OPPONENTS AND REFUSING TO ACCEPT STATE LAWS WHEN CHALLENGED IN COURT.

MAYES CALLS THE CALL FOR IMPEACHMENT A PARTISAN STUNT.

CONVICTION WOULD NEED A TWO-THIRDS VOTE IN THE SENATE.

>>> THE FIRST DAY OF JURY DELIBERATIONS IN THE CRIMINAL HUSH MONEY TRIAL AGAINST DONALD TRUMP CONCLUDED EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.

THE 12 PERSON JURY RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE JUDGE AND WERE SEQUESTERED.

THEY SENT TWO NOTES TO THE JUDGE, ONE TO REHEAR INSTRUCTIONS THE OTHER TO HEAR TESTIMONY FROM TRUMP'S FORMER LAWYER MICHAEL COHEN AND FORMER PUBLISHER OF THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER.

TRUMP COULDN'T LEAVE THE COURTHOUSE WHILE THE JURY WAS DELIBERATING BUT OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM QUOTE SAID, QUOTE, MOTHER TERESA COULDN'T BEAT THE CHARGES.

TRUMP IS CHARGED WITH 41 FELONY CHARGES.

JURY DELIBERATIONS CONTINUE TOMORROW.

>>> SAMUEL ALITO SAID HE WILL NOT RECUSE HIMSELF FROM CASES INVOLVING THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OR THE JANUARY 6 ATTACK ON THE U.S. CAPITOL.

THIS DESPITE ALITO HANGING TWO POLITICALLY CHARGED FLAGS AT VIRGINIA AND NEW JERSEY HOMES IN 2021 INCLUDING UPSIDE DOWN AMERICAN FLAG THAT SYMBOL USED BY TRUMP SUPPORTERS WHEN THINKING THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN.

ALITO BLAMED HIS WIFE FOR ONE OF THE FLAGS SAYING IT WAS PART OF A NEIGHBORHOOD DISPUTE.

>>> ALL CHARGES AGAINST PGA GOLFER SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WERE DISMISSED TODAY.

STEMMING FROM A TRAFFIC INCIDENT INVOLVING A POLICE OFFICER OUTSIDE THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP LAST WEEK IN LOUISVILLE.

BUT A COUNTY INVESTIGATION SAID THE INCIDENT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING, DISTRICT ATTORNEY AGREED AND SO DID A JUDGE WHO DROPPED THE CHARGES.

>>> A LAWSUIT THAT CHALLENGES THE WAY THE STATE PAYS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES IS IN COURT.

THE TRIAL COMES SEVEN YEARS AFTER THE LAWSUIT WAS ORIGINALLY FILED BY A GROUP OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS WE WELCOME CHUCK ESSIGS FROM ARIZONA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE.

TED: PART OF THE FILING IN 2017, CORRECT?

>> YES, AND ALSO IN '94 WHEN THE ORIGINAL ONE -- I WASN'T PART OF THE LAWSUIT BUT WORKING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

TED: WE'LL GET THERE IN A SECOND.

THE CLAIM IS ARIZONA DOESN'T PROPERLY FUND PUBLIC K-12 SCHOOLS.

>> IT WOULD BE FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY, COMPUTERS.

IT'S DEALING WITH THE CAPITAL FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

TED: FILED IN 2017, JUST NOW COMING TO TRIAL.

WHAT WAS THE WAIT?

>> IT SEEMS EVERY TIME THE ORIGINAL LAWSUIT WAS IN 1994, AND NO MONEY WAS ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTED TO SCHOOLS UNTIL 98 SO IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR THOSE THINGS TO ACTUALLY GET IMPLEMENTED AND MONEY TO START FLOWING.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE 1994.

THAT WAS AN ARIZONA SUPREME COURT RULING AND IT TOLD THE LEGISLATURE AND/OR THE STATE TO DO WHAT?

>> SAID YOUR FUNDING SYSTEM FOR SCHOOLS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE IT'S NOT A GENERAL AND UNIFORM SYSTEM.

