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STEVE: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," IT'S THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES INCLUDING ANDY BIGGS' FIRST RALLY IN THE GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN.

THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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

I'M STEVE GOLDSTEIN FILLING IN FOR TED SIMONS.

IT'S FRIDAY, AND THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

CAMRYN SANCHEZ OF KJZZ, DENNIS WELCH OF ARIZONA'S FAMILY AND MARK BRODIE OF KJZZ.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

BIGGS RALLY LAST WEEKEND.

TURNING POINT HAD A BIG PRESENCE THERE.

>> YEAH, IT WAS TURNING POINT ACTION, I HAVE TO CLARIFY, WHICH IS THE POLITICAL ARM BASICALLY.

THEY HOST A LOT OF EVENTS, SIMILAR TO TRUMP RALLIES YOU SEE THEM HOSTING.

THEY HAD A BIG SLATE OF REPUBLICAN SPEAKERS COME ON BEFORE BIGGS AND RALLY SUPPORT.

PAUL GOSAR AND MATT GAETZ AND LOCAL FIGURES RUNNING FOR OFFICE, PEOPLE LIKE KIMBERLY YEE WHO IS CURRENTLY THE TREASURER AND, OF COURSE, BIGGS.

A LOT OF IT IS WHAT YOU EXPECT.

A BIG FOCUS ON TRUMP, AND HE PLEDGED TO DO AWAY WITH THE THINGS HOBBS IS DOING.

SOME OF THE BILLS SHE'S VETOED HE PROMISED TO BRING THEM BACK AND PASS THEM.

STEVE: AND HIM TO TAX CAME UP?

>> EVERYBODY CHEERED.

STEVE: NOT GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> WE HAD A GOVERNOR BEFORE -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER DOUG DUCEY.

HE PLEDGED INITIALLY, REMEMBER HE WAS GOING TO GET RID OF THE INCOME TAX.

HE MODIFIED THAT AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT LOW AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

HE DID GET DOWN TO THE FLAT TAX.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.

HE'S GOING TO HAVE A DIVIDED LEGISLATURE TO GET THAT STUFF THROUGH.

WE'LL SEE WHERE STUFF LIKE THAT GOES.

WHAT KIND OF STOOD OUT FOR ME FROM THE TURNING-POINT RALLY, WAS THE FACT THAT ANDY BIGGS DECIDED TO MAKE AN ISSUE HE HAS DONALD TRUMP'S PHONE NUMBER.

IN POLITICS, THESE KINDS OF THINGS MATTER, WHEN DONALD TRUMP IS DUAL ENDORSED, HE'S ENDORSED BOTH OF THE CANDIDATES.

WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TRUMP'S ENDORSEMENT IS.

THEY'RE TRYING TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES TO SHOW WHO'S CLOSER TO DONALD TRUMP.

AND ANDY BIGGS HAVING HIS PERSONAL CELL PHONE NUMBER IS INDICATION OF THAT, WHICH IS FUNNY, IF YOU GO BEHIND THE CURTAIN A LITTLE BIT, SKIED KARRIN TAYLOR ROBSON'S PEOPLE IF SHE HAD DONALD TRUMP'S PERSONAL CELL PHONE NUMBER, AND I GOT THIS REALLY POLITICAL ANSWER, WHICH WAS WEIRD.

YES, NO, WHATEVER IS WHAT YOU EXPECT.

I GOT A RESPONSE FROM THEM THAT SAID, WELL, SHE'S GOT A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH DONALD TRUMP, AND SHE'S TALKED WITH HIM ON HER CELL PHONE.

STEVE: OH.

>> SO, THAT DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION, AND THEY RESPONDED THE FOLLOWING DAY AND SAID, YEAH, SHE DOES HAVE HIS CELL PHONE, BUT, LIKE, I GUESS THAT SETTLES THAT QUESTION IN THIS CAMPAIGN, 15, 16 MONTHS AHEAD OF THE FIRST VOTES BEING CAST IN THE PRIMARY.

