No politician wants to read words like these, on fivethirtyeight.com.

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona is unpopular — really unpopular. According to a poll about all 100 senators released Tuesday by Morning Consult, just 37 percent of registered voters in Arizona approve of their junior senator, compared with 45 percent who disapprove. That gives Flake a net approval rating of -8 percentage points, the worst of any senator.

On Morning Consult, the headline of an article reads, Only One Senator Up for Re-Election in 2018 Has Underwater Approval Rating. Flake's picture is above the headline. Ouch.

Compared to most politicians, Flake usually come off as a reasonably honest, forthright guy with a conscience—a conservative with moderate tendencies. He even got Trump riled up enough that our commander in chief said he'll spend millions of dollars to primary out Flake—which is a plus for the senator in my book. But now, faced with his worst-in-the-nation numbers, Flake has thrown moderation and forthrightness to the winds. He's tacking as far right as he can to fight off certain primary opposition. After that, he figures, he can flip over his political Etch-A-Sketch, give it a shake and put on his "sensible Republican" mantle for the general election.

The first big test for Republican senators is the upcoming health care legislation. Flake decided to throw in with far-right Senator Ted Cruz and support the "Consumer Freedom Option" he developed. Basically, Cruz says if insurance companies have one option that's in line with the Obamacare rules, they should be able to create as many low cost, low coverage options as they like. Remember the subprime loan disaster? This is subprime health insurance. Consumers are sold insurance on the cheap, then when they need it, they find it's all promises and no coverage. The plan is so bad, even insurance companies don't like it. They know healthy people will flock to the low cost, low coverage insurance, and the Obamacare-compliant options will be chosen mostly by people in the greatest need of care—in other words, people with preexisting conditions. The cost of those plans will skyrocket, making them unaffordable to the people who need them most.

Flake brushes off the concern that people with preexisting conditions won't be able to afford coverage with the most confused, convoluted statement I've heard from this generally plain-speaking guy.

The Tucson Weekly Range is continuing its Tour Diaries series. Check in daily to keep track of on-the-road shenanigans, dirt, grime, and glory, and all the hangovers and warts. All artists are asked to tell it like it is. This time it's the monolithic Tucson badasses XIXA, swinging through Germany, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and beyond.

July, 12. Day 1:
God laughs when you make plans. So do airlines. The weather had its way with Chicago and us. In typical fashion, we got it together, got to the airport early, got upgraded to first class only to be turned around by an alert notice on my AA app. "Flight cancelled due to storms, we have accommodated you on another flight, but your class of service will be changed." Translation: Put in a sack, and thrown in the back. 
Even the weather channel conspired against us with its scary radar reports. Three uneventful, non-bumpy hours later, here we are at the ORD Admirals Club, with an almost eight-hour layover. That's a lot of free hummus, soup and Bloody Mary's.  All of this was a blessing in disguise, because according to Chicago Admirals Club staff, yesterday was such a nightmare, half of the staff wanted to quit. They had been overrun by surly, entitled, angry passengers ... hundreds of them. So, in leaving a day late, we actually came out better for it. I think. One hour until we board our 787 Dreamliner.

Europe?

You ready?

We are about to do it all over. Again.

Stay tuned.

-Winston Watson | Chicago, IL

Quick band refresher:

As we find ourselves amid monsoon season, treat yourself to a summertime blockbuster to beat the midafternoon, pre-monsoon heat.

The Loft
Cult Classic Series (every Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m.): On Friday, July 14, and Saturday, July 15, The Loft will show neo-noir thriller Lost Highway. This film is a classically David Lynch flick, rich with hallucinatory imagery, delightfully bewildering plot twists and profound analysis of the human psyche—Lost Highway bends the rules of conventional storytelling and challenges the convention of time and logic.

Social Justice Summer (every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.): This series aims to pair hard-hitting social justice issues with cinema, as audiences are invited to explore important issues through film. Leading community experts will be present after every showing to hold community talkbacks. This Wednesday, July 19, the Global Justice Center will air a free screening of I Am Not Your Negro. This must-see documentary examines the Civil Rights movement, connecting African American history with the contemporary #BlackLivesMatter movement. This movie delivers a gripping confrontation of black representation in mainstream culture, and journies into the lives and deaths of three Civil Rights legends: Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.

Mondo Mondays (every Monday at 8 p.m.): Diving directly into the strange, wonderful and unorthodox realms of mondo movies, this series is sure to deliver a weekly dose of weird. This Monday, July 19, enjoy Cheerleader Camp, an iconic piece of 80s slasher cinema. At Camp Hurrah, something possesses the contestants, coaches, judges and grounds staff to K-I-L-L. Rife with bloody pom poms, bad rap, sleazy boyfriends and graphic violence, Cheerleader Camp is a premiere piece of 80s slasher sex comedy.
National Theatre Live: This Loft series presents the best of live British theatre on the silver screen. On Tuesday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, July 20 at 11 a.m. enjoy a showing of Saint Joan. Watch as history's charismatic Joan of Arc is depicted by actress Gemma Arterson in this classic George Bernard Shaw play.