YOU HAD SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAD LIKE UP IN ROUND VALLEY, THEY HAD AN INDOOR FOOTBALL FACILITY, AND OTHERS, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ROOFS THAT DIDN'T LEAK OR WHATEVER.

IT WASN'T THE GENERAL UNIFORM SYSTEM.

THEY SAID THAT WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND THE LEGISLATURE HAD TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT FUNDING SYSTEM FOR ESPECIALLY ON THE CAPITAL SIDE.

>> THE LEGISLATURE DID WHAT?

AND HOW DID THAT SURVIVE OR LACK OF SURVIVAL OVER THE YEARS?

>> THEY PASSED WHAT'S CALLED STUDENTS FIRST WAS THE NEW PROGRAM AND BASICALLY, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN IMMEDIATE FUNDING AND IMMEDIATE FUNDING FOR STUDENTS.

THAT WAS STUDENTS FIRST.

OBVIOUSLY TOOK FOUR YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST DOLLARS GOT OUT TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM THE PROGRAM, BUT MOVED IT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

TED: THIS WAS ALLOWING FOR BUILDING RENEWAL GRANTS AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS?

>> WHAT THE LAW PUT IN PLACE WAS A SYSTEM WHERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS COULD, UNDER THE ORIGINAL BILL AS IT WAS PASSED, BASICALLY HAD A FORMULA, AND EVERY DISTRICT, BASED UPON THE AGE OF THE FACILITIES, THE SIZE OF THEIR FACILITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THEY WOULD GET A FORMULA AMOUNT EACH YEAR THAT THEY SHOULD USE TO KEEP THE FACILITIES IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

SO IT WASN'T A GRANT, IT WAS BASICALLY A FORMULA AMOUNT SO DISTRICTS HAD MONEY TO FIX THE ROOFS WHEN THEY NEEDED TO BE FIXED.

LEGISLATURE CHANGED THAT AFTER A COUPLE YEARS BECAUSE THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FORWARD IT AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WEREN'T DOING IT RIGHT.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT, SO THEY WENT TO A GRANTS PROGRAM.

IF YOU HAVE A ROOF LEAKING OR HAVE A HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM THAT'S NOT WORKING, YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN APPLICATION TO THE SCHOOL FACILITIES BOARD, THE SCHOOL FACILITIES ORGANIZATION TO GIVE YOU MONEY TO FIX THAT ROOF.

TED: AND YOU HAVE TO PROVE ALL THE EFFORTS TO GET THIS DONE, RESOURCES WERE ALL DRIED UP, IS THAT TRUE?

>> DEPENDS IN EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE, BUT BASICALLY ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THE DISTRICT HAVE IS THEY CAN'T PREPARE FOR IT TO HAPPEN.

THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE ROOF TO FAIL BEFORE THEY CAN REALLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR MONEY.

UNDER THE ORIGINAL GRANT PROGRAM, THEY COULD LOOK AT -- IT'S ABOUT TIME TO REPLACE THE SHINGLES ON THE ROOF OUT OF THE ALLOCATION.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE AFTER '94, HERE'S AN ATTEMPT.

THAT FADES.

AFTER THAT ATTEMPT FADES, IT CONTINUES TO FADE UNTIL 2017 AND THE CLAIM IS WHAT?

>> THE CLAIM IS THEY'RE NO LONGER MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS TO HAVE A GENERAL AND UNIFORM SYSTEM.

PART OF THE PROBLEM IS CAPITAL FUNDING FORMULA FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STARTING IN 2007, THE LEGISLATURE BASICALLY, WHEN THEY HAD TO MAKE BUDGET CUTS, THEY CUT THE FUND AND CUT IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IN A ROW, WHICH SHORTED DISTRICTS OUT OF CAPITAL FUNDING AND NEVER -- THEY WENT BACK TO FULL FUNDING BUT NEVER REPLACED THAT MONEY CUT OVER THE YEARS SO SCHOOLS WERE IN A REAL BIND FOR MONEY FOR CAPITAL.

TED: WHAT ABOUT BONDS AND OVERRIDES?

WHERE DO THEY PLAY INTO ALL THIS?

