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State cuts in budget slap cities, counties Political Notebook by Daniel Scarpinato: It's gotta hurt: Kolbe no longer helping Bee Bush to visit Tucson for Bee fundraiser in 2 weeks, invite says Move afoot to revive spring training bill Phx. session finale rocky for Sen. Bee Senate puts gay-marriage ban on ballot No Pima County vote on a tax for baseball Contention rules floor on last day of session Political Notebook by Daniel Scarpinato : Dems keep cameras on Bee, hoping for a gaffe Baseball tax plan adds local diversions to the list

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Arizona advocates of traditional marriage overreached. That's what a leading national figure behind the effort to define marriage as between a man and woman said in an interview with Notebook this week.

In November, Arizona became the first and only state in the nation to turn down a measure defining marriage.

Now Matt Daniels, president of the Alliance for Marriage, says he is counseling Arizona lawmakers to make sure they offer a more acceptable ballot measure next time around — one that doesn't ask voters to deny benefits to couples.

While pundits pointed to Arizona's libertarian tendencies as the reason Proposition 107 failed, Daniels said the measure simply went too far. "We have always counseled against making these measures encompass the issue of benefits."

Daniels said Arizona is "the prime example" of how "overly broad" language allows opponents to change the subject from marriage to benefits, as they did in Arizona.

But forces in this state have already said they won't settle for anything less than a constitutional amendment that makes it illegal for even straight couples to enter into civil unions or receive domestic-partnership benefits.

"I strongly disagree with Matt Daniels' comments," said Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, which authored Proposition 107. "Our goal has been to protect the institution of marriage, not just the name of marriage."

Daniels, a self-described "political realist," has long come under attack from both sides in the marriage debate.

Wait, so let's get this straight: In November, Arizona Sen. John McCain announced he was launching an "exploratory committee" for a possible run for president. Then this week on David Letterman, McCain announced — not that he's running — that he will announce he is running next month.

Enough with the announcements. McCain is in.

And while a new statewide survey by KAET-TV, the Phoenix PBS affiliate, shows that McCain is the choice of 44 percent of Arizona Republicans, with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani backed by 25 percent, Giuliani has expanded his lead in national polls.

Breaking from the two major camps, a group of Arizonans — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio among them — announced they were jumping aboard the Mitt Romney campaign. But Mitt seems to have hit a bit of a snag.

The campaign's internal strategy outline was leaked this week, showing that advisers are worried Romney's evolving political views could make him the Republican equivalent of John "Flip-Flop" Kerry.

And in polls, the former Massachusetts governor is trailing Newt Gingrich, who may not even be running.

A couple of weeks ago, Senate President Tim Bee enthusiastically invited members of the press to join him and other lawmakers on a behind-the-scenes look at the border.

The trip was to include a tour of the Nogales port of entry and detention center, and presentations by the National Guard and Border Patrol. But a week later the invitation to media was rescinded, with the media invited to a press conference following all the real fun.

Apparently, law-enforcement officials didn't like the idea of reporters getting so close to their operations. A bunch of politicians? Well, that's a different story.

After all, legislators have never been known to be sensationalistic with information — especially on border issues.