The Stories That Stopped Arizona From Scrolling
A look back at the interviews, exclusives, and investigations that defined our 2026 primary coverage.
The 2026 Arizona primary is in the rearview mirror, and what a ride it was. State 48 News spent the cycle talking with candidates up and down the ballot, though our coverage leaned heavily Republican for one simple reason: they actually returned our calls.
To our Democratic friends, the invitation still stands. We don’t bite, the interviews aren’t that scary, and we’d genuinely love to have you on.
We like to joke about “breaking the internet.” Maybe we didn’t do that every time, but we definitely made a few people stop scrolling. As we look back on the primary, here are the interviews, exclusives, and stories that generated the biggest conversations.
As we head into the general election, State 48 News will be evolving. We’ve got some exciting changes in the works, and we’ll be sharing more soon.
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In our biggest story to date, State 48 broke the news that Karrin Taylor Robson was a paid lobbyist for Arizona Public Service (APS) when she announced her campaign for governor. Shortly after our reporting was published, Robson withdrew as a registered APS lobbyist, bringing statewide attention to questions surrounding her dual role as both a gubernatorial candidate and a utility lobbyist.
In Arizona this story was one of the most talked about political stories in the state.
State 48 was the first outlet to sit down with David Rose for an in-depth interview, where he candidly discussed his turbulent past, his faith journey, and the extraordinary ballot challenge that followed his campaign all the way to the Arizona Supreme Court. The interview gave voters a rare opportunity to hear directly from Rose rather than through court filings or political attacks.
Now, after emerging from one of the most closely watched legal battles of the election cycle and prevailing in the Republican primary, Rose is poised to become the next state representative from Legislative District 30, one of Arizona’s most reliably Republican districts.
For the epic Arizona Supreme Court battle, attempts to invalidate his run and a case study in exactly why you should never represent yourself before the state’s highest court, you’ll want to read this one.
State 48 was covering the CD5 race and one thing stood out: Jay Feely was noticeably absent from Rep. Andy Biggs’ June 2025 campaign rally. Curious, we reached out expecting to hear from a staffer or communications director. Instead, Feely called back personally.
He was traveling with his family at the time, but as soon as he checked into his hotel, he took the time to speak with us. The former NFL kicker turned broadcaster was approachable, thoughtful, and generous with his time. Despite State 48 being a small independent outlet, he treated the interview with the same professionalism and respect you would expect from a major national news organization.
During that conversation, Feely shared something that rarely made the campaign stump speech. He talked about sponsoring a young man from Haiti who ultimately became part of his family. It was a side of him that went beyond politics, and we knew it deserved a follow-up story.
President Trump later encouraged Feely to switch from the CD5 race to the open CD1 contest. While many grassroots conservatives initially supported Rep. Joseph Chaplik, Feely ultimately won the Republican primary and is now the GOP nominee.
If you’re just now taking your first real look at Feely as the Republican nominee, this story offers a glimpse into the man behind the campaign and why so many people have come away impressed after meeting him.
Both Republican Attorney General candidates joined State 48 early in the campaign to share their vision with Arizona voters. Senate President Warren Petersen has since won the Republican nomination and will face Attorney General Kris Mayes in November. As of today, Rodney Glassman has not publicly conceded the primary.
GOP Battle for Arizona Attorney General
In this wide ranging State 48 News episode, Senate President Warren Petersen (R) and Attorney Rodney Glassman (R) sit down to discuss what it truly means to be Arizona’s chief legal officer and who is best prepared to take on that responsibility.
One of the final major stories of the primary centered on Legislative District 10 candidate Ciara Andersen’s military service. As new information emerged in the closing days of the race, State 48 News examined the record, sought responses from Andersen and elected officials, and reported on the questions surrounding how her military background had been presented during the campaign. The story quickly became one of the most widely discussed developments of the election’s final stretch.
Bonus: One of our favorite conversations of the cycle featured Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, who joined Christy Kelly on the Cut the Bull podcast for a wide-ranging discussion on healthcare, religious liberty, reform within Islam, and his campaign for Arizona’s 4th Congressional District.