The Republic's politics team talks about Gov. Doug Ducey deregulating blowout bars and pay raises to his public relations team along with Rep. Kelly Townsend's post about a topless woman at the women's march on Jan. 23, 2018. Carly Henry/azcentral
The Republic's politics team talks about a bill proposed by Sen. Sean Bowie to ban conversion therapy for minors, Gov. Doug Ducey's proposed education budget and Rep. Martha McSally's bid for U.S. Senate on Jan. 16, 2018. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's politics team talks Joe Arpaio's run for Senate, Gov. Doug Ducey's promises in the State of the State address and Rep. Don Shooter's apology for sexual harassment on Jan. 9, 2018. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Arizona Republic's politics team looks at the most impactful stories that they worked on in 2017 and share predictions for 2018. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral.com
Rep. Trent Franks steps down from Congress amid sex harassment allegations, the Goldwater Institute controls Empowerment Scholarship Accounts and Arizona leaders want to increase sales tax to increase school funding. Hayley Sanchez/azcentral.com
The Republic's politics team talks Jeff Flake's controversial endorsement check, the state's child welfare agency and how the Republican tax plan will impact Arizonans. Carly Henry/azcentral
The Republic's politics teams talks Rep. Grijalva's settlement after an employee accused him of working drunk, the race for State Treasurer and Mesa Mayor John Giles' comment to Jeff Flake insulting Trump on Nov. 29, 2017. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's politics team talks on Nov. 22, 2017, about the "awkward" Senate race and an unusual decision made by the Arizona Court of Appeals to restore parental rights to a mother who had her rights previously stripped. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's politics team talks about the Don Shooter sexual-harassment scandal, how Foster Care Review Boards do not reflect their communities, and how Rep. Tom O'Halleran's office isn't in his district. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral.com
The Republic's political team discusses Rep. Martha McSally entering the 2018 Senate race and more sexual harassment allegations in Arizona's Legislature on Nov. 8, 2017. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's politics team talks Bisbees's plastic bag ban, KidsCare funds drying up and Martha McSally and Paul Gosar entering Arizona's Senate race on Nov. 1, 2017. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's political team discusses Sen. Jeff Flake not running for re-election amidst a changing Republican Party and the allegations of sexual harassment in Arizona's Legislature. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral.com
The Republic's political team discusses Governor Doug Ducey giving raises to the members of his inner circle instead of prioritizing teacher raises as promised. Steve Bannon visits Arizona and Paul Gosar's family feud. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral.com
The Republic's politics team discusses the most recent developments in the race for City Hall, Congressman Paul Gosar's view of the Charlottesville white supremacists rally and the upset after the release of school letter grades on Oct. 11, 2017.
The Republic's political team on Oct. 4, 2017, discusses the class-action lawsuit against the Department of Child Safety, the development of the U.S. Senate race in Arizona and Vice President Mike Pence's visit. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral.com
The Republic's political team talks about President DonalTrump blaming Sen. John McCain for another failed attempt to repeal "Obamacare" and Homeland Security makes an official statement on a hack of voter-registration data. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's political team discusses the cost of President Trump's rally to the city of Phoenix, the Arizona Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex couple's rights and Gov. Doug Ducey trying to repeal 'Obamacare.' Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's political team discusses Mark Brnovich suing Arizona Regents over high tuition costs, Trump cutting a deal with Democrats and the Constitutional Planning Convention on Sept. 13, 2017. Carly Henry and Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's political team on Sep. 6, 2017, discusses Arizona's school-voucher program potentially reaching the ballot, the future of DACA and the recent House vote on Hurricane Harvey relief. Johanna Huckeba and Carly Henry/azcentral
The Republic's political team on Aug. 30, 2017, talk about Arpaio's pardon, the future of DACA and Jeff Flake's re-election campaign. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral
