The State Press

The State Press is Arizona's leading college publication. In 2016 I was part of the first Politics desk at the publication, and started my journalism career doing political coverage of the 2016 election, student government and various other feature and profile pieces. 

The Elephant in the Room

Rick Thomas is in it for the laughs. Or at least that’s what he claims. He’s the president of College Republicans United and a self-avowed “politically incorrect” Trump-supporting paleoconservative with a history of being inflammatory and at times insensitive on social media. College Republicans United is a Trump-flavored splinter organization that broke off from the existing College Republicans club in January of this year. At some events around the Tempe campus, the ASU-chartered organization

Sen. John McCain, Arizona's 'maverick,' dies at 81

The longtime Arizona senator and presidential candidate was battling brain cancer Arizona senator and two-time presidential hopeful John McCain died Saturday at 81, according to reports. During his 36-year career in Arizona politics, McCain served two terms in the House of Representatives and then six terms as a senator. As a young man he served as a United States Navy aviator in Vietnam, where he was famously shot down and kept as a prisoner of war for several years. McCain was battling an a

The Arizona sun sets on one of its most formidable voices

After 35 years of service, John McCain died in Sedona Saturday night Flags are at half-mast across Arizona today in remembrance of the late Sen. John McCain, who passed away in his home in Sedona surrounded by his friends and family Saturday. He was 81 and would have been 82 on Wednesday. The six-term Senator, Vietnam War veteran and traditional conservative firebrand rose to national acclaim in 1967, when he was captured and held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam for many years. After his year

Primaries are tomorrow: Your guide on who's running for office near ASU

As Tuesday's primary draws near, here are some of the Valley's competitive races Arizona will hold a primary Tuesday, setting the stage for a closely watched general election, as the stakes remain high for Republicans trying to hold on to their national majority. Some Arizona districts face crowded competitions, while statewide elections see a split in the Democratic party, with gubernatorial hopefuls facing off until the last minute. National races are also drawing attention from analysts as

Politics and science meet at Phoenix March for Science

Over 8,000 people gathered at the march in Phoenix, which was attended by multiple city officials and a congressional hopeful Scientists and politicians came together in protest as the Trump administration continues to enact an agenda that rolls back regulations and environmental protections. Nearly 8,000 Phoenicians gathered in front of the Old City Hall Sunday to listen to a group of speakers before they marched through downtown. The march was one of hundreds that mirrored the main event tha

'Not My President;' anti-Trump protestors march on Mill

Protestors took to the streets in Tempe and around the country today, just one day after Donald Trump's election as the 45th president of the U.S. About 200 ASU students rallied Wednesday night at Old Main and marched through downtown Tempe. The protestors marched in rows of four, chanting “not our president” and “stronger together,” as police escorts cleared intersections and stopped traffic. Randy Perez, an ASU political science and public policy junior, took charge of the protest upon arriv

Million Mask March protests police brutality, 'corrupt' election at First Friday

An "Anonymous" rally drew about 30 protesters to downtown Phoenix to sound off on current social issues Around 30 Phoenicians wearing bandanas and Guy Fawkes "Anonymous" masks gathered at the Margaret T. Hance Park on Friday for the worldwide event known as the Million Mask March. Although Saturday, Nov. 5 is the official rallying day for the group, organizers held it a day early to get maximum exposure. The march was used to protest police brutality and perceptions of corruption in politics.

Mitt Romney calls on Mesa voters to vote for McCain

The two former Republican presidential nominees spoke to a small crowd despite downpour. Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney campaigned for John McCain in Mesa Thursday, highlighting the importance of Supreme Court justices, the economy and party unity. The event, which was held in the official Cubs Spring Training ballpark, was coined as a celebration of the Cubs winning the world series. Food was provided for the supporters and speakers featured included Rep. Matt Salmon, Sen.

Voting Rights Act will operate in limited capacity this election, leaving voters without federal oversight

For the first time in over 50 years, the Voting Rights Act does not have the power to check state laws for discriminatory practices The impending presidential election will be the first election in more than five decades that voters will not be under the full protection of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — an act which was passed during the Civil Rights Era to protect minority voters. The act was a major piece of legislation which aimed to protect disenfranchised voters, namely Black voters from

Trump criticizes Obamacare and Clinton email scandal at Phoenix rally

Donald Trump visited Phoenix just 10 days before the election to rally supporters in what could be a battleground state for the first time since 1996 Donald Trump hammered home his core messages of repealing the Affordable Care Act and harped on Hillary’s email controversy Saturday during his seventh visit to Arizona. The visit, coming just days after his son campaigned on ASU’s campus, is indicative of the bizarre status of Arizona as a battleground state this late in the election. The event

