Journalists’ Roundtable: Yee enters schools race, CD7 debate and more

It’s Friday, which means it is time for another edition of Journalists’ Roundtable. This week, “Arizona Horizon” host Ted Simons was joined by Mary Jo Pitzl of “The Arizona Republic” and azcentral.com, Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services and Wayne Schutsky of KJZZ.

This week’s topics:

• State Treasurer Kimberly Yee announces bid for State Superintendent of Public Instruction
• The latest from the Arizona Legislature
• State Attorney General Kris Mayes versus Trump’s tariffs
• Primary debates for Congressional District 7’s upcoming special election
• Rep. David Schweikert (R-CD1) sleeps through vote on big, beautiful bill

On Kimberly Yee’s announced bid for State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Mary Jo Pitzl: “I didn’t have her high on my card, I had a couple other names that I thought might be more appetizing to the Freedom Caucus, which was courting someone to run against Superintendent Tom Horne.”

Howie Fischer: “When she was in the Senate as Majority Leader, she was never one of the bizarre right-wing crew. She’s certainly tried to maintain a middle of the road thing, which is how she’s gotten elected so handly a couple of times. To then all of a sudden cozy up to the Freedom Caucus, and then to say I also believe we don’t need checks over voucher spending, when she’s been the state Treasurer, was a big surprise.”

Wayne Schutsky: “It all comes down to the fact that Horne has made at least some effort to reel back on what he considers non-educational expenses. You know, the things we’ve all heard about, thousands of dollars on watches or absorbent instruments. And [state Senator Jake] Hoffman seems to believe that any attempt to regulate the ESAs (educational savings accounts), it goes beyond the law and that’s a threat to the system, and based on what Yee said introducing herself as a candidate, she’s in line with him.”

On the latest from the Arizona Legislature

Mary Jo Pitzl: “They’re sorta just trying to stretch out the few remaining bills that they have to take action on until they can get to an agreement on the state budget. By most accounts that I’ve heard, the anticipation is that they’ll sit down and actually do the budget the week of June 16. So we’ve got another two weeks of tap dancing or long, long long weekends.

Howie Fischer: “Until suddenly they see the end, or like a skydiver and all of a sudden you’re down at 250 feet and you’re saying I think it’s time to pull the ripcord, then the serious negotiations begin. I think everyone realizes, look it’s gotta be a bipartisan budget. If it’s an all republican budget, there’s no way the governor is gonna sign it, she’s got to get her things. They recognize that.”

Wayne Schutsky: “What all this shows is what happens when you kick the can down the road this far on the budget. You’ve got big issues that get left unaddressed.”

On Rep. David Schweikert (R-CD1) sleeping through vote on big, beautiful bill

Howie Fischer: “Look, congressmen [and] congresswomen have staffs. When they hear the bell that a vote is being taken, they come and they get they’re person. Even if it means dragging their tush down the block and getting them there. I don’t know that Schweikert wanted to go on the record on medicaid cuts. 

Mary Jo Pitzl: “It sounds like a sort of dereliction of duty, that I slept through the vote, I’m not doing my job. And yes, I know it was a very long process, it was late, and these things happen, but that sorta makes [it seem] like you’re not on the ball.

Wayne Schutsky: “I think it all looks at voter memories. Who’s gonna remember that he slept through the vote in a year, who’s gonna remember he voted for medicaid cuts in a year.”