Axios Phoenix

April 30, 2026
🤯 Happy Thursday! Don't look now but it's the last day of April.
🎧 Sounds like: "You Never Even Called Me by My Name" by David Allan Coe. The outlaw country music singer died yesterday at the age of 86.
🌤️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny, high of 92.
Today's newsletter is 802 words — a 3-minute read.
1 big thing: Ruling could affect Arizona districts
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Louisiana's congressional map as an "unconstitutional racial gerrymander" could prompt a lawsuit challenging Arizona's predominantly Latino districts.
Why it matters: Eliminating or diluting majority-Latino districts, which are overwhelmingly Democratic, could add Republican seats to our maps.
The big picture: Arizona has two congressional districts and seven legislative districts that are majority-Latino, along with a majority-Native American legislative district, all of which are heavily Democratic.
- From 2010 to 2020, Arizona's Latino population grew from 30% to 33%, according to the U.S. Census.
Driving the news: The Supreme Court yesterday rejected a Louisiana congressional map that was redrawn to meet a previous court's mandate that it include a second majority-Black district.
- It upended a longstanding interpretation that the Voting Rights Act requires districts where racial minority voters have the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.
The latest: Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) praised the ruling on X and said it's very likely that Arizona will go to court to "eliminate our unconstitutionally gerrymandered districts."
How it works: In Arizona, mapmaking is done by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC), a bipartisan panel created to act independently of the Legislature.
What we're watching: The AIRC couldn't call itself back to redraw Arizona's maps without a court order.
- It's not feasible that a lawsuit could play out in time for that to happen for the 2026 election, so any impacts of the Louisiana ruling likely wouldn't affect Arizona until the 2028 cycle at the earliest.
What they're saying: "It's a devastating blow to the Voting Rights Act," said Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo, who helped lead a group that lobbied the AIRC for majority-Latino districts in 2021.
Between the lines: Erika Neuberg, the independent chair of the AIRC that drew the current maps, told Axios that any lawsuit would be a "waste of money."
- She argued that the commission's majority-Latino districts were drawn to meet criteria besides just the Voting Rights Act.
Yes, but: Neuberg has "deep worries" about how the next AIRC could use the Supreme Court's ruling.
2. Teacher pay lags
The National Education Association recently released its annual teacher pay report, and Arizona is lagging behind the national average.
By the numbers: The average teacher salary in Arizona is $64,291 — 31st in the country — compared to the national average of $74,495, per the report.
- First-time teachers here earn an average of $44,869 compared to $48,112 nationally, ranking Arizona 39th.
Threat level: Teacher salaries have risen over the past decade but haven't kept up with inflation, meaning educators are earning 5% less on average than they were a decade ago, per the NEA.
What they're saying: Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne told Axios teachers are underpaid and need a raise.
- He said a renewed Proposition 123 is an ideal way to increase salaries.
Yes, but: That seems unlikely to move forward this year amid intraparty Republican disagreements over what should be included in a proposed renewal of the expired education funding measure.
3. Chips & salsa: Hobbs catches a ballgame
⚾ The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce paid for Gov. Hobbs' recent trip to Mexico City as part of a business delegation, and the state's protocol fund paid for tickets for her to see a Diamondbacks game there. (AZcentral)
🛑 A stop work order was issued for the security firm that received a $313 million contract to create an ICE detention facility in Surprise, according to a federal database. (Arizona Public Media)
🏛️ The Navajo County Board of Supervisors appointed former GOP lawmaker Sylvia Allen to fill a vacant Arizona House seat. It will be Allen's third stint in the Legislature. (KJZZ)
🎓 UofA will hold a public forum to discuss the possible renaming of its César E. Chávez Building. (Tucson Sentinel)
4. 🍽️ A love letter to food
Eater's new cookbook "Eaterland" isn't just recipes — it's a love letter to the regional dishes that define America, from the Southwest to the Mid-Atlantic.
Why it matters: It's about culinary identity — the quirkier and more local, the better — doubling as a travel guide with must-try lists and mom-and-pop stops.
- It also explores the evolution of "microcuisines," including the Indigenous roots of Southwestern fare.
Zoom in: Featured Arizona dishes include Navajo Frybread Tacos from Amigo Cafe in Kayenta and the XL Sonoran-Style Dog sold at Chase Field.
📧 You tell us: Hit reply with what you consider Arizona's most iconic dish.
🤠 Jeremy isn't a country music fan but he loves David Allan Coe's "perfect country and western song."
😋 Jessica wants to take a roadtrip to Kayenta for the Navajo tacos.
Thanks to Jessica for editing.
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