STEVE: SPEAKING OF 15, 16 MONTHS AHEAD, I LOVE A GOOD POLL, MARK.

IT WAS DEFINITELY MARGIN OF ERROR, KATIE HOBBS HAD THE LEAD OVER BIGGS AND KARRIN TAYLOR ROBSON.

THIS EARLY IN THE GAME, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?

>> WE'RE A LONG WAY OUT.

[LAUGHTER] >> WHAT'S TO BE SAID ABOUT THAT?

WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE GOP NOMINEE IS GOING TO BE, AND THE WAY THAT POLITICS WORKS RIGHT NOW, USED TO BE THINGS CAN CHANGE FROM DAY TO DAY AND WEEK TO WEEK, NOW IT'S HOUR TO HOUR OR MINUTE TO MINUTE.

TO TRY TO PROJECT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT WEEK IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

STEVE: SURPRISED THAT HOBBS IN BOTH CASES GOT 40% AS OPPOSED TO LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT?

>> DO PEOPLE KNOW SHE'S RUNNING?

>> YES, EXCEPT THAT THE NUMBER OF UNDECIDES IS ALSO EXTREMELY HIGH, WHICH I GUESS IF YOU ARE KATIE HOBBS AND 17 OR 18 WHATEVER PERCENT IT WAS OF PEOPLE WEREN'T SURE IF THEY WANTED YOU OR THE REPUBLICAN.

MAYBE THAT'S NOT A GREAT SIGN.

IT COULD BE PEOPLE AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION YET.

>> NOR SHOULD THEY.

ONE OF THE THINGS FROM THE POLL, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT KARRIN TAYLOR ROBSON WOULD DO BETTER WITH THAT.

SHE SPENT $20 MILLION OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS IN FIRST RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

SHE'S TAKEN OUT AT AT LEAST A $2 MILLION AD REMINDING EVERYONE SHE IS ENDORSED BY DONALD TRUMP, BUT DIDN'T HAVE MORE SUPPORT OVER ANDY BIGGS, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, CHARLIE KIRK WAS IN THE POLL.

>> KIMBERLY YEE.

>> KIM YEE WAS IN THE POLL.

YOU HAVE TO QUESTION THE RESULTS OF THAT POLL BECAUSE CHARLIE KIRK HAS ENDORSED ANDY BIGGS IN THIS CASE.

HE'S NOT RUNNING, AND KIM YEE IS RUNNING FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.

STEVE: MATT GAETZ IS NOT A SHINING STAR IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, I WOULDN'T THINK.

I DON'T KNOW, BUT I WOULDN'T THINK SO, SO WHAT ARE SOME -- ANYTHING I'M SURE IN A RALLY LIKE THIS, THIS IS NOT THE CASE, THE NEGATIVES FOR ANDY BIGGS, TO ME JANUARY 6.

THINK OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS NOT NECESSARILY EFFECTIVE STATE SENATE PRESIDENT, AND DOES HE HAVE STATEWIDE NAME RECOGNITION?

>> I WOULD SAY HE HAS NAME RECOGNITION AND HELPS TO GET TO THE PRIMARY.

MATT GAETZ IS VALUABLE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION, AND TP USA IS GREAT FOR THAT.

CANDIDATES FOR HIMSELF AND KARI LAKE A FEW YEARS AGO, VERY SUCCESSFUL EARLY ON, AND LATER, HOW DO YOU GET THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WANT IN, THE PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE, THE UNDECIDEDS, THAT'S THE KEY.

I LIKE TO KEEP POLLS AWAY AT THE BEST OF TIMES.

STEVE: MARK, IT'S ANCIENT HISTORY, I REMEMBER WHEN ANDY BIGGS GOT ROLLED, BEING GOVERNOR, WE KNOW HOW POLITICAL THAT CAN BE, WE KNOW HOW -- DOUG DUCEY WASN'T THE MOST EXCITING PERSON BUT KNEW HOW TO DO IT.

