January 10, 2014 / Modified jan 10, 2014 7:32 p.m.

AZ Illustrated Politics: Friday, January 10, 2014

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith joins crwoded GOP gubernatorial primaries; remembering Jan. 8 shooting.

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Play the video above to see these stories on AZ Illustrated Politics for Friday, Jan. 10 with guests Sarah Garrecht Gassen, columnist with the Arizona Daily Star, Republican National Committeeman Bruce Ash, and Don Jorgensen, chairman of the Pima County Democratic Party:

RACE FOR GOVERNOR: This week, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith became the sixth Republican to join this year’s race for governor. Other candidates include Arizona Treasurer Doug Ducey, Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, attorney Christine Jones, disbarred attorney Andrew Thomas and state Sen. Al Melvin. Gassen said that Smith is a less partisan Republican than the others in the field, so he may have trouble in primary. Ash said that Ducey’s ability to raise more than a million dollars last year for his campaign gave him a leg up on other candidates, but the race would be unpredictable. Jorgensen said that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fred DuVal had also raised an impressive $800,000 and would be a formidable candidate this year.

RACE FOR SECRETARY OF STATE: Democrat Terry Goddard recently announced he wanted to run for Secretary of State this year. Goddard, who has lost three gubernatorial elections but won two races for attorney general, is likely to face state lawmaker Leah Landrum Taylor in a Democratic primary. Gassen said that Goddard would likely have the advantage in that race, given his name ID, and Jorgensen said that Goddard remained popular among Democrats. Ash said the Republican primary was shaping up as an unpredictable contest, with Wil Cardon bringing a personal fortune to bankroll his campaign, state Sen. Michele Reagan bringing experience at the legislature and state Rep. Justin Pierce bringing youthful energy.

ANNIVERSARY OF JAN. 8 MASS SHOOTING: As Tucson marked the third anniversary of the mass shooting at Gabrielle Giffords’ Congress on Your Corner event, Giffords herself went skydiving and wrote a New York Times editorial saying that she would remain in the fight for new laws to prevent gun violence, even if progress this year was limited. Jorgensen, Ash and Gassen discussed the challenges that remain in developing legislation regarding mental illness and gun possession.

AZ Illustrated Politics is produced by Jim Nintzel. Contact him at jnintzel@azpm.org.

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