More details on all of above at loftcinema.org.

Cactus Drive-In Theatre
Cactus Drive-In Summer Showings (every Thursday in July at 8 p.m.): Indulge in the iconic drive-in experience at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet this Thursday, July 20. The Cactus Drive-In Theatre Foundation welcomes audiences to watch the timeless and beloved 80s flick: The Princess Bride. This isn't your run of the mill fairy tale—nay, with Rodents of Unusual Size, Pits of Despair, and Cliffs of Insanity, this movie is a comfortable classic, fit for children of all ages. Will love conquer all? Will good prevail against evil? Or is it simply inconceivable?

More info at cactusdriveintheatre.com.

Cinema La Placita
Cinema La Placita Summer Series (every Thursday at 7:30 p.m.): Take a trip downtown and enjoy the Cinema La Placita's continuing outdoor summer film series. This Thursday, July 13, enjoy a legendary piece of resistance cinema. Do the Right Thing, is a groundbreaking examination of race relations in America. Directed by the iconic Spike Lee, this movie spans the length of a day and examines the whole spectrum of life and culture in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. By the end of the movie, Lee challenges audiences to decide whether anyone truly does the "right thing" when it comes to race. In addition to the showing, audiences are invited to enjoy the cash bar and food truck on site.

More info at cinemalaplacita.com

The Fox
Classic Film Series: At 7:30 this Saturday, July 15, head on down to the Fox Theatre and view the latest flick in their continuing Classic Film Series: There's No Business Like Show Business. This 1954, black and white musical-comedy-drama depicts the trials of the Donahue family and their time in the showbiz.

More info at foxtucson.com

The mighty Kore Press is a Tucson-based nonprofit independent publishing house and literary justice organization. For 24 years, the press has worked to ensure that marginalized voices: women, people of color, queer and trans folks, have a forum. Founder Lisa Bowden is trying to raise $20,000 for book printing, publishing staff, anthology editorial/artist fees. The Indiegogo campaign has currently raised 13 percent of its goal. Funding for literary endeavors is never easy, and the odds are stacked. Fewer people are reading books for one thing. That, and Bowden and Kore are publishing voices that’d go unheard into the mainstream.

Creating a people-powered publishing house has become the most sustainable route for extending Kore Press. A significant portion of the budget comes from support by the NEA, NEH and associated funding sources. With NEA and NEH funding on the chopping block in Trump’s 2018 budget, here Bowden opens up about what mainstream publishing is missing today and what we can expect for Kore Press' fall season.

Kore Press has been running since 1993. What made you want to create this press?
After graduating from the UA and working in the Tucson literary community, I wondered why we weren't exposed to more women writers in school, especially when Tucson is so rich with talent. After working for five years with another press learning printing and binding, and acquiring my own equipment, Karen Falkenstrom, Kore Press co-founder, and I discovered we both wanted to make a feminist/social justice impact with the literary arts, and so, Kore Press was born.

The way people consume media has largely shifted to an online format. What is it like running Kore Press in 2017? How has it adapted?
We publish online as well as in print, and have been growing our digital presence as reading, activist and communications culture has shifted. Digital printing allows us to keep producing books in much smaller runs of our titles, which is more economically feasible for small presses.

What does Kore Press look for in a prospective author?
We are focusing in recent years on writers who are interested in experimental forms, or content, that have potential for social impact. We have done, and plan to continue doing, community programming around certain artists or works to create larger public conversations which engage folks in innovative ways.

What is mainstream publishing missing? Why aren’t marginalized groups able to tell their stories in that forum?
Mainstream publishing is commercially driven, market-driven, so, it's missing a lot in terms of diversity. That is and has always been the strength of small presses—to take risks, work with all kinds of writers and voices.

With the proliferation of social media and personal technology, we have experienced a democratization of "publishing"—anyone with access can tell their story, can have an audience. Mainstream publishing, like mainstream media of all kinds, is largely governed by corporate forces, so you tend to see the same issues of systemic racism, sexism, capitalism—intersecting oppressions—that we see in large institutions and governments.

Kick back and get your beach vibe on at Reilly’s Beach Club Free Patio Bash from 5-10 p.m. this Sunday, July 16. Located at The Rock (136 N. Park Ave.). Reilly’s Patio Bash is offering $2 tacos and $2 Mexican beer specials all night.