The Republic's political team on Aug. 23, 2017, talks President Trump's visit to Arizona and if the school voucher referendum will make the ballot. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral.com
The Republic's political team talks on Aug. 15, 2017, about Rep. Kyrsten Sinema's likely Senate run, the drop in investigations into reports of child neglect, and Trump's scheduled visit to Phoenix. Sean Logan/azcentral.com
Sen. Jeff Flake's new book defends Reagan-style conservatism and critiques the Republican Party. Gov. Doug Ducey plays a role in Sen. John McCain's health-care vote. U.S. Rep. Martha McSally helps craft a bipartisan plan for the insurance system. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic
The Republic's political team on July 26, 2017, talks about Sen. John McCain's dramatic health-bill appearance, the ALEC conference and the saga of Mesa Councilman Ryan Winkle. Hannah Gaber/azcentral.com
In the July 19 episode, the Republic's politics team talks about Sen. McCain's health scare and the health care bill that wasn't, Rep. Martha McSally's big spending, and what's to become of the school voucher petition. Hannah Gaber/azcentral.com
In this week's episode, reporters Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Dan Nowicki and Rob Hansen discuss the health-care bill, and how it might affect Arizonans, along with the state's school-voucher program. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral.com
The Republic's political team discusses Arizona's congress support of President Trump's agenda, the disconnect between foster families and the Department of Child Safety and a recent request for voter information. Johanna Huckeba/azcentral.com
The Gaggle: Ducey on blowout bars, Townsend's inflammatory post
The Gaggle: Ducey's budget, conversion therapy, bump stock ban
The Gaggle: Arpaio runs for Senate, Ducey's speech, sex harassment
The Gaggle: The year in stories
The Gaggle: Trent Franks, ESAs, school funding increases
The Gaggle: DCS disbands review panels, tax plan
The Gaggle: Rep. Grijalva's settlement, Mesa's mayor faces backlash
The Gaggle: AZ's memorable delegation, voter registration numbers
The Gaggle: Shooter's harassment scandal, foster-care boards
The Gaggle: Sex harassment in AZ's Legislature
The Gaggle: Senate race, Bisbee bag ban, KidsCare
The Gaggle: Flake out; Legislature harassment
The Gaggle: Ducey shows us the money, Bannon's visit, Gosar's family feud
The Gaggle: Arizona elections, school letter grades, Paul Gosar on Charlottesville
The Gaggle: DCS lawsuit, Senate race
The Gaggle: Russia hack, another ACA repeal
The Gaggle: Trump rally costs, gay couple's rights
The Gaggle: Mark Brnovich sues Arizona Regents, Constitutional Planning Convention
The Gaggle: State school vouchers, DACA and Hurricane Harvey relief
The Gaggle: Arpaio pardon, future of DACA and Flake's re-election campaign
The Gaggle: Trump's visit, school voucher referendum update
The Gaggle: Trump's Phoenix rally, Arpaio pardon and Sinema's run
The Gaggle: Flake's new book, health care and bipartiship
The Gaggle: McCain's return to the Senate and more
The Gaggle: School voucher petition, health care and McSally
The Gaggle: Health bill, school-voucher program
The Gaggle: Foster families, Trump's agenda and voter information
Gov. Doug Ducey, a beneficiary of "dark-money" non-profits linked to the billionaire Koch brothers, is headed to California for a weekend with the Kochs and their wealthy allies.
The winter retreat near Palm Springs will focus on a prisoner re-entry initiative, a priority for the libertarian-leaning Kochs.
The initiative continues the Koch network's efforts to help prisoners successfully transition back into their communities and be self-sufficient. Prisoner re-entry has been a theme of Ducey's administration, particularly during the past two years.
The Republican governor, who is running for re-election, will travel to the summit on Sunday and return Monday, his spokesman wrote in an email. Ducey is paying his own costs for the trip.
The gathering is expected to draw hundreds of wealthy conservatives.
During his 2014 gubernatorial campaign, Ducey touted his candidacy at a retreat hosted by the prominent financiers and applauded “the power of organizations” backed by the Koch brothers.
During his tenure, Ducey has pushed other policies aligned with the Koch network, including a reduction of occupational licensing and promoting school choice.
New campaign-finance reports show Charles Koch, one of the world's richest people and chairman and CEO of Koch Industries, gave Ducey's re-election campaign $5,100.
Follow the reporter on Twitter and Facebook and email her at yvonne.wingett@arizonarepublic.com.
READ MORE:
California governor: 'Who is Doug Ducey?'
Ducey smashing Democrats so far in fundraising
Koch brothers to launch pilot project to tackle prisoner re-entry
Koch political arm raises nearly $147 million in 2016
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