Donald Trump Jr. urges votes, touts his father's business record at ASU

Donald Trump Jr. made a brief stop on ASU's Tempe campus to ask citizens to vote for his father on Nov. 8 A tone of radical change, frustration and victory resonated through the Sun Devil Fitness Complex Thursday afternoon as Donald Trump Jr. campaigned for his father. This event comes just one week after Michelle Obama was the final of three liberal surrogates who recently visited Arizona. The rally was opened with brief remarks from local Republican voices, including Maricopa County Sheriff

Michelle Obama channels hope, unity in Phoenix campaign event

The First Lady highlighted the differences in candidates while calling Arizona residents to votes in the final 19 days of the election Michelle Obama rekindled the sentiments of hope and change that once drove her husband to victory Thursday while campaigning in Phoenix for current presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Lines stretched around the Phoenix Convention Center hours before the event began. The crowd was met with a rousing call to vote by the First Lady and local party leaders. Mi

Forks up or Bear Down: ASU and UA compete for national innovation rankings

Both ASU and UA have made nationwide lists for being innovative, but Reuters placed UA higher for more patents filed A new list of the most innovative colleges may fan the flames of the rivalry between ASU and UA. Although ASU was No. 1 on the U.S. News and World Report’s list of most innovative Universities, it didn’t even make a list published by news organization Reuters — however, UA came in at 63 on the Reuters list. The Reuters methodology uses quantitative data to rank universities fro

Handcuffed Joe Arpaio inflatable used to pit voters against incumbent Maricopa County Sheriff

The larger-than-life caricature of the Maricopa County Sheriff featured a prison jumpsuit and sheriff's star Complete with a jumpsuit and cuffed hands, an inflatable Sheriff Joe Arpaio towered over students on ASU’s Tempe campus Thursday. The inflatable figure was on campus as part of a collaboration between the anti-Arpaio campaign Bazta Arpiao, which roughly translates to "enough Arpaio," and MEChA de ASU, a Chicanx political activist organization. Film and media production junior Marylyn A

FAFSA 101: Developments make applying for federal aid easier than ever

FAFSA was released Saturday and allows students to start applying through a new, simpler application At the beginning of each year, students and parents take an hour or so to fill out the lengthy, laborious FAFSA. The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is a yearly application which allows students to apply for funding from the federal government. This year, the form came out three months early and was crafted to be more intuitive and user-friendly. Here are five things to kno

Hillary Clinton unveils 'College Calculator' model for higher education reform

Clinton's campaign released the interactive visual for potential students to tabulate the cost of their education Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has made reducing the cost of higher education a key plank in her campaign by vying for the Millennial vote as tuition increases can cause concern for students and parents across America. She reinvigorated her efforts on Sept. 12 when she released an interactive calculator that visualizes her college tuition plan. The calculator has t

Gideons Bible's stay at ASU-affiliated hotel officially over

Gideons Bibles were recently removed from an ASU-affiliated hotel after a complaint form the Freedom From Religion Foundation Bibles have been found in the nightstands of hotel rooms since 1908 when Gideons International began distributing them. That tradition was broken late last month by a local ASU-affiliated hotel, Thunderbird Executive Inn and Conference Center. The removal of the religious texts came after an employee of the hotel reported the presence of the Bibles to the Freedom From R

Devils for Good super PAC fights for education reform

Political Action Committees are usually the territory of Washington insiders and lobbyists, but one ASU student is looking to bring a college perspective to national policy discussion. ASU junior Nicolas Gerard took an unusual route to turning his passion into action when he teamed up with fellow students to create a super PAC focused on higher education called Devils for Good. Gerard said Devils for Good is a small operation run by a group of driven students with big ideas, who are looking to

ASU janitors strike for greater safety measures against Olympus Building Services

Dozens of protesters marched in Tempe and Downtown Phoenix Thursday carrying signs that said "Olympus is a Bully," while chanting in English and Spanish. Workers of Olympus Building Services went on a one-day strike against unsafe working conditions that have been overlooked by the janitorial company on the University's downtown Phoenix and Tempe campuses. Several groups supported the protest, including Central Arizonans For A Sustainable Economy, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union,

Some ASU students struggle to make ends meet in wake of rising unemployment rate

Although the Great Recession ended seven years ago, Arizona college students continue to face difficulty in finding work, as the unemployment rate has risen for the fourth month straight, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report that was released last week. According to the report, the unemployment rate has increased by 0.5 percent since April, bringing the state's average to an even 6 percent — one percent above the national average of 4.9 percent. College students can bear the brunt
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