Unwind with local music and comedy acts—the only thing this beach party is missing is you! All ages welcome.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Food & Booze

Tucson World Music & Culture Showcase. Enjoy a little culture from all over the world The University Of Arizona Africana Studies Department and the Community Food Bank are coming together for a day of music, dancing, poetry and, of course, food. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, July 14. CeeDee Jamaican Kitchen, 5305 E. Speedway Blvd. Free.

Summertime Speakeasy & Del Bac Showdown. Hamilton Distillers is partnering with Scott & Co. for the distillery’s first-ever hosted cocktail competition. For one evening, 47 Scott/Scott & Co will close its doors and reopen for a summertime speakeasy complete with candlelit live music, delicious food samples, and Whiskey Del Bac cocktails. Guests can sample cocktails from six local bartenders from across the city as they compete for Judges Pick. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Living Streets Alliance. Tickets Includes food and 6 cocktail samples. 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 15. 47 N. Scott Ave. $40.

Outdoors

Cool Summer Nights. Beat the Arizona heat and enjoy an night out at the Desert Museum. The desert comes alive as the sun sets. Skies become speckled with stars and animals rise from their daytime naps. Bring your flashlight and explore, experience a live animal encounter, or participate in special nightly activities. 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 15. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road. $16.

Sports

FC Tucson vs. Colorado Rapids U23. Come out and watch Tucson's only professional soccer team take on division rival (and MLS Development team) Colorado Rapids U23. With FC Tucson currently sitting atop the Western Conference Standings, the game serves as a finale before the playoffs for both teams. Enjoy a hot dog and a beer and help cheer the team on to victory! Gates open 6 p.m., kickoff at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 15. Kino Sports Complex, North Stadium, 2801 E. Ajo Way. Adults $12, Children (5-12) $8.

Movies

Cactus Drive-In Theatre. Indulge in the iconic drive-in experience at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on Thursday night in July. On Thursday, July 13, you can catch a screening of La La Land, 2016's award-winning musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Follow the lives and love of two L.A. dreamers as they await their big break. On Thursday, July 20, The Princess Bride will pay homage to (and skewer a little bit) all your favorite fairy tales. Movies start at 8 p.m. Suggested donation per carload is $15. More info at cactusdriveintheatre.com.

Cinema La Placita Summer Series. Take a trip downtown and enjoy the Cinema La Placita's continuing outdoor summer film series. This Thursday, July 13, enjoy a legendary piece of resistance cinema. Do the Right Thing, is a groundbreaking examination of race relations in America. Directed by the iconic Spike Lee, this movie spans the length of a day and examines the whole spectrum of life and culture in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. By the end of the movie, Lee challenges audiences to decide whether anyone truly does the "right thing" when it comes to race. On Thursday, July 20, you can see the classic Inherit the Wind (1960), which dramatizes a 1925 courtroom battle over the teaching of evolution. (We’re kind of hoping that this is a settled matter, but could see it back on the Supreme Court’s docket sometime in 2019.) Movies start at 7:30 p.m. in the Tucson Museum of Art plaza. In addition to the screenings, audiences are invited to enjoy the cash bar and food truck on site. More info at cinemalaplacita.com

Music

Kolezanka. Don't let the drum machine chump you—everyone in Kolezanka (Polish for friend) has soul. In fact, this dreamy postmodern pop trio from Phoenix has the unearthly quality of Vespertine-era Bjork and the tight-fist chemistry of Yo La Tengo. Their delicate minor harmonics move like how seaweed catches you and gently claws. The bass echoes of nimble-fingered Marcus Miller (Miles Davis, yo) in his most sexual playing groove. Keys shimmer and pool around female vocalists, strong as sirens, vulnerable as people. In “Pageant,” one voice sings, "Anytime they ask, you know that I lie. It's easier to just pretend that I'm fine," while her breathy backup counters, "I always wanted a sis-ter." It’s an utterly grounded and relatable emotion, backed by haunting and transcendent musicality. It rises to something good as beauty. Songs feel like they're organically poured from the musicians at once—arrangements wind around one another, creating an underwater spiral, pretty and circular and always rising toward the surface without ever quite breaking into the light. With Karimer Walker and Lowlife on Friday, July 14. Club Congress, 311 E. Congress. 8 p.m. 21+. Free.

We’re a Big Fan!

At 6’ 6”, Tucson’s Patrick Holt is an imposing drag queen. But height’s the least of the assets he brings to his alter-ego, Tempest DuJour. There’s also the drop-dead fabulousness of her costumes, created by the head of the UA’s costume design program—Holt, himself. Her sass is comedy gold, too.

What doubtless earned Tempest a spot in Ru Paul’s Drag Race, though, is her megawatt charisma. As an emcee, her performance is brash, sophisticated, and funny, but it's as kind as it is subversive. Tempest openly cherishes the quirks and complexities of human nature.