SEEMS LIKE THAT'S NOT A STRENGTH OF ANDY BIGGS.

>> HE CERTAINLY KNOWS HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.

HE WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

HE WAS IN LEADERSHIP, APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR.

INTERESTING YOU BRING UP MEDICAID EXPANSION.

DEPENDING HOW THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL DEBATE IN THE SENATE GOES, MEDICAID COULD BE A BIG TOPIC OF DISCUSSION DURING THE NEXT ELECTION, AND I'M GUESSING IF HE'S THE NOMINEE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT FROM THE HOBBS CAMPAIGN.

STEVE: DENNIS, LAST THING ON THIS, MUSK V. TRUMP, THINGS MIGHT CHANGE.

THE SUPER BOWL OF BEEFS.

DOES ELON MUSK HAVE ANDY BIGGS CELL PHONE NUMBER OR VICE VERSA?

>> I DO NOT KNOW, ELON MUSK WAS SAYING THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL WAS FULL OF PORK AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.

WHAT WAS INTERESTING IS ANDY BIGGS TOOK TO X, ELON MUSK'S SOCIAL MEDIA SITE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT HE OWNS THIS.

TOOK THAT AND SAID THAT MUSK WAS RIGHT ABOUT THAT, AND THAT CREATED A NEW ISSUE NOW IN THIS GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN.

AGAIN, 15, 16, 17 MONTHS OUT.

I'M SURE YOU GOT THE PRESS RELEASE FROM KARRIN TAYLOR ROBSON CAMPAIGN ATTACKING BIGGS OVER.

THIS SO IT'S INTERESTING THAT THIS BIG BEEF BETWEEN ELON MUSK, THE WORLD'S RICHEST MAN AND DONALD TRUMP, ARGUABLY THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL MAN HAS TRICKLED DOWN INTO THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR.

>> ALSO INTERESTING THAT BIGGS REPOSTED -- CAN WE SAY RETWEET?

>> RE-X'D?

>> IT WAS A PROBLEM BECAUSE HE VOTED FOR THE BILL.

AND TO SAY THIS IS NOT A GOOD BILL.

THAT RAISES QUESTIONS IN THE MINDS OF A LOT OF VOTERS.

STEVE: I ALSO DIDN'T LOVE THE LANGUAGE, WHY DIDN'T MUSK TELL US BEFORE, IT WAS AS IF YOU WERE GOING VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE ELON MUSK SAID SO, MAYBE NOT THE BEST?

>> THE THING I'LL SAY OVER THE NEXT HOWEVER MANY MONTHS.

>> 16 MONTHS.

>> WHEN WE GET TO DONALD TRUMP, GOING TO HAVE SWAY DOWN THE BALLOT FOR ALL OF THE REPUBLICANS.

IF TRUMP IS STILL GOD-LIKE, AND IN EVERYONE'S GREAT GRACES, THAT WILL BE GREAT FOR REPUBLICANS.

IF PEOPLE ARE UPSET WITH TRUMP, THAT WILL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT REGARDING BIGGS.

STEVE: CAMRYN, GOVERNOR HOBBS VETOED A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT FROM OWNING A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF LAND.

WHAT WAS THE BILL INTENDED TO DO?

I KNOW THE REPUBLICANS WERE SURPRISED THAT GOVERNOR HOBBS VETOED IT, WHAT DOES SHE HAVE TO SAY?

>> THEY WERE SURPRISED GOVERNOR HOBBS VETOED IT.

THE BILL'S SPONSOR IS REPUBLICAN JANAE SHAMP, SHE SAYS THIS IS AN ISSUE OF NATIONAL AND STATE SECURITY.

