Note from AriSEIA Executive Director: Arizona Primary Election Updates

Last week, Arizona held their Primary Elections. As suspected, a number of elections were determined in the race, but there were also some surprises and upsets. After all the ballots were counted, two incumbents in the Senate and one incumbent in the House will not be returning. 

One of the “hottest” races to watch was between Moderate Senate Republican Heather Carter and Conservative House Representative Republican Nancy Barto, both of District 15. This Primary race was heavily spent in, and ultimately Representative Nancy Barto was able to unseat Senator Heather Carter with a lead of 1,741 votes. With no challenge in the General Election, Representative Barto will once again be back in the Senate come 2021.
 
In the House, multi-term serving Republican Representative Jay Lawrence was unseated by Joseph Chaplik. This district traditionally votes Republican; however, Erik Kurland did garner 27,196 votes in the Primary. It is his second attempt to run for the legislature. Returning incumbent Representative Kavanagh received 29,878 votes. Newcomer Joseph Chaplik received 19,457 and Jay Lawrence received 18,813 votes. Since Jay Lawrence is a conservative Republican, it is likely that those votes will not shift to a democratic candidate, but rather to the Republicans. 
 
Moving to more rural Arizona, early results reflect Republican Representative Frank Pratt neck-in-neck with Republican Neal Carter, while Republican Representative David Cook marches forward to the General Election. Many suspect this will be a district where the Democratic party focuses their efforts in an attempt to pick up a seat. By way of numbers, Representative David Cook received 10,492 votes, Frank Pratt received 9,370 votes, Neal Carter received 9,286 votes and Democrat Sharon Girard received 13,709.
 
The Arizona Senate District 28 seat will likely be the most expensive race in the upcoming General Election. Current Republican Senator Kate Brophy is once again fighting to retain her seat in a district that was once solidly Republican. Democratic candidate Christine Marsh, who previously challenged Senator McGee in 2018, received 27,398 votes in the Primary Elections, while Senator McGee received 22,899. Of importance to note, the two House of Representative seats have been held by individuals from the Democratic Party the last cycle. 
 
As a solar industry association, the election for Arizona Corporation Commission is also of utmost importance to our membership. This election cycle, there are three Commission seats, which five individuals are vying for. Though the Primary Election did not eliminate anyone whom was on the ballot, it does provide us with data and information that will be useful in projecting possible outcomes for the General Election. The following is the outcome of the Arizona Corporation Commission Primaries.

• Eric Sloan – Republican (512,307)
• Commissioner Lea Marquez-Peterson – Republican (451,987)
• Anna Tovar – Democrat (527,273)
• William “Bill” Mundell – Democrat (413,248)
• Shea Stanfield – Democrat (403,165)
• Republican Jim O’Connor received enough write-in votes to qualify for the November general election.
  

 
The outcomes for both the House of Representatives and the Senate are listed below as of August 10, 2020. These individuals will be reflected on the General Election Ballots in November.

Senate Primary Results and General Election Challenges (only one will win a seat)
*** Incumbents are in Italics***
District 1: Karen Fann – R (No Democratic challenger – she will be re-elected)
District 2: Rosanna Gabaldón – D v. Mark Workman – R (Democratic District)
District 3: Sally Ann Gonzales – D (No Republican challenger – she will be re-elected)
District 4: Travis Angry – R v. Lisa Otondo – D (Democratic District)
District 5: Sonny Borrelli – R (No Democratic challenger – he will be re-elected)
District 6: Wendy Rogers – R v. Felicia French – D (Race to watch – Dems will target for win)
District 7: Jamescita Peshlakai – D (No Republican challenger – she will be re-elected) 
District 8: TJ Shope – R v. Barbara McGuire – D (Slightly Republican leaning district)
District 9: Victoria Steele – D (No Republican challenger – she will be re-elected)
District 10: Justine Wadsack – R v. Kirsten Engle – D (Democratic District)
District 11: Vince Leach – R v. JoAnn Mendoza – D (Republican District)
District 12: Warren Petersen – R v. Lynsey Robinson – D (Republican District)
District 13: Sine Kerr – R (No Democratic Challenger – she will be re-elected)
District 14: David Gowan – R v. Robert Karp – D (Republican District)
District 15: Nancy Barto – R (No Democratic challenger - she will be elected)
District 16: Kelly Townsend – R (No Democratic challenger – she will be elected)
District 17: JD Mesnard – R v. Ajlan Kurdoglu – D (Race to Watch – Split District)
District 18: Suzanne Sharer – R v. Sean Bowie – D (Democratic District)
District 19: Lupe Contreras – D (No Republican challenger – he will be re-elected)
District 20: Paul Boyer – R v. Douglas Ervin – D (Slightly Republican leaning district)
District 21: Rick Gray – R (No Democratic challenger – he will be re-elected)
District 22: David Livingston – R v. Sara Tyree – D (Republican District)
District 23: Michelle Ugenti Rita – R v. Seth Blattman – D (Republican District)
District 24: Lela Alston – D (No Republican challenger – she will be re-elected)
District 25: Tyler Pace – R v. Paul Weigel – D (Republican District)
District 26: Jae Chin – R v. Juan Mendez – D (Democratic District)
District 27: Garland Shreves – R v. Rebecca Rios – D (Democratic District)
District 28: Kate Brophy McGee – R v. Christine Marsh – D (Race to Watch – Dems will spend)
District 29: John Wilson – R v. Martin Quezada – D (Democratic District)
District 30: Tony Navarette – D (No Republican challenger)
 
