Savage, an accountant, has the tools to be a strong conservative and pro-business voice in the state Senate. The race is one of several crucial battlegrounds to determine control of the Senate for the next two years. He wants to establish a pilot voucher system for students in districts with poor test scores to break the cycle of poverty, which, he says, is grounded in a poor educational system. We are pleased that he seems unafraid to buck GOP leadership when that leadership is off track. Hartley has been a competent but controversial senator over the years, known more as an opponent of charter schools and education reform than just about anything else.
Savage shows a lot of promise.
We believe it's time for a change. We can't say the same, however, about the district's House race. Incumbents Kathi Foster and Bill Brotherton, both Democrats, are clearly more knowledgeable, experienced and articulate than the GOP challenger, Bob Haran, a retired administrative aide for the New York City Police Department. We recommend Savage, Foster and Brotherton in District 20. The Arizona Republic Editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper, whose editorial board consists of Keven Ann Willey, Phil Boas, Richard de Uriarte, Jennifer Dokes, Kathleen Ingley, Doug MacEachern, Joel Nilsson, O. Ricardo Pimentel, Robert Robb, Laurie Roberts, Paul Schatt, Linda Valdez, Ken Western and Steve Benson.