>> FOR DISTRICTS THAT CAN PASS BONDS OR PASS AN OVERRIDE, THEY HAVE A BIG ADVANTAGE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO REMODEL ONE OF THEIR OLDER SCHOOLS OR WANT TO REPLACE ONE OF THE OLDER SCHOOLS, IF THEIR VOTERS APPROVE AND THEY HAVE THE TAX BASE TO DO IT, THEY GO OUT AND PASS A BOND AND DO THE CAPITAL THINGS.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS THAT CAN'T PASS BOND ELECTIONS FOR TWO REASONS, ONE IS THEY DON'T HAVE THE TAX BASE, AND SOME HAVE THE TAX BASE BUT THE VOTERS WOULDN'T APPROVE IT.

SO BASICALLY YOU DON'T HAVE A GENERAL AND UNIFORM SYSTEM BECAUSE NOT EVERY DISTRICT CAN PASS A BOND AND OVERRIDE.

TED: AND THE TAX BASE YOU REFER TO, TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES AND WHERE THAT FITS INTO ALL THIS?

>> FOR THE BOND AND THE OVERRIDE, THEY'RE PAID FOR WITH PROPERTY TAXES.

IF YOU'RE A DISTRICT THAT HAS A LOT OF INDUSTRY AND YOU HAVE A POWER PLANT AND A LOT OF TAXABLE PROPERTY, YOU COULD PASS A BOND AND PASS OVERRIDE WITH A LOW TAX RATE.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH PROPERTY TO TAX, IT'S GOING TO COST YOU IN MANY CASES THE AMOUNT SO HIGH THAT THE VOTERS WOULDN'T APPROVE IT.

TED: SO THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED IN 2017 IS NOW IN -- THE DEFENDANTS ARE?

>> THE LEGISLATURE.

TED: SO BASICALLY THE LEGISLATURE.

IS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL INVOLVED AT ALL?

>> NO, THE CURRENT ATTORNEY GENERAL BASICALLY SAID THAT SHE COULD NOT -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPER TERM IS, SHE COULD NOT DEFEND THE STATE.

SO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE THEIR OWN ATTORNEYS TO DEFEND THE STATE.

TED: LET'S LOOK AT EDUCATION IN ARIZONA.

SHOULD THE DEFENDANTS LOSE?

SHOULD THE CLAIMANTS WIN?

WHAT HAPPENS?

>> THE DISTRICTS LOSE THE LAWSUIT AND THE COURTS OR THE STATE -- TED: WHAT IF PEOPLE FILE A LAWSUIT AND WIN.

>> IF THEY WIN, WE'LL GO BACK TO 1994, WHERE BASICALLY THE SYSTEM THAT'S USED IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO MODIFY IT SO THEY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT MEETS THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF A GENERAL AND UNIFORM SYSTEM.

TED: IF THOSE WHO FILE THE CLAIM LOSE, WHAT HAPPENS TO ARIZONA SCHOOLS?

>> THEN SCHOOLS ARE IN REAL TROUBLE.

THEY WON'T HAVE RESOURCES TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY SAY, IN THE LAWSUIT, THE STATE IS NOT TAKING CARE OF.

TED: BEFORE WE GO, WE WERE TALKING BEFOREHAND HOW THE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT GOT INVOLVED IN THIS EARLY ON.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

>> INTERESTING.

WHAT HAPPENED IN '94, THE COURTS RULED THE SYSTEM WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND TOLD THE LEGISLATURE YOU NEED TO FIX IT.

THEY MESSED AROUND -- PROBABLY THE IN THE RIGHT TERM.

FOR THREE YEARS, THEY DID LITTLE THINGS AND EVERY TIME THE COURT SAID THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

TIM HOGAN, THE ATTORNEY DOING IT, WENT TO THE SUPREME COURT AND GOT THE SUPREME COURT TO TELL THE LEGISLATURE IN THE END OF JUNE IN 1998, IF YOU HAVEN'T FIXED THIS SYSTEM, IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND YOU'RE PROHIBITED FROM PROVIDING ANY STATE FUNDING TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE.

