The State Room Podcast: Arizona

State Room Podcast: Arizona

Arizona is one of the fastest-changing states in the country—but understanding what’s actually happening in politics and policy isn’t always easy. Hosted by Scot Mussi and Aimee Yentes of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, this podcast cuts through the noise to break down the biggest issues shaping Arizona’s future—from taxes and economic growth to elections, public safety, and government accountability. Featuring lawmakers, policy experts, and leaders from across the state, The State Room: Arizona is your inside look at the decisions driving Arizona forward.

Episodes

  1. State Room Arizona 008: Monica Yelin | Faith. Family. Freedom | The Hispanic Liberty Movement

    6d ago

    State Room Arizona 008: Monica Yelin | Faith. Family. Freedom | The Hispanic Liberty Movement

    In Episode 8 of The State Room, Scot Mussi sits down with Monica Yelin, Executive Director of the Hispanic Liberty Alliance, to discuss the growing Hispanic liberty movement in Arizona and why faith, family, freedom, and opportunity continue to resonate across Hispanic communities.Monica shares her personal journey from immigrating to the United States from Colombia to becoming a citizen and dedicating her career to grassroots engagement, community outreach, and public service. Together, Scot and Monica explore the origins of the Hispanic Liberty Alliance, the need that inspired its creation, and the values that unite Hispanic families across Arizona.They discuss what politicians often misunderstand about the Hispanic community, the importance of building trust through authentic relationships, and how the Hispanic Liberty Alliance is creating a lasting movement focused on opportunity, entrepreneurship, education, and strong families.Looking ahead, the conversation turns to the future of the movement, the development of new Hispanic leaders, and the long-term vision for strengthening liberty-minded communities across Arizona.If you want to better understand one of the fastest-growing and most influential movements in Arizona, this episode is a must-watch.🎙 Guest: Monica Yelin, Executive Director, Hispanic Liberty Alliance🎙 Host: Scot Mussi📍 Topic: Faith, Family, Freedom: The Hispanic Liberty MovementSubscribe for more conversations on Arizona policy, politics, and the issues impacting your community.⁠www.azfree.org⁠(Host: Arizona Free Enterprise Club)

    26 min
  2. State Room Arizona 007: Aimee Yentes | Inside Arizona’s Biggest Political Battles: 2026

    May 26

    State Room Arizona 007: Aimee Yentes | Inside Arizona’s Biggest Political Battles: 2026

    In Episode 7 of The State Room, Scot Mussi and Aimee Yentes break down some of the biggest political and policy battles currently shaping Arizona—from rising utility costs and school choice fights to the latest controversy surrounding light rail expansion in Phoenix.The episode opens with a deep dive into the APS rate case and what a proposed rate increase could mean for Arizona families and businesses. Scot and Aimee discuss the growing debate around energy affordability, grid reliability, and whether costly green energy investments are contributing to higher utility bills.They also examine the surge of ballot referrals moving through the Legislature and the escalating fight over Arizona’s Educational Scholarship Account (ESA) program. The conversation covers the “Decline to Sign” campaign, the role of national organizations and union money in the school choice battle, and what voters should know as initiative campaigns begin ramping up ahead of 2026.Finally, they tackle the renewed push for light rail expansion along Indian School Road, breaking down concerns over taxpayer costs, traffic impacts, crime, and whether these billion-dollar transit projects still make sense for Arizona communities.If you want a clearer understanding of the policy fights impacting your wallet, your commute, and your children’s education, this episode breaks it all down.🎙 Guests: Scot Mussi & Aimee Yentes🎙 Host: Scot Mussi📍 Topic: Inside Arizona’s Biggest Political BattlesSubscribe for more conversations on Arizona policy, politics, and the issues impacting your community.⁠www.azfree.org⁠(Host: Arizona Free Enterprise Club)

    36 min
  3. State Room Arizona 006: Kristen Eastlick | Who’s Really Funding Arizona’s Politics?

    May 14

    State Room Arizona 006: Kristen Eastlick | Who’s Really Funding Arizona’s Politics?

    In Episode 6 of The State Room, Scot Mussi sits down with Kristen Eastlick, Senior Vice President at the Capital Research Center and Editor-in-Chief of InfluenceWatch.org, to break down the hidden networks of money shaping politics in Arizona and across the country. From nonprofits and foundations to advocacy groups and ballot committees, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how political influence actually works—and why what you see during campaign season is only a small piece of the bigger picture. Kristen explains how money flows through complex systems of organizations, how national groups often present themselves as local grassroots movements, and why these networks are so difficult for the public to track. They also dive into how Arizona has become a target for coordinated outside influence and what that means for policy fights across elections, education, taxes, and more. Looking ahead, they discuss what conservatives can learn from these strategies, how to better understand the infrastructure behind political power, and what voters should be paying attention to as we head into 2026. If you want a clearer understanding of who is really shaping Arizona’s political agenda—and how it all works behind the scenes—this episode breaks it down. 🎙 Guest: Kristen Eastlick, Senior Vice President, Capital Research Center & Editor-in-Chief, InfluenceWatch.org🎙 Host: Scot Mussi📍 Topic: Who’s Really Funding Arizona’s Politics? Subscribe for more conversations on Arizona policy, politics, and the issues impacting your community. www.azfree.org(Host: Arizona Free Enterprise Club)

    41 min

About

Arizona is one of the fastest-changing states in the country—but understanding what’s actually happening in politics and policy isn’t always easy. Hosted by Scot Mussi and Aimee Yentes of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, this podcast cuts through the noise to break down the biggest issues shaping Arizona’s future—from taxes and economic growth to elections, public safety, and government accountability. Featuring lawmakers, policy experts, and leaders from across the state, The State Room: Arizona is your inside look at the decisions driving Arizona forward.

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