Horizon Roundup: Sinema enters Senate race, health care and Arizona’s teacher shortage

Legislative shakeup
Rep. Krysten Sinema’s long-anticipated announcement to run for Sen. Jeff Flake’s seat in the 2018 elections has sent shockwaves throughout Arizona’s political landscape. Sinema’s announcement leaves Arizona’s 9th Congressional District seat without an incumbent challenger. According to Dianna Nàñez, a reporter for The Arizona Republic, many speculate Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton will run for the 9th District, which would mean a special election to fill Stanton’s current office.

Health care holdups
The failure of the Graham-Cassidy to make it through the Senate marks congressional Republicans third failed attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Sen. John McCain and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey were in disagreement on the bill, putting two of the states top Republican leaders at odds with one another. Steve Goldstein, an on-air host for KJZZ, believes the governor’s very public position on the issue could be an attempt to posture for political advancement toward the Senate and an eventual run for U.S. president.

Arizona Teachers Academy
Gov. Doug Ducey announced the beginning of the Arizona Teachers Academy, a scholarship program that will reward recipients with a year’s worth of free tuition for ever year spent teaching in Arizona. The program offers 200 scholarships a year. In a state that lost 500 teachers within two months of the 2017-2018 school year, Capitol Media Services reporter Howard Fischer believes further measures need to be taken to help Arizona’s education problem.