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Nicole Ludden

Nicole Ludden

Nicole Ludden took over her high school newspaper in Nebraska and never looked back. She graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in 2020, entering the industry during the chaos of COVID-19. After stints in the Arizona Republic newsroom and at the Tucson Weekly, she covered local government for the Arizona Daily Star. She joined the Agenda in 2023, where she digs into the antics of Arizona’s Legislature and the policy fights shaping the state. She loves falling down a good internet rabbit hole, making weird polymer clay creations and her two cats, Helly and Burt. Contact: [email protected]

Arizona’s sign anarchy

Oct 29, 2026

•

7 min read

Arizona’s sign anarchy

Blame David Gowan ... Justin Heap rejects your vote ... And a sign shop with a conscience.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
Where’s the blue wave?

Oct 28, 2026

•

6 min read

Where’s the blue wave?

A look at early voting figures ... Cartwright chaos continues ... And grifter clowns are the worst clowns.

TJ L'Heureux
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +2
GOP donors abandon Biggs

Oct 27, 2026

•

7 min read

GOP donors abandon Biggs

Ducey’s crew isn’t Biggs’ crew ... There’s an app for that ... And those in glass apartments.

Hank Stephenson
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson, +2
Lawsuits don’t make rain

Oct 26, 2026

•

5 min read

Lawsuits don’t make rain

Who’s playing politics? ... A friend in unpopular places ... And artificial, but still not intelligent.

Arren Kimbel-Sannit
Nicole Ludden
Arren Kimbel-Sannit, +1
A veep of faith

Oct 23, 2026

•

6 min read

A veep of faith

What do you do here, exactly? ... Missing mail ... And what we freaking need.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
Biggs’ Day of the Dead

Oct 22, 2026

•

6 min read

Biggs’ Day of the Dead

Zombie bills, be born again! ... Why is it never powdered doughnut dust? ... And we present to you: Duck on a Rock.

TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +1
Target acquired

Oct 21, 2026

•

7 min read

Target acquired

They know where you live ... One big Heaping mess ... And we, too, lay claim to the ticket.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
The messy APS jargon war

Oct 20, 2026

•

7 min read

The messy APS jargon war

Are you subsidizing data centers? ... Did you get your ballot yet? ... And how very Trumpian of her.

TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +1
Flowing into court

Oct 19, 2026

•

6 min read

Flowing into court

When water negotiations fail, go to court ... Election terrorism is all the rage ... And Kolodin goes Hamilton

Arren Kimbel-Sannit
Nicole Ludden
Arren Kimbel-Sannit, +1
Crazy from the electoral heat

Oct 15, 2026

•

6 min read

Crazy from the electoral heat

Can everyone just chill? ... A load of Bullhead ... And the boss finally noticed me!

TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +1
Can’t we all get along?

Oct 14, 2026

•

6 min read

Can’t we all get along?

Talk civil to me ... That rally could get awkward ... And more power to him.

Nicole Ludden
Arren Kimbel-Sannit
Nicole Ludden, +1
Staring into the abyss

Oct 13, 2026

•

6 min read

Staring into the abyss

Or how I got duped by Elizabeth Holmes ... Nutters “R” Us ... And try bowing lower.

Gary Grado
Nicole Ludden
Gary Grado, +1
The post-Petersen plan

Oct 8, 2026

•

7 min read

The post-Petersen plan

Giddy up, Mr. President... A candidate speaks out... And signs point to us.

Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +1
Not up for debate

Oct 6, 2026

•

6 min read

Not up for debate

A calculated no-show ... McConnell’s monster ... And see you at Biggstock.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
Introducing: The Elections Agenda

Oct 5, 2026

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5 min read

Introducing: The Elections Agenda

One-stop shopping for voters ... Home is where the paperwork says ... And Kristen Petersen could be your next AG.

George Headley
Nicole Ludden
George Headley, +1
The girls’ sports gambit

Oct 1, 2026

•

7 min read

The girls’ sports gambit

A culture-war curveball? ... What our politicians spend their time doing ... And we’re looking for a stocky lawmaker.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
The sleeper seat

Sep 29, 2026

•

6 min read

The sleeper seat

If Dems win here, they can flip the House ... Never thought we’d miss the vain billionaire ... And the one, the only, Howard Fischer.

Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +1
Lydia’s school board wars

Sep 24, 2026

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9 min read

Lydia’s school board wars

There’s always drama at Cartwright ... Kyrsten's ex isn't over it ... And a one-star review of his reviews.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
Arizona’s big spenders

Sep 22, 2026

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8 min read

Arizona’s big spenders

Special interests, indeed ... Home is where the office is ... And that’s bananas.

Nicole Ludden
Curt Prendergast
Nicole Ludden, +1
When God calls a governor

Sep 18, 2026

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7 min read

When God calls a governor

Teri Hourihan says God called her to run for governor. The No Labels Party called someone else.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Examining Dr. Heap

Sep 16, 2026

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6 min read

Examining Dr. Heap

The blemish on the candidate’s record ... Remember the pre-MAGA Biggs? ... And political ladies who lunch.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
Rachel Alexander v. Everyone

Sep 15, 2026

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5 min read

Rachel Alexander v. Everyone

The right-wing influencer’s haters have unionized ... Help, the AI monster is loose ... And what the f*ck does that mean?

TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +1
Arizona’s new rulebook

Sep 14, 2026

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8 min read

Arizona’s new rulebook

The state’s new terms and conditions ... Tourism dollars, at any cost ... And that 9/11 plane was actually a missile?

Nicole Ludden
Hank Stephenson
Nicole Ludden, +1
Arizona’s worst judges

Sep 10, 2026

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8 min read

Arizona’s worst judges

No, really, they’re all awesome ... Biggs doesn't need ads to lose ... And Adrian Fontes, rebel with a scooter.

Kiera Riley
Nicole Ludden
Kiera Riley, +1
Can Nez really win?

Sep 9, 2026

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8 min read

Can Nez really win?

Dems’ far-fetched rural dream ... Donors love a martyr ... And deepfakes for Biggs is a sad campaign.

TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +1

Arizona Agenda

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

Contact: [email protected]