THAT WOULD BASICALLY SHUT EDUCATION DOWN IN THE STATE, AND THAT GOT THE LEGISLATURE INTEREST AND VERY SOON, WHAT'S INTERESTING, THAT LAW WAS JUNE 30 OF 1998.

ON JULY 9, THEY PASSED LEGISLATION TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

TED: YEAH, GOT THEIR ATTENTION.

CHUCK ESSIGS, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE FOR A VERY COMPLICATED SITUATION.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

.

TED: NATIONAL ELECTIONS IN MEXICO ARE SET FOR THIS SUNDAY WITH LOCAL ELECTIONS IN COUNTRY MOVING TO THE SAME DATE.

WE SPOKE WITH EDWARD VARGAS FROM ASUS SCHOOL OF TRANSBORDER STUDIES THAT LOOKS AT ELECTIONS THROUGH THE EYES OF MEXICAN VOTERS IN THE U.S. EDWARD VARGAS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE.

MEXICAN ELECTIONS SET FOR SUNDAY.

THIS IS HISTORIC IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, THE TOP TWO FRONT-RUNNERS ARE BOTH WOMEN?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

THIS IS A HISTORICAL AND MONUMENTAL ELECTION FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.

ONE, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S TWO WOMEN AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET WHO ARE GOING TO WIN.

ALSO IT'S HISTORIC IN THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT MEXICANS LIVING OUTSIDE THE U.S. WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE IN THREE DIFFERENT MODES.

ONE WHICH IS THEY CAN VOTE ONLINE, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO VOTE ONLINE.

THEY CAN DO A MAIL-IN BALLOT AND THEY CAN VOTE IN PERSON, JUNE 2 AT A DESIGNATED LOCATION HERE IN ARIZONA.

WE'LL BE IN PHOENIX AT THE MEXICAN CONSULATE.

TED: INTERESTING HOURS, DIFFICULT HAS IT BEEN FOR MEXICAN CITIZENS IN THE U.S. TO VOTE IN THEIR NATIONAL ELECTIONS?

>> IT STARTED IN 2006, TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, AND I THINK JUST THE -- THE FEELING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A CLEAN, FAIR ELECTION HAS INCREASED AMONG MEXICANS AS WE'VE SEEN IN A RECENT POLL WE JUST RELEASED, BUT, OF COURSE, THERE WERE SOME ISSUES AND BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.

EARLIER ON IN APRIL, THERE WERE ABOUT 39,000 VOTERS WHO WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE WHO WERE KICKED OFF THE ELECTION AND HAD TO SHOW EXTRA DOCUMENTATION TO BE ABLE TO REREGISTER, TO BE ABLE TO VOTE.

TED: WOW.

SO HOPEFULLY AS FAR AS THESE CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED, MEXICAN CITIZENS THIS HAS BEEN STREAMLINED.

YOU REFERRED TO THE SURVEY.

WHAT DID YOU TALK TO AND WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT?

>> WE SET OUT TO SPEAK TO MEXICAN ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIVING IN THE U.S. AND SAMPLED 600 TOTAL RESPONDENTS, CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, ARIZONA, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND WE WANTED TO ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR PARTICULAR OPINIONS, WHAT THEY CARED ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES IMPACTING THEIR OWN LIVES?

WHY DID THEY DECIDE TO VOTE?

HOW WOULD THEY DECIDE TO VOTE?

AND THE OVERALL TRUST IN THE PROCESS.

TED: AS FAR AS THAT'S CONCERNED, THOUGH, THE RESULTS, DID THEY DIFFER MUCH, DO YOU THINK, FROM WHAT YOU SEE AND HEAR FROM FOLKS LIVING IN MEXICO?

>> VERY MUCH IN LINE WHAT WE SEE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MEXICO.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN THAT FOLKS FEEL THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION SHOULD ADDRESS IS ISSUES RELATED TO DRUG CARTEL AND GANG VIOLENCE.

TRYING TO RECUSE CORRUPTION AND GOVERNMENT, AND THEN, AGAIN, THE REDUCTION IN CRIME AND INSECURITY IN MEXICO.

