How we used texting to engage Arizona delegates during the political conventions

Cronkite News reported on the Republican and Democratic national political conventions with audience in mind from the start.

Phone at the DNC

McCain issues lengthy statement criticizing Trump’s reaction to Khan’s family

Sen. John McCain on Monday released a lengthy statement condemning GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's reaction to the criticism he received by the immigrant family of a Muslim U.S. soldier who died in battle.


Arizona convention pages can’t vote, but they can make their voices heard

PHILADELPHIA - Belen Sisa and Ellie Perez are both politically active, both beneficiaries of the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – and both were pages for the Arizona delegation to the Democratic National Convention, the first DREAMers in the state to hold the job.


Cheers, tears from Arizona delegation as Clinton gives historic acceptance speech

PHILADELPHIA - Tucson resident Joseline Mata, a Hillary Clinton delegate from the beginning, was crying in the stands of the Democratic National Convention Thursday as Clinton accepted the party’s nomination, the first woman in history to do so.


Delegates discuss ‘Black Lives’ movement a day after Tempe shooting

PHILADELPHIA - The normally placid breakfast meetings of Arizona’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention turned into a lively discussion of the Black Lives Matter movement Thursday, one day after Tempe police shot a black suspect during a robbery.


Arizona: How are you feeling about the election?

Now that both the Republican and Democratic national conventions have come to a close, both parties have officially selected their presidential candidates for the 2016 race: Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.


Gallego gets high marks for speech, convention leadership from delegates

PHILADELPHIA - For a sense of how effective Rep. Ruben Gallego was in his speech to the Democratic National Convention, look no further than Arizona delegate Michael Gordy.


Giffords’ endorsement of Clinton ‘very, very emotional’ for convention audience

PHILADELPHIA – Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords veered from her usual theme against gun violence to add her endorsement of presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in an address to the Democratic National Convention that one Arizona lawmaker called “very, very emotional.”


Trump fundraising spikes in Arizona, still trails well behind Clinton’s

WASHINGTON – Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump raised three times as much money from Arizona contributors in June as his total fundraising in the state in the preceding year, according to the latest reports from the Federal Election Commission.


Blue state or blue sky? Arizona Democrats hopeful for fall elections

PHILADELPHIA - Fresh off the history-making nomination of Hillary Clinton, the first female presidential nominee for a major U.S. party, Arizona Democrats said they think the historically Republican state could turn blue – or at least purple – this fall.


Arizona conservatives: Are you with Trump?

At the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last week, Donald Trump was officially declared the Republican nominee for president.

Arizona delegate Barbara Wyllie shows her party spirit at the Republican National Convention. (Photo by Christopher West/Cronkite News)

Sanders supporters continue protests as Democrats nominate Clinton

PHILADELPHIA - Arizona native Jason Hurst came to Philadelphia with a message for Democrats on the night they were expected to formally nominate Hillary Clinton for president: “I can’t stomach the thought of even voting for Clinton.”