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Nicole Ludden

Nicole Ludden is a reporter at the Arizona Agenda, where she covers the antics of Arizona’s Legislature and the policy fights shaping the state. She previously covered local government for the Arizona Daily Star, and before that, worked at the Tucson Weekly and in the Arizona Republic’s newsroom. She’s a graduate of ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.

Ralph Heap has a money problem

Jul 27, 2026

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9 min read

Ralph Heap has a money problem

Allegations that a GOP Corporation Commission nominee lied about his campaign spending are holding up the money he needs for November.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Terrible turnout and municipal mayhem

Jul 23, 2026

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11 min read

Terrible turnout and municipal mayhem

The bottom of the ballot ... How many signatures are 255,949? ... And SWEEEEET CAR-O-LINE (bum bum bum)

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
The primary power test

Jul 22, 2026

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10 min read

The primary power test

The morning-after meaning behind Tuesday’s results.

Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden, +1
The comeback kids

Jul 16, 2026

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9 min read

The comeback kids

They’ll be back (they say) ... Everybody wins, and everybody loses ... And good try, Abe.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
The unassistable lawmaker

Jul 13, 2026

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7 min read

The unassistable lawmaker

Sandoval’s a staffing nightmare ... Maybe leave the tactical gear at home? ... And we'd be shocked, too.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Ordinary people, dark money

Jul 9, 2026

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8 min read

Ordinary people, dark money

Campaign finance rogues, meet Alex ... Heap what you sow ... And justice for Hillary.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
The school choice counterattack

Jul 7, 2026

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8 min read

The school choice counterattack

Fortify Arizona's endgame ... Those darn bubbles ... And a fake campaign ends in fake tragedy.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Q&A: Lupe Contreras clocks out

Jul 6, 2026

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8 min read

Q&A: Lupe Contreras clocks out

Lupe looks back ... Voters vouched for it ... And fake does deepfake.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
The voucher war returns

Jun 29, 2026

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10 min read

The voucher war returns

The deal that won’t die ... Feed the hungry, not the feds ... And polling continues to be a scam.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Dems’ CD1 dream

Jun 26, 2026

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9 min read

Dems’ CD1 dream

Your guide to the hot blue primary race to flip Scottsdale’s seat in Congress.

TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +1
Chasing the majority

Jun 25, 2026

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10 min read

Chasing the majority

Democrats are done playing defense... Mayors vs. machines ... And the global capital of bachelorette parties.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
The Capitol recap

Jun 23, 2026

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8 min read

The Capitol recap

The session’s best little moments ... Trump’s tough love ... And what the buc?

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Welcome to the voucher war

Jun 15, 2026

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7 min read

Welcome to the voucher war

A behind-the-scenes bargain on school vouchers ended in a late-night Capitol blowup — and a new Republican strategy to win the voucher war.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Buried in the budget

Jun 12, 2026

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8 min read

Buried in the budget

We read the fine print ... Did they not know about the cameras? ... And that's gotta sting.

TJ L'Heureux
Nicole Ludden
TJ L'Heureux, +1
Budget, then bounce

Jun 10, 2026

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8 min read

Budget, then bounce

The fiscal frenzy finale ... The bill blitz begins ... And you paid for that tweet.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Arizona’s residency honor system

Jun 9, 2026

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8 min read

Arizona’s residency honor system

Public office, private address ... Turning up the heat on Heap ... And was Winston Churchill a crybaby?

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Where’s the budget?

Jun 4, 2026

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7 min read

Where’s the budget?

Error 404: Budget not found ... Get sued, donate to Warren ... And Lela looks good in bicycle pants.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Big Vape’s big win

Jun 3, 2026

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6 min read

Big Vape’s big win

Where there’s smoke, there’s lobbying ... Vacations are expensive ... And the ugliest capitol in America.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
A blurry border line item

May 29, 2026

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9 min read

A blurry border line item

Arizona sheriffs say they use state border funding to intercept drugs. But the fine print on how the money can be spent has turned it into a fight over immigration enforcement.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Primary beef

May 20, 2026

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9 min read

Primary beef

The messiest legislative primaries ... Bernie is worth 600 votes, right? ... And we could certainly do worse.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Flooded, then forgotten

May 18, 2026

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7 min read

Flooded, then forgotten

Globe and Miami are still recovering from deadly floods, but the next storm may arrive before any state money does.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
The Young and the Budgetless

May 12, 2026

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8 min read

The Young and the Budgetless

The drama behind your tax dollars ... Per diem that you don't work ... And how to win friends and influence voters.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Baiting the veto queen

May 7, 2026

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6 min read

Baiting the veto queen

The budget blame game ... Clamoring to be his lieutenant ... And “Dems” win GOP debate.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
How to become a fake candidate

Apr 24, 2026

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6 min read

How to become a fake candidate

A look inside the spoiler scam ... Election fight isn’t over ... And strikers vs. stalkers.

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
Arizona’s Cold War

Apr 23, 2026

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8 min read

Arizona’s Cold War

Hobbs gets tough on China ... Welcome to the Theater of Allegation ... And it's a conflict, not a war!

Nicole Ludden
Nicole Ludden
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Arizona Agenda

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

Contact: [email protected]