MEXICAN VOTERS IN THE UNITED STATES FEEL THAT THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE, PRIORITY AREA, AS DO MEXICANS LIVING IN MEXICO.

TED: WHAT ABOUT MEXICO'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE U.S.?

WHERE DOES IT STAND WITH FOLKS LIVING HERE AND FOLKS IN MEXICO?

>> NEAR SHORE INDUSTRIES AND ECONOMIES HAVE BECOME TO INCREASE.

NO COINCIDENCE THAT MEXICANS SEE U.S. TRADE RELATIONS AS BEING EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

AS MANY VIEWERS MAY KNOW, IN 2026, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE U.S.-CANADA-MEXICO TRADING AGREEMENT AND RECONSIDER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK IN GENERAL, MEXICANS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES, MEXICANS LIVING IN MEXICO ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPANSION IN TERMS OF BOTH ECONOMIES.

TED: AS FAR AS MEXICANS LIVING IN THE U.S., MEXICAN CITIZENS NOW, HOW DO THEY GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOME COUNTRY AND HOW ACCURATE IS THAT INFORMATION?

>> YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.

WHEN WE ASKED MEXICANS IN THIS POLL, THE NUMBER ONE WAY THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT POLITICS IN MEXICO IS THROUGH FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WHICH IS ALSO ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THEY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO VOTE IN THE MEXICAN ELECTION IS TO, ONE, HAVE THEIR VOICES BEING HEARD, AMONG THOSE WHO OWN PROPERTY IN MEXICO, FOR EXAMPLE, OR WHO OWN A HOUSE IN MEXICO, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO VOTE AND SAY THAT THEIR VOTE MATTERS HERE IN THE U.S., TO VOTE IN MEXICO.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, TED, WE HAVE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, CITIZENS OF BOTH COUNTRIES.

DUAL CITIZENS WHO WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO CAST VOTES HERE IN THE U.S. AND IN MEXICO AT THE SAME YEAR.

TED: THAT REALLY IS INTERESTING.

THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING COMPARED TO WHERE IT WAS 20 SOME ODD YEARS AGO.

IN GENERAL, IF THE MOOD OF THE COUNTRY IN MEXICO, SOUNDS A LITTLE OPTIMISTIC TO ME.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT LIKE IN THE UNITED STATES, MEXICO IS DEALING WITH ISSUES OF MIGRATION, PARTICULARLY THE SOUTHERN BORDERS.

MEXICO SET UP STOPS ALONG THE WAY TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR CARAVANS TO MAKE IT UP NORTH.

THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT MIGRATION.

THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE 50,000 FOLKS WHO ARE WAITING FOR THEIR ASYLUM CASES JUST AS FOLKS ARE WAITING FOR ASYLUM CASES HERE IN MEXICO.

THEY'RE CONCERNED AGAIN ABOUT DRUG CARTELS AND GANG VIOLENCE WHICH SEEPED INTO ALL ASPECTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN MEXICO.

FOR MEXICANS LIVING IN THE U.S., THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM AS MANY OF THEM, AGAIN, HAVE STRONG TIES TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY WHO WANT TO GO HOME TO A MEXICO THAT IS FREE OF FEARING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET, FOR EXAMPLE, KIDNAPPED, FOR EXAMPLE.

TED: YEAH, AND REAL QUICK, ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT HERE.

I SAY OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE SOUNDS LIKE THE CANDIDATE FROM THE RULING NATIONAL PARTY, SOUNDS LIKE THE FAVORITE, SHE'S GOING TO WIN?

>> SHE'S UP IN EVERY POLL ACROSS THE BOARD, HERE AND THERE.

LIKELY TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT, FIRST WOMAN, FIRST JEWISH MEXICAN PRESIDENT, SO THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING -- AGAIN, A VERY HISTORICAL ELECTION.

TED: A LOT OF FIRSTS THERE.

EDWARD VARGAS, ASU SCHOOL OF TRANSBORDER STUDIES.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

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TED: LUIS MIRANDA JR., A LONGTIME POLITICAL ACTIVIST IN NEW YORK, ALSO THE FATHER OF LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, THE CREATOR OF THE BROADWAY HIT, "HAMILTON."

