Election workers process ballots before sending them over to be counted at the Pima County Elections Department in November 2024. Republicans expanded their one-seat majorities in both the state Senate and House.
Register to vote, and vote
The midterm elections will be held on November 3, 2026. This election will determine control of the U.S. Congress. Next year 33 Senate and all 435 House seats will be on the ballot. Everyone needs to vote like their life depends on it, because it does! Check your voter registration through the Pima County Recorder's Office at recorder.pima.gov. If it is not correct or you are not registered, you can change your registration info and register to vote at this web site. Voter registration must be completed 29 days prior to an election.
Please do this now. Don't wait. Thank you.
Natasha Thomas
East side
Intervention needed
It is past time for Congress to intervene to stop our power-obsessed President from further destroying our country and our standing in the world. As Mama of the Carol Burnett show would say, "He has splinters in the windmills of his mind." Only in Trump's case, I'm afraid the "splinters" are logs.
Eleanor Arnold
Northeast side
A most shameful day
We now celebrate the 5th anniversary of the most shameful day in American history. A day of infamy belongs to Pearl Harbor or it would be my first choice. The most despicable man ever to hold our highest office is back and still lying about that day, and perpetuating more shameful acts. He is violating the Constitution, killing unknown individuals on a hunch, and usurping the power of Congress.
It is my hope that he gets the same 'perp-walk' in the world court as he gave Maduro. Too bad he cannot feel the shame he has brought on our country and himself.
Ted Morrison
Midtown
Miller time
Mr. Miller has blatantly exposed his stupidity by having no clue as to the population of Greenland as he has no clue and/or respect for the sovereign rights of Greenland. He is the most obnoxious self-assuming sycophant of the Trump regime. His claim to speak for the United States is insulting and absurd. His petty sorry excuse for a wife is no better. Together they are so despised they can not live in a private residence, and instead live in house on a military base. Miller time has come and gone. He should be censured and deposed
Brode Meyer
Midtown
Mayes, TEP and Project Blue
Excellent coverage of what is surely a wonky "why should I care" issue for most Tucsonans. It reads so well that you don't have to understand the nuances of an Energy Services Agreement — the actual name of what TEP and Project Blue agreed upon — to understand why Kris Mayes is stepping in to question it.
And you don't have to be a power plant energy economist to see that the response from the ACC is anything but measured, anything but addressing the substance of Mayes' concerns.
What you have on display is the venom — sometimes disguised mostly not — from Kevin Thompson, taking a page from the playbook of current politics: accuse, deflect, accuse, deflect. Thompson's quote about Mayes had nothing to do with substance and everything to do with his obvious disgust with any opposition to his commission's own grandstanding actions: Making policy without hearings.
You want more ACC theatre like this? It's easy, don't vote or vote to keep these Commissioners. ACC is now the "Accelerating Cost Commission."
Rick Rappaport
Oro Valley
Mark Kelly censured
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is censuring Mark Kelly because Mark reminded service members that they took an oath to support and defend the Constitution and that “you can refuse illegal orders.” Pete first tried to have him returned to Active Duty so he could be court martialed. He failed in that so now he is censuring him. What authority does the Secretary of Defense have to censure a U.S. Senator for exercising his rights to free speech? Mark is a retired Naval Officer and not subject to the UCMJ. Pete is a former National Guard Officer and a civilian. How can a civilian censure a U.S. Senator? Pete should have been reminded of his marriage vows.
Jerry Lujan
Oro Valley
Two conservative LTEs on Jan. 5
One, titled “The tide will turn” went on to explain how Trump has messed up so many things he is losing conservatives. The author pointed out that conservatives do believe in the rule of law. They do not believe in Ice agents acting like a gestapo or killing boat people indiscriminately nor separating families. The author ended saying “please choose wisely, as the future will be ours."
In the second titled “Is there really bias” the author pointed out that the minimum 90% of LTEs are anti-Trump using a statistical estimate. He suggested that the Star’s Editorial Board is “biased." The author omits facts and substance. Numbers are easy to manipulate, Trump does it frequently.
Mark Twain famously said, "There are three kinds of lies: “Lies, damned lies, and statistics."
I believe what the first author said. “Please choose wisely, as the future will be ours.” Support democracy, not a king.
Dan Bannon
Midtown
Why not make a deal with Greenland?
The goals the Trump administration has in Greenland can be achieved, or are already being achieved, through normal diplomacy and just recompense: build defense facilities, mine for rare minerals. Why, then, is it necessary to upend the UN charter, longtime, commonsense norms, and our allies everywhere by "invading" a sovereign nation? In doing so we encourage China to invade Taiwan, Putin to continue his depredation of Ukraine and other former Soviet territory, and the radical Zionists to take over all the Palestinian lands. Is this not madness? Where are the rational people in the current government?
Suzanne Ferguson
Midtown
January 6th 'patriots'
Inasmuch as President Trump is trying to rewrite the actual history of January 6, I feel it is necessary to relate the actual facts as publicly and succinctly as possible. Far from being a peaceful demonstration of “patriots,” a number of demonstrators came armed with lethal weapons and other weapons as were found in the Capitol offices — flagpoles, chairs, and other heavy objects that could be used as cudgels. Officers defending the Capitol were beaten, tasered, crushed and sprayed with a variety of vile liquids. Though the police were vastly outnumbered by the “patriots” their courage allowed members of Congress to escape with their lives. Because of the many news organizations there, the entire violent insurrection was televised worldwide and many people took the liberty of recording the actual event. Whatever Mr. Trump posts, it will never reflect the savagery of the actual event and all else he cares to relate to this day will be nothing but his own warped imagination.
Richard Rebl
East side
Our kids are now safer
It is very comforting to know that while our Magas in Washington are gutting programs to help our children's health here in Arizona, our Magas want to go all in on children's health by getting to the heart of the heart of children's healthcare — petting zoos.
Tim Canny
Oracle
Trump mega donor wins on Citgo, Venezuela
The Asia Times reports that Paul Singer of Elliott Management will add to his mega fortune in Venezuela now that Nicolas Maduro is gone. This past November, Singer's company bought Citgo, the U.S.-based Venezuelan oil company for $5.9 billion after Venezuela defaulted on its bond payments per a Delaware bankruptcy court. According to the story, the court's advisors estimated the value at $11-13 billion and Venezuela said it was worth $18 billion.
Judd Legum, who reported this transaction, wrote that Citgo's refineries were designed for the heavy Venezuela crude oil. Trump's oil embargo on Venezuela oil to the US had caused Citgo to buy more-expensive oil from Canada and Colombia.
Paul Singer, personally and through Elliott Investment Management, is a major donor to the Republican Party and Donald Trump. Elliott Investment Management donated two $3500 amounts to Juan Ciscomani as of June 27, 2025, per the Federal Elections Commission.
Matt Somers
Midtown
Fresh horrors
Last year after the new administration took over we were subjected to the terror of having our Federal government obliterated by DOGE. This year, they’ve decided to destroy the world. We do not own this Hemisphere. I pray wise heads put some roadblocks up against these greedy, selfish, immoral, illegal international excursions into sovereign nations. (And no, this doesn’t distract us from continuing to be concerned about our higher cost of living and all the other messes the administration wishes we wouldn’t notice before midterms!)
Melinda Sims
Catalina
Follow these steps to easily submit a letter to the editor or guest opinion to the Arizona Daily Star.