SHE DOESN'T WANT AN ENEMY OF THE UNITED STATES, IN THIS CASE, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA PURCHASING LAND CLOSE TO MILITARY BASES, LIKE LUKE AIR FORCE BASE AND SPYING ON US AND USING IT BACK IN SOME WAY.

WHEN HOBBS VETOED THE BILL, SHE SAID THIS IS NOT EFFECTIVE AT COUNTER-ESPIONAGE, AND THAT THE WAY THAT THE BILL IS WRITTEN COULD LEAD TO OTHER ISSUES LIKE ARBITRARY ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW, AND I THINK I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED BY HOW MUCH PUSHBACK AND BLOWBACK THERE WAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND A LITTLE NATIONAL NEWS OVER THAT VETO BECAUSE FRANKLY I HADN'T BEEN TRACKING THE BILL ALL THAT MUCH THROUGHOUT THE SESSION, AND YOU HEARD FROM SENATE WARREN PETERSEN HE WANTS TO BRING THE BILL BACK FOR AN OVERRIDE VOTE.

STEVE: WHICH DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.

>> NO, NO, NO, AND YOU GOT TO GO BACK TO 1981, 82, WITH BRUCE BABBITT, A BILL OVER REDISTRICTING, I BELIEVE, WHERE THEY ROLLED HIM ON THAT, BUT BACK TO THE BLOWBACK ON THAT.

I THINK I WAS SURPRISED BY THAT, TOO.

BUT I THINK WHAT REALLY STARTED THIS WAS FOX, THE NATIONAL NEWS OUTLET, GOT AHOLD OF THIS, AND SAW A CHANCE TO PUT VETO, DEMOCRAT, CHINA ALL IN THE SAME HEADLINE AND PLAY POLITICS.

ARIZONA, VIEWERS OF THE SHOW KNOW, IT'S AN IMPORTANT SWING STATE.

IF YOU CAN MAKE POLITICAL HEY OUT OF SOMETHING GOVERNOR HOBBS DID, THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT.

THE OTHER THING THEY DID IN THE BILL AND HOBBS VETOED IT, CHINA CAN BUY THE LAND OR TRANSFER OR SELL IT AS LONG AS IT'S WITHIN THREE YEARS.

HOBBS SAID THIS IS NOT EFFECTIVE IN STOPPING ESPIONAGE AND SPIES.

>> PETERSEN RUNNING FOR A DIFFERENT OFFICE, DOES IT MAKE IT TOUGH BECAUSE HE'S A LAW ENFORCER?

>> THE LEGISLATURE NOT DOING A LOT PUBLICLY, IF THE SENATE GETS IN THE CHAMBER AND HOLDS A VOTE, WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT IT, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THERE IS NOT MUCH TO TALK ABOUT POLITICALLY COMING FROM THE LEGISLATURE.

HE KNOWS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT AND TALKING ABOUT HIM AND TALKING TO HIM.

IT CAN'T HURT IN HIS RUN FOR A.G. >> IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR HIM, EVEN IF HE ISN'T ABLE TO PULL OFF THE OVERRIDE, BECAUSE AGAIN, HE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT IT BEFORE THE REPORTERS MEET, A BUNCH OF US ASKING QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS, REGARDLESS HOW THE VOTE TURNS OUT, THE BASE REPUBLICAN VOTERS WILL SEE SOMEBODY TRYING TO STICK IT TO THE GOVERNOR AND TRYING TO TAKE HER ON.

STEVE: CAMRYN, MARK SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE NOT GETTING MUCH DONE RIGHT NOW.

WE HAD T.J. SHOPE ON THE PROGRAM WHO SAID WEEK TO TEN DAYS, WE SHOULD BE SET.

ARE YOU HEAR ANYTHING REAL MOVEMENT ON THE STATE BUDGET?

>> I HEARD A FEW THINGS, I SPOKE TO JOHN KAVANAGH, AN APPROPRIATIONS PERSON.

