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Oliver Buchannon
Hank Stephenson

Hank has covered Arizona politics for the New York Times and Politico and a host of local papers. In 2021, he decided to go independent and started building the Agenda.

What is dead may never die

Mar 3, 2026

•

10 min read

What is dead may never die

You can't count to 31 on your fingers ... Nobody likes creepy Tom ... And pimp Feely's ride.

Hank Stephenson
Hank Stephenson
Funded to fail

Feb 10, 2026

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15 min read

Funded to fail

Making a lot of mouth noises ... Them’s fighting words ... And why not a billion?

Hank Stephenson
TJ L'Heureux
Gary Grado
Hank Stephenson, +2
Republicans love public records

Feb 5, 2026

•

12 min read

Republicans love public records

Now you want transparency? ... Illegal orders are free speech, too ... And say those names fast.

TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson
TJ L'Heureux, +1
Oh Snap: The GOP’s SNAP plan

Feb 4, 2026

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12 min read

Oh Snap: The GOP’s SNAP plan

Audits over appetites ... She’s running for all the offices ... And Abe Hamadeh: conspiracy stopper.

Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +1
Tempe council cave interviews

Feb 3, 2026

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15 min read

Tempe council cave interviews

An unlikely talk show host ... Janet is back ... And we support Jake Hoffman's stupid bill.

Hank Stephenson
TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson, +1
The stories behind the signs

Feb 2, 2026

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15 min read

The stories behind the signs

Why they showed up ... Warehousing humans ... And Beat It.

Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson, +1
Republicans take on the cops

Jan 30, 2026

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16 min read

Republicans take on the cops

But not the surveillance state ... Welp, guess he quit ... And feed those birds, not those birds.

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson, +2
Swoboda’s grand exit

Jan 26, 2026

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13 min read

Swoboda’s grand exit

New chair, same civil war ... FAFO is the new thoughts and prayers ... And that's not the resignation they were looking for.

Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson, +1
Play it safe, or guns blazing?

Jan 23, 2026

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12 min read

Play it safe, or guns blazing?

As ICE squads come to Phoenix, Gov. Katie Hobbs and AG Kris Mayes take vastly different approaches.

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson, +1
An inside look at outside spending

Jan 22, 2026

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14 min read

An inside look at outside spending

Happy birthday, Citizens United! ... Stand your ground? ... And there's a name we haven't heard in a while.

Hank Stephenson
TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson, +1
How many laws is enough?

Jan 21, 2026

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12 min read

How many laws is enough?

We blame the lobbyists ... Doomsday prepping, elections edition ... And don't mess with Howie.

Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson, +1
A budget built on bad bets

Jan 20, 2026

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15 min read

A budget built on bad bets

The odds look slim ... Documented legal nonimmigrants ... And punny, but not that punny.

Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson, +1
Interrogating our new reporter

Jan 16, 2026

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14 min read

Interrogating our new reporter

Getting to know TJ ... Yay, no taxes! ... And Jesus Christ, Kyrsten.

TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +2
The big beautiful tax fight

Jan 15, 2026

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13 min read

The big beautiful tax fight

Don't file yet ... Powerful politics ... And Grok clears our name.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +2
Hobbs scandals revisited

Jan 14, 2026

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12 min read

Hobbs scandals revisited

It's not pure bullshit ... A conservative ninja warrior passes ... And the return of cringe-rock.

TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson
TJ L'Heureux, +1
A speech for a swing state

Jan 13, 2026

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15 min read

A speech for a swing state

Hobbs’ boldly inoffensive speech ... Tubas vs. tough talk ... And opening day lols.

Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +1
Capitol storm watch

Jan 12, 2026

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13 min read

Capitol storm watch

A fiscal front is approaching ... When ICE hits home ... And why Kolodin’s wanted.

Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson, +1
The power players — 2026

Jan 9, 2026

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3 min read

The power players — 2026

Your primer to the good, the bad and the ugly at the Arizona Capitol.

Hank Stephenson
Hank Stephenson
The League’s legislative agenda

Jan 8, 2026

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3 min read

The League’s legislative agenda

Local control, reloaded ... He'll fundraise better from jail anyway ... And poor Joseph.

Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +1
The legislative to-do list

Jan 7, 2026

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3 min read

The legislative to-do list

Due this session ... Pet projects abound ... And not that Ruben Gallego.

Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +1
Welcome to Hell (Week)

Jan 6, 2026

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3 min read

Welcome to Hell (Week)

One last desperate act ... Three bomb threats in one day ... And Big Brother saves Nala.

Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast
Hank Stephenson, +2
December's dirty dozen

Jan 5, 2026

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3 min read

December's dirty dozen

MAGA infighting at AmericaFest ... Kelly vs Trump et al ... And that’s one heckuva top hat.

Hank Stephenson
Curt Prendergast
Joe Ferguson
Hank Stephenson, +2
Secret Santa: Destined for D.C.

Dec 9, 2025

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3 min read

Secret Santa: Destined for D.C.

The Agenda's intern is going places.

Hank Stephenson
Hank Stephenson
Survey says...

Dec 5, 2025

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3 min read

Survey says...

We're too liberal ... But you still love us ... And our suggestions box is overflowing.

Hank Stephenson
Hank Stephenson
Dirt cheap housing, literally

Dec 4, 2025

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3 min read

Dirt cheap housing, literally

DIY homes in Cochise County ... Temu is in troubleeee ... And we need to trademark our headlines.

Hank Stephenson
Christian Sawyer
Alysa Horton
Hank Stephenson, +2
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Arizona Agenda

The weekday briefing that takes you behind the scenes in Arizona politics.

Contact: [email protected]