Tucson Politics

  Tucson voters rejected Proposition 414 in all but one voting precinct, with the half-percent sales tax failing across the city.

  The Pentagon called the removal of Navajo Code Talker content a “mistake,” vowing to restore material taken offline during a scrub of DEI content - even as a surviving Code Talker objected to any implication that celebrating heroes who helped to win World War II equates with DEI.

  The 1798 law President Donald Trump dusted off to justify the swift deportation of Venezuelan gang members hadn’t been invoked since World War II – when it was used to justify internment camps for Japanese Americans.

  More than a dozen people rallied to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous people at the Arizona State Capitol on Tuesday in an effort to shows lawmakers and Gov. Katie Hobbs that Indigenous people are not giving up.

  Republicans in the Arizona Legislature want to put increased restrictions on medication abortions, in direct contradiction to a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion that voters approved in November.

  The flags of Arizona’s 22 tribal nations have been removed from the Carl. T. Hayden VA Medical Center in central Phoenix and given to the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community for preservation, part of a new flag policy implemented by the Department of Veteran Affairs.

  Janet “JL” Wittenbraker, who lost a bid for mayor of Tucson in 2023 and a run for Pima County Board of Supervisors in 2024, has set her sights on running for Tucson City Council.

  A roundup of upcoming political events: Councilman Dahl's campaign launch, Sentinel reporters on radio, Rep. Grijalva's funeral & important election dates.

  The Tucson City Council will vote on a ban on camping in parks and washes as part of a broader effort to bring the hammer down on the homeless. Plus, Pima County gun laws face judicial blowback, OV water and more from local government meetings this week.

  Legislative Republicans have accused Arizona’s Democratic governor of “financial malfeasance.” In response, Gov. Hobbs alleged that GOP leaders lied to reporters about a standard budgeting transfer to take attention away from their plans to cut services to people with disabilities.

  TUSD Board member Sadie Shaw hopes to unseat Ward 3 Councilmember Kevin Dahl in the Aug. 5 Democratic primary.

  Cottonwood is considering whether to bar children from attending drag shows, including family friendly ones, and it could face a lawsuit for doing so as the Arizona Pride Tour - headed by Tucsonan Chris Hall, who performs as Miss Nature - is set to visit  the Northern Arizona city.

  Hundreds of Tucsonans held a candlelight vigil at El Pueblo Neighborhood Center on Sunday to mark the life and legacy of U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died Thursday.

  The Ninth Circuit reversed a state court’s imposition of monetary sanctions against Alan Dershowitz for his role in one of Kari Lake’s many election-related lawsuits, though the panel rejected Dershowitz’s claim that the sanctions violated his First Amendment rights.

  2,000 Indigenous children in the Navajo Nation lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19, according to one analysis - yet that number doesn’t convey the grief that continues to reverberate at the five-year COVID anniversary.

  Working-age adults who live in small towns and rural areas are more likely to be covered by Medicaid than their counterparts in cities, creating a dilemma for Republicans looking to make deep cuts to the health care program.

  Declaring Arizona's 7th Congressional District seat vacant after the death of Rep. Raul Grijalva, Gov. Katie Hobbs set a special election — a primary on July 15 and general election on September 23.

  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced during a floor speech that he will vote to advance the stopgap spending bill that must become law before Friday at midnight to avoid a partial government shutdown.

  Tribal nations throughout Arizona honored U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died Thursday, as a warrior for Indigenous communities and commended his continuous efforts to support Indigenous people’s fights to protect the environment, water and natural resources.

  El congresista Raúl Grijalva falleció la mañana del jueves a 77 años de edad, según su oficina y su hija. Grijalva, en el Congreso desde el 2003, fue tratado por cáncer del pulmón el año pasado, y dijo que no volvería a postularse para el cargo después de las elecciones de noviembre.

  Updated: The Department of Homeland Security told Pima County they are withholding about $10 million in funds owed for migrant shelters, essentially accusing the county of using federal dollars to encourage people to come to the U.S. to seek asylum.

  A group of 21 Democratic attorneys general  - including Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes - sued the Trump administration Thursday over the U.S. Education Department’s efforts this week to cut more than 1,300 employees.

  U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva died Thursday morning at the age of 77, his office and daughter said. Grijalva, in Congress since 2003, was treated for lung cancer last year, and said he would not seek to run for office again after November's election.

  Tucson voters just told the city "hell no" to a half-cent more in sales taxes to address police and housing needs. OK, now the leaders of the opposition on the Left and Right should work toward addressing our community's biggest concerns.