HE SAID THINGS ARE GOING WEIRDLY WELL BETWEEN THEM AND THE GOVERNOR, THEY'VE BEEN MEETING REGULARLY, THERE ARE POINTS THEY HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, MAYBE SUPPORTING DPS.

THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ARE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE THOUGH THEY'RE RUN BY REPUBLICANS, AND THERE'S A QUESTION OF WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONEY.

THERE'S ONE PROPOSAL THAT'S SPLIT 90-90-90.

THE HOUSE, THE SENATE AND THE GOVERNOR GETS $90 MILLION TO SPEND HOW THEY WANT.

THE HOUSE ISN'T A HUGE FAN OF IT, SO IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NOT PROGRESS THERE, BUT A POSSIBILITY THEY COULD PASS THE BUDGET ON THE 16th WHEN THEY COME BACK.

>> THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING, TOO.

THE 16th WHEN THEY COME BACK, PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE BUDGET WEEK.

AND AGAIN, IT'S WORTH REMINDING EVERYBODY.

EVERY YEAR WE GO THROUGH THE EXERCISE, WILL THEY OR WON'T THEY GET THE BUDGET PASSED BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN ON JUNE 30 OR JULY 1.

THEY'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF BIG ISSUES REMAINING OUT THERE.

A BIG QUESTION ABOUT PROP 123 DEPENDING ON WHAT DAY.

THAT'S THE EDUCATION FUNDING PIECE.

DEPENDING ON WHAT DAY YOU TALK TO SOMEONE YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO GET DONE, IT'S GOING TO GET PUT ON THE BALLOT OR NOT, AGAIN.

AND I THINK THE DIAMONDBACK STADIUM BILL IS ANOTHER HUGE ISSUE OUT THERE THAT I THINK DOESN'T GET DONE UNTIL THE BUDGET NIGHT.

IT WON'T BE PART OF THE BUDGET, IT WILL BE PART OF THE BUDGET BILLS THAT GET INTRODUCED THAT NIGHT.

STEVE: I WONDERED IF THAT WOULD FIT INTO THE BUDGET OR NOT?

>> SEEMS THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES.

WHAT DENNIS SAID, THE BUDGET GETS DONE AND THERE'S A FLOOD OF OTHER BILLS BACKED UP WAITING FOR THE BUDGET TO BE DONE THAT COME OUT JUST PRIOR TO THAT WHILE THEY'RE DOING PAPERWORK OR WHATEVER, BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BUDGET, THE LAST SEVERAL BILLS BEFORE THEY CAN WRAP UP.

>> CALL IT BUDGET ADJACENT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> HEARING WORD ABOUT WHETHER CAN RUSTY BOWERS PLAY GUITAR?

>> I HOPE THEY DO.

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

STEVE: CAMRYN, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT ARIZONA DEMOCRATS MEETING TOMORROW, WE KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH LEADERSHIP.

ARE WE EXPECTING ANYTHING BIG THIS WEEKEND OTHER THAN ROBERT BRAND, NICE TO KNOW YOU?

>> OBVIOUSLY IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE HE BECAME CHAIR AND THINGS HAVE NOT GOTTEN BETTER AT ALL, AND SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WAYS TO CHANGE AND IMPROVE THE PARTY AND ROLES, POSSIBLY WHO'S IN THE PARTY.

AND THEY'RE MEETING IN TUCSON.

I WILL NOT BE THERE IN PERSON, BUT WATCHING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> BRANSCOMB DECIDED TO PICK A FIGHT WITH TWO SENATORS FROM HIS OWN PARTY.

FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, I TALKED TO NOT A LOT OF THE P.C.s, BUT THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THAT.

IN ARIZONA, ONE OF THE TRADITIONS IS IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE PARTY AND YOU'RE A P.C., YOU ARGUE A LOT WITH YOUR OWN PEOPLE.

GO BACK TO JOHN McCAIN, THE REPUBLICANS' FIGHT WITH THAT.