LUIS HAS A NEW BOOK OUT TITLED "RELENTLESS" AND LOOKS AT DECADES OF POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE LATINO VOTE.

LUIS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

YOU WERE JUST IN PHOENIX NOT TOO LONG AGO, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF OUR TOWN?

>> I LOVE YOUR TOWN.

REMEMBER, I AM FROM PUERTO RICO, AND PUERTO RICO TENDS TO BE QUITE HOT.

SO YOU GAVE ME A TASTE OF PUERTO RICO IN PHOENIX.

TED: THERE WE GO.

THERE WE GO.

PERSONAL POLITICAL MEMOIR, "RELENTLESS."

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BOOK.

WHY DID YOU WRITE THIS?

>> MANY PEOPLE WERE TELLING ME THAT I KEPT CRITICIZING THE MANY TALENTS AND WRITE-UPS THAT I READ ABOUT THE LATINO VOTE AND HOW THE LATINO VOTE WAS BEHAVING OR GOING TO BEHAVE.

PEOPLE I HAD NEVER HEARD OF.

SO PEOPLE SAY DON'T COMPLAIN, ACT.

YOU'VE BEEN IN THIS FIELD FOR 45 YEARS.

WHY DON'T YOU PUT DOWN WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN IN THOSE 45 YEARS OF WORKING IN THE LATINO POLITICAL SPACE, AND AS I DID THAT, MORE AND MORE OF MY FAMILY HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN PART OF EVERYTHING THAT I'VE DONE, SO THEY BECAME A PROTAGONIST OF A BOOK, AND THE BOOK ENDED UP BEING A MIX OF POLITICS AND BIOGRAPHY.

TED: YES, YES, A MEMOIR.

YOU CAME HERE 1974 CAME TO THE U.S. TO STUDY PSYCHOLOGY, BUT WHAT DREW TO YOU COMMUNITY ACTION?

>> I ALWAYS -- I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY ACTION IN PUERTO RICO.

I COME FROM A SMALL TOWN.

MY PARENTS WERE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE CIVIC FIBER OF OUR LITTLE TOWN.

POLITICALLY, WE WERE VERY ACTIVE POLITICALLY AS A FAMILY IN PUERTO RICO, SO EVEN THOUGH I WANTED TO STUDY PSYCHOLOGY AND CAME TO NEW YORK TO DO A Ph.D.

IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, THAT NEVER MEANT THEY WAS NOT GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN ACTIVISM, BUT WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IT'S THAT I REALIZE THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD PSYCHOLOGIST BECAUSE I WANTED MY PATIENTS TO MOVE AND RESOLVE THEIR ISSUES FASTER THAN THEY COULD, AND MY PROFESSORS KEPT TELLING ME, YOU KNOW, IN THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP, TRY AND GO AT THEIR OWN PACE, NOT AT YOUR PACE.

I WANTED THEM TO GO AT MY PACE, SO I LEFT THE PROFESSION.

TED: YEAH, YOU WANTED TO GET THINGS DONE AND GOT THINGS DONE.

THE BOOK'S SUBTITLE IS MY STORY OF A LATINO SPIRIT THAT'S TRANSFORMING AMERICA.

AND YOU REFERRED TO THIS EARLIER.

WHAT ABOUT LATINO CULTURE AND POLITICS NEEDS TO BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD?

>> I HAVE SEEN IN THE 50 YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES, AND I TALK ABOUT IN "RELENTLESS," HOW POLITICS IN OUR COUNTRY HAVE BEEN DEFINED BY THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND WHITES.

AND THE POLITICAL PARADIGM, IT'S A BLACK-AND-WHITE POLITICAL PARADIGM, AND WE DON'T FIT IN ANY OF THOSE.

WE ARE NOW 65 MILLION PEOPLE WHO COME FROM MANY COUNTRIES, TWO-THIRDS OF US, LIKE MY KIDS, HAVE BEEN BORN AND RAISED HERE.

