Democrats took a majority of Arizona’s eight-member U.S. House delegation on Tuesday for the first time in 42 years when newcomer Ann Kirkpatrick swept to victory in Arizona’s open 1st Congressional District.
In 1966, two of Arizona’s three congressmen were Democrats. As of Tuesday, score it Democrats 5, Republicans 3.
On Tuesday night, the status quo was maintained among the state’s four Democratic and three Republican incumbents.
Here’s a breakdown of the congressional races:
1st Congressional District
Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick beat Republican Sydney Hay for the seat being vacated by three-term incumbent Republican Rick Renzi. Renzi announced last year that he wouldn’t seek a fourth term. He has since been indicted on charge that he engineered a swap of federally owned mining land to benefit himself and a former business partner. Renzi has pleaded not guilty.
2nd Congressional District
Republican Rep. Trent Franks trounced Democrat John Thrasher of Phoenix.
The district runs from Phoenix’s western suburbs through the far northwestern portion of the state and includes the Hopi Indian Reservation. It has traditionally been a GOP stronghold, with some 60,000 more registered Republican voters.
3rd Congressional District
Incumbent Rep. John Shadegg held off Democratic challenger Bob Lord in what Shadegg had called “the most substantial campaign ever run against me for re-election.”
Despite Republicans having a voter registration advantage of more than 47,000, Lord’s race was fueled by an anti-Republican momentum felt nationwide and a strong, well-financed campaign. The Phoenix attorney raised $1.4 million and received another $1 million in party campaign support.
Libertarian Michael Shoen also was on the ballot.
4th Congressional District
Rep. Ed Pastor buried Republican Don Karg of Phoenix, Green Party candidate Rebecca Dewitt and Libertarian Joe Cobb to win a 10th term.
Democrats outnumber Republicans by some 59,000 in registered voters in the district, which includes central Phoenix and some close-in suburbs.
5th Congressional District
Incumbent freshman Democratic Rep. Harry Mitchell turned back Republican David Schweikert and Libertarian Warren Severin into ice a second term.
Mitchell’s victory was the second straight defeat for the GOP, despite 38,000 fewer registered Democrats in the district.
The district includes communities east and northeast of Phoenix from Tempe and Scottsdale to Camp Creek and Tortilla Flat.
6th Congressional District
Republican Rep. Jeff Flake of Mesa shook off a challenge from Democrat Rebecca Schneider of Mesa to earn a fifth term in Congress and Libertarian Rick Biondi. Some 89,000 more Republicans than Democrats were registered in the district, which includes Mesa and Chandler.
7th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva of Tucson notched a fourth term by trouncing 12-time congressional candidate Joseph Sweeney of Tucson and Libertarian Raymond Petrulsky.
Democrats dominate among voters in the 7th District, which includes western portions of Tucson and Pima County, much of Santa Cruz County and the entire far southwestern corner of the state.
8th Congressional District
Democratic one-term incumbent Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, aided by a more than 2-to-1 campaign finance edge, turned back the challenge from Republican state Senate President Tim Bee for a second House term, and Libertarian Paul Davis. She won even though the district has 13,000-plus more registered Republicans than Democrats.
Two years ago, voters in the moderately Republican southeastern Arizona district chose Giffords over a conservative Republican.