AND THERE WERE PEOPLE HAPPY TO SEE THIS NEW GUY COME OUT HERE AND SHAKE THINGS UP.

WHETHER OR NOT THAT TRANSLATES INTO HE'S SAFE IN HIS JOB, I DON'T KNOW, COULD THERE BE ENOUGH SUPPORT HAPPENING AT THE MEETING SATURDAY TO MOVE SOMETHING INTO A VOTE?

I DON'T KNOW EITHER.

IT'S GOING TO BE FASCINATING TO WATCH.

LIKE CAMRYN, I WILL BE WATCHING IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

I, TOO, WILL NOT BE DOWN THERE.

STEVE: SOUNDS LIKE NOT THAT EXCITING A MEETING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> THE MONEY SITUATION, BECAUSE WE HEARD THE COUNTY, THE PARTY TREASURER SAY IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE PARTY COULD RUN OUT OF MONEY BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT IF YOU HAVE IMPORTANT ELECTIONS COMING UP IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

STEVE: DENNIS, ARE THE SENATORS HOLDING OUT, OR GALLEGO AND KELLY, WE KNOW THE MONEY KELLY CAN RAISE, ARE THEY FREEZING OUT THE PARTY?

>> YEAH, LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY THE SENATORS CAN RAISE, AND WE KNOW MARK KELLY'S RECORD.

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE A MONEY PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW, AND FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS SINCE THIS THING BLOSSOMED OR BLEW UP IS DEMOCRATS MAY BE TAKING A PAGE FROM THE REPUBLICAN PLAYBOOK AND GOING TO A DIFFERENT PARTY IN A DIFFERENT COUNTY AND WEARING OPERATIONS OUT OF THAT.

YOU REMEMBER, WHEN JOHN McCAIN WAS AT ODDS WITH HIS OWN PARTY, THEY WERE RUNNING STUFF FOR HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGNS OUT OF THE YUMA COUNTY PARTY.

DEMOCRATS MAY BE DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR.

STEVE: LET'S MOVE ONTO SENATOR GALLEGO HAVING COMMENTS ABOUT TRANS-ATHLETES TO A CONSERVATIVE WEBSITE.

SOUNDED CONTRADICTORY TO WHAT DEMOCRATS TEND TO SAY ABOUT THESE THINGS.

CAMRYN, WHAT DID HE HAVE TO SAY?

>> HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IN SPORTS, KIDS IN ANY WAY.

THEY SHOULD BE SEPARATED AND FIND DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES TO DO.

THAT IS A CALCULATED RISK TO SAY THAT.

ON THE ONE HAND, YOU ARE OFFENDING A LOT OF PEOPLE IN YOUR OWN PARTY, NOT THE STANCE DEMOCRATS HAVE TAKEN HISTORICALLY, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, SAYING SOMETHING THAT POLLS WELL WITH VOTERS.

TWO THINGS ACTUALLY, ON IMMIGRATION HE SAID THINGS I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE CENTER OR RIGHT WING, WHICH IS SOMETHING REPUBLICANS CAMPAIGNED ON AGGRESSIVELY AND WERE SUCCESSFUL AT.

POLL AFTER POLL HAS CONSISTENTLY SHOWN THAT PEOPLE, IF THEY SUPPORT OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES, GAY RIGHTS ISSUES, DO NOT APPROVE OF THE TRANS KIDS IN SPORTS ISSUES, IT COULD BE POLITICALLY SAVVY TO SAY THAT, BUT CERTAINLY MADE HEADLINES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ACCUSING HIM OF PULLING A REAL PIVOT.

STEVE: GLAD YOU BROUGHT THE IMMIGRATION POINT UP.

MARK, GALLEGO HAS SAID WE'VE LUMPED HISPANIC MALES INTO CERTAIN THINGS.

DO YOU PUT THAT IN THE SAME CATEGORY?