GENERATIONALLY WE'RE DIFFERENT.

OUR COUNTRIES ARE POLITICALLY AT A DIFFERENT SPACE.

THE VENEZUELANS THAT ARE COMING NOW VERSUS THOSE WHO CAME EARLIER ARE POLITICALLY DIFFERENT.

THE PUERTO RICANS WHO CAME AFTER MARIA TO FLORIDA OR THOSE OF US WHO CAME TO NEW YORK IN THE 50s, 60s ARE DIFFERENT.

SO TO UNDERSTAND THOSE POLITICALLY, WHICH IS WHAT I TALK ABOUT IN "RELENTLESS," YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THOSE VARIABLES THAT FORM OUR POLITICAL REALITY.

THEN WE COULD ACT, WE COULD CONVINCE THEM, WE COULD TELL THEM VOTE THIS WAY OR THAT WAY, BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE AT.

TED: IS THAT WHAT EXPLAINS WHAT WE'RE SEEING TIME AND TIME AGAIN NOW FROM SURVEYS THAT LATINOS, ESPECIALLY MEN, HISPANIC MEN, ARE MOVING AWAY FROM JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT BIDEN AND TOWARD DONALD TRUMP?

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> THE -- FIRST OF ALL, MOST OF THE POLLS THAT ARE DONE, WE ARE 8 OR 9%, SO MANY, WHICH IS WHAT I READ AND WHY I WROTE THE BOOK.

MANY WHO ARE SAYING THAT THAT'S HAPPENING ARE USING FAULTY DATA.

IN THE ONLY ALL-LATINO POLL THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE COUNTRY, WHAT WE SEE IS THAT SUPPORT FOR BIDEN HAS FALLEN FROM 66 TO 49%, BUT SUPPORT FOR TRUMP IT'S THE SAME.

WE ARE BECOMING MORE PERSUADABLE.

YOU NEED TO TELL US WHY SHOULD WE VOTE FOR BIDEN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE VOTING FOR TRUMP.

KEEP IN MIND, 25 TO 33% OF LATINOS, ELECTION AFTER ELECTION, HAVE VOTED FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

SO I WANT WHITES TO VOTE AT THAT PERCENTAGE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, BUT THAT'S OUR REALITY.

IT'S A DIFFERENT POLITICAL REALITY THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, PARTICULARLY NOW THAT WE ARE SUCH A LARGE PORTION OF THE ELECTORATE.

TED: AND CERTAINLY HERE IN ARIZONA.

AND LUIS, I CAN'T LET YOU GO WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT YOUR KID, LIN-MANUEL.

YOU GOT A ROCK STAR IN THE FAMILY.

DID YOU SEE A ROCK STAR DEVELOPING?

HOW SURPRISED OR ARE YOU SURPRISED AT ALL THE SUCCESS?

>> WE'RE ALWAYS SURPRISED ABOUT THE SUCCESS.

WE'RE ALWAYS SURPRISED THAT AFTER IN THE HEIGHTS CAME "HAMILTON," AFTER "HAMILTON" CAME "ENCANTO" NOW COMES "MUFASA".

WE ALWAYS KNEW THIS WAS HIS PATH.

MY WIFE AND I TELL THE STORY ALL THE TIME OF WATCHING HIM IN ONE OF THOSE CHRISTMAS SPECIALS, THEY ALWAYS BRING A CHORUS TO ROCKEFELLER PLAZA, AND THEY BROUGHT THE CHORUS FROM THE SCHOOL, AND WE COULD SEE OUR KID, WHO IS NOT CHORUS MATERIAL AT ALL, HE WAS FLAPPING HIS ARMS AND HE'S SINGING WITH ENTHUSIASM.

WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS HIS PATH.

TED: YES, AND HIS PATH HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, AND YOU HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

YOU LIVED QUITE A CONTINUED SUCCESS ON EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING HERE, THE BOOK AND RAISING A GREAT FAMILY, PHILANTHROPIC, WE NEVER GOT INTO THAT.

I KNOW THAT'S BIG FOR YOU AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME FOR US, WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.