House Primary Results and General Election Challenges (two seats per district)
*** Incumbents are in Italics, District abbreviated in some cases and Party symbols R & D***
District 1: Judy Burges – R v. Quang Nguyen – R v. Judy Stahl - D (Republican District)
District 2: Daniel Hernandez – D v. Andrea Dalessandro – D v. Deborah McEwen – R (D. District) 
District 3: Alma Hernandez– D, Andres Cano – D (No Republican challengers – both re-elected)
District 4: Joel John – R v. Charlene Fernandez – D v. Geraldine Peten - D (Democratic District)
District 5: Regina Cobb – R, Leo Biasiucci - R (No Democratic challengers – both re-elected)
District 6: Walt Blackman – R v. Brenda Barton – R v. Coral Evan - D (Republican District) 
District 7: Jim Parks – R v. David Peelman – R v. Myron Tsosie – D v. Arlando Teller – D (D. Dist.)
District 8: David Cook – R v. Frank Pratt – R v. Sharon Girard - D (Race to Watch)
District 9: Brendan Lyons – R v. Pamela Powers Hanley – D v. Randy Friese – D (D. District)
District 10: Michael Hicks – R v. Mabelle Gummere - R v. Domingo DeGrazia – D Stephanie Stahl Hamilton – D (Democratic District)
District 11: Mark Finchem – R v. Bret Roberts – R v. Felipe Perez – D (Republican District)
District 12: Travis Grantham – R Jake Hoffman – R (No Democratic challenger – will be elected)
District 13: Tim Dunn – R v. Joanna Osborne – R v. Mariana Sandoval - D (Republican District)
District 14: Gail Griffin – R v. Becky Nutt – R v. Kim Beach-Moschetti - D v. Ronnie Maestas-Condos (Republican District)
District 15: Steve Kaiser – R v. Justin Wilmeth – R v. Kristen Dybvig-Pawelko - D (Republican District)
District 16: Jacqueline Parker – R John Filmore – R (No Democratic challengers – both elected) 
District 17: Jeff Weninger – R v. Liz Harris – R v. Jennifer Pawlick – D (Race to Watch) 
District 18: Bob Robson – R v. Jennifer Jermaine – D v. Mitzi Epstein – D (Democratic District)
District 19: Diego Espinoza – D Lorenzo Sierra – D (No Republican challengers – both elected)
District 20: Anthony Kern – R v. Shawnna Bolick – R v. Judy Schwiebert – D (Slightly R. district)
District 21: Beverley Pingerelli – R v. Kevin Payne – R v. Kathy Knecht – D (Republican district)
District 22: Frank Carroll – R v. Ben Toma – R v. Wendy Garcia – D v. Kathleen Honne – D (Republican district) 
District 23: John Kavanagh – R v. Joseph Chaplik – R v. Eric Kurland – D (Race to Watch) 
District 24: Jennifer Longdon – D Amish Shah - D (No Republican challengers – both elected)
District 25: Rusty Bowers – R v. Michelle Udall – R