>> SEEMS THAT WAY, AND HE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW HIS ELECTION LAST YEAR, SORT OF THE MODEL THE DEMOCRATS NEED TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO SPEAK TO ESPECIALLY MALE VOTERS, HISPANIC, LATINO MALE VOTERS, COMES AT THE SAME TIME HE'S GETTING MEDIA ATTENTION POSSIBLY RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR, OR IN THREE YEARS.

>> DEMOCRATS ARE IN THE WILDERNESS RIGHT NOW AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.

YOU'RE SEEING PEOPLE PUT THE IDEAS IN THE POLITICAL MARKETPLACE.

IF VOTERS ARE LIKING WHAT THEY'RE SELLING.

YOU'RE SEEING THE DIFFERENT MESSAGES AND I MENTION THAT ONLY BECAUSE RUBEN GALLEGO, LIKE IT OR NOT, TAKE IT SERIOUS OR NOT, HE'S PART OF THE WHISPER CAMPAIGN FOR THE 2028 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CYCLE.

THERE IS SOME OF THAT CALCULATION THAT GOES INTO THIS, AND, YOU KNOW, THE DEMOCRATS I'M TALKING TO AS WELL, THE RANK AND FILE FOLKS, NOT HAPPY WITH RUBEN GALLEGO ON A LOT OF THIS STUFF BECAUSE HE RAN AGAINST KYRSTEN SINEMA, YOU KNOW, AND HER POLICIES AS A DEMOCRAT.

SHE TURNED INDEPENDENT, BUT NOW THEY'RE SEEING HIM DOING THE SAME THINGS SHE WAS DOING, AND THEY DON'T BELIEVE THEY VOTED FOR THAT KIND OF CANDIDATE.

STEVE: WE'RE NOT RECORDING THIS OR ANYTHING, IS GALLEGO RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT?

>> HE TOLD ME HE'S TOO SHORT.

STEVE: I'M SURPRISED HE SAID THAT.

>> HE WAS JOKING, HE SAID I'M TOO SHORT.

PEOPLE DON'T VOTE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.

I SAID WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

HE SAID TOO SHORT.

STEVE: CAMRYN, STORY ABOUT COLORADO RIVER, NEGOTIATE WITH CALIFORNIA, WHAT ARE THE IDEAS HERE?

>> I'VE BEEN MAKING MYSELF LEARN MORE ABOUT COLORADO RIVER TALKS IF YOU'RE NOT ENGAGED IN THEM.

STEVE: LOT OF WATER.

>> I WAS SURPRISED THAT SENATE PRESIDENT PETERSEN WAS TALKING TO OFFICIALS ABOUT IT.

I DON'T THINK OF HIM AS A WATER GUY.

HE'S TRYING TO BECOME ONE, OR LEARNING MORE ABOUT IT.

HE'S ADVOCATING FOR ARIZONA TO GET THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE.

ONE THING HE BROUGHT UP IS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND NOT JUST LINING CANALS BUT ALSO POSSIBLY DESAL, AND IN CALIFORNIA, SO THE IDEA COULD BE IF WE HAD THE DESAL PLANT IN CALIFORNIA, WE GOT COLORADO RIVER WATER, THAT HELPS US.

IT'S SURPRISING.

NOT SOMETHING I HEARD, IT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT MEXICO.

MEXICO IS DIFFERENT AND A DIFFERENT TIME LINE.

SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON.

STEVE: VERY BRIEFLY?

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT'S ANOTHER THING THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT GETTING A LOT DONE ON.

I KNOW YOU DISAGREE WITH THAT.

NOT A LOT HAS BEEN DONE ON WATER THIS YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYTHING IS COMING UP IN THE FINAL WEEKS.

STEVE: DENNIS WELCH, CAMRYN SANCHEZ, MARK BRODIE, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

I'M STEVE GOLDSTEIN IN FOR TED SIMONS TONIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

- Hello, I'm Alice Ferris, and we hope you enjoyed "Arizona Horizon."

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