Since her star turn as a “Ru girl,” she has scored gigs in Brazil, Australia and the UK among other drag hotspots. “The exposure is amazing,” Holt says. “We get booked regularly to perform all over the world.”

Yet Tempest still finds time to emcee the Retro Game Show, an original entertainment that Holt created with David Hoffman almost six years ago. Hoffman, a graphic designer, prop-builder and all ‘round creative mind also serves as producer. The format allows Tempest to cross over from traditional drag shows for gay audiences, to a format that can play to widely diverse audiences, anywhere.

“It's not a drag show,” Holt says. “(They’re not) going to see someone lip-synching. It's a game show that happens to be hosted by a drag queen. Some of our more popular shows are Sassword, The Wheel of Misfortune, The $9.95 Pyramid. We just added BattleMimes. It’s like charades, but you have to wear a mime mask and a beret and white gloves.” It’s also original and exclusive to the Retro Game Show.

“My favorite is Sassword because it was the first thing we ever did, and it's really so much about the contestants. I love that the most.” Holt says it’s impossible to profile a perfect guest, but “If I call their names and they walk up to the stage with a cocktail in their hand—I pray for those.”

See Retro Game Show at 7 p.m., the second or third Saturday of every month at Club Congress, 311 East Congress Street. Follow Retro Game Show Night on Facebook for each month’s schedule and advance ticket information. Admission is $12 for the “splash zone” an $10 for available seats and standing room the evening of the show.

The press is calling it the Voter Fraud panel, though it would more accurate to call it the Voter Suppression panel. But the real name of the committee headed by Vice President Mike Pence and anti-immigration, pro-voter suppression Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.

Note to Pence and Kobach: The term "election integrity" is already taken. But that never stopped Republicans, who are masters at appropriating other people's language. Remember when "fake news" referred to patently false stories amplified on the internet to create confusion and disinformation during the campaign? Trump made the term his own, changing its meaning to any news he doesn't like that comes from the mainstream media. Remember when "No child left behind" was a term coined by Marian Wright Edelman, the first African American woman admitted to the Mississippi bar, who worked for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and founded the Children's Defense Fund in 1973, who honestly believed no child should be left behind, not only in school, but everywhere in society? Maybe you don't, but that's who coined and used the term until George Bush kidnapped it to use for his 2001 education legislation which should have been called "No test left behind."

Election integrity activists have been fighting to assure that every vote is counted accurately for years. Tucson has been one of the centers of the fight since a group of people who believed the results of the 2006 RTA election had been flipped from a loss to a win started scrutinizing the county's voting and vote counting procedures. Whether the group's allegations are right or wrong, we've all benefited from their work to make Pima County elections far more tamper resistant than they were in the past. As they and others across the country have demonstrated, rigging an election to change the results isn't rocket science. It can be accomplished fairly easily by any number of actors starting in the polling booth and ending with the final vote count if no one is paying attention. I haven't seen any slam dunk evidence of a vote count being hacked, but there are lots of wisps of smoke in elections around the country. Given the political stakes, it's hard to believe no one has made an attempt to falsify the count to turn a loss into a win over the past few years.

Don’t be a wet blanket this Saturday, July 15. Shimmy on down to 47 Scott (47 N. Scott Ave.) for the Summertime Speakeasy and Del Bac Showdown. For 40 clams (AKA $40), guests can sample cocktails from six local bartenders and participate in granting the People’s Choice award to the evening’s best drink.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Living Streets Alliance, a charity dedicated to promoting and empowering communities. For one evening, 47 Scott, in conjunction with Hamilton Distillers, will metamorphose into a summertime speakeasy—don’t miss out on this candlelit evening, full of live music, cocktails and food samples. This party is guaranteed to be the bees knees!

According to director Sofia Coppola, this is not a remake of the 1971 film of the same name starring Clint Eastwood; it’s a new adaptation of the novel both films are based on.

Nicole Kidman stars as the leader of a southern school for girls, shut off from the rest of the world during the Civil War. While out searching for mushrooms, young Amy (Oona Laurence) finds a wounded Union soldier (Colin Farrell) and leads him back to the school. As the man heals, the young students and teachers each have interactions with the soldier and things eventually get, well, complicated.

Everybody in the movie delivers good work, especially Kidman as Miss Martha, a strict leader with risky compassion for the enemy soldier. Longtime Coppola collaborator Kirsten Dunst is on hand as a teacher who gets some extra attention from the stranger, and she’s strong in her role, as usual. Other cast members include Elle Fanning, Angourie Rice and Addison Riecke.

The film eschews the usual Coppola soundtrack exuberance for something very quiet and slowly paced. As the film works up to a boil, leading to a shocking climax, Coppola creates a true sense of claustrophobia and high tension.

This isn’t her best work, but it is good work, with excellent cinematography and art direction.