Arizona Morning Briefing, 11-9: New Legislative Leadership, Hamadeh Hangs On, Schweikert Criticizes MAGA, and More

•DEMOCRATS PICK THEIR LEGISLATIVE LEADERS–As R.C. Maxwell predicted with near 100% accuracy last week, Arizona Democrats have chosen Oscar De Los Santos as House speaker-elect, with Nancy Gutierrez as majority leader and Brian Garcia and Kevin Volk as majority whips. Priya Sundareshan became Senate president-elect, with Christine Marsh as majority leader and Analise Ortiz as majority whip. Outgoing Republican House Speaker Steve Montenegro will become minority leader, with Michael Carbone as assistant minority leader and Lupe Diaz as minority whip. Friday’s unofficial returns pointed toward a 37–23 Democratic House and a 20–10 Democratic Senate, the latter constituting a two-thirds supermajority if confirmed. The full chambers formally elect their presiding officers in January.

•SCHWEIKERT CRITICIZES MAGA, LEAVES DOOR OPEN FOR 2030–Outgoing Republican Congressman David Schweikert has joined the post-election debate over the GOP’s direction, but with a potentially consequential personal disclosure. In an interview reported Saturday by KJZZ, Schweikert urged Republicans to reconsider what he called the party’s “rage-based populism.” He also said he’d anticipated legislative losses but not the extent of the Republican defeats. Schweikert didn’t rule out another gubernatorial campaign in 2030. He lost this year’s Republican primary to Andy Biggs. Polls overwhelmingly favor him to be the top candidate named David Schweikert.

•PROP. 320 OFFICIALLY DEFEATED–The Associated Press called Proposition 320’s defeat Saturday evening. The Republican-referred proposal would have required larger school districts to devote at least 60% of their budgets to direct educational expenses, with escalating financial penalties for noncompliance. An analysis cited by KJZZ estimated that 87 Arizona districts could have faced $173 million in funding losses under the proposal. Public-school administrators celebrated with another round of margaritas.

•REPUBLICANS SPENT $27 MILLION TRYING TO ELECT JAY FEELY–Republicans spent more than $27 million supporting Jay Feely in CD1, compared with Democrats spending approximately $17.5 million supporting Amish Shah. Outside groups spent $16.2 million supporting Feely, including $9 million from the Trump-affiliated Safety & Affordability PAC. Feely lost, meaning this was a worse investment than the average meme stock.

•REPUBLICANS SALVAGE SOME RACES–Republicans Mark Lamb and Abe Hamadeh resisted the Blue Wave, winning their Congressional districts in CD5 and CD8. The AP called both Arizona Corporation Commission seats for Clara Pratte and Jonathon Hill, confirming that Democrats will break the commission’s all-Republican composition. Pratte becomes Arizona’s first Native American woman elected to statewide office. The Corporation Commission will have a narrow 3-2 Republican majority. Prepare for the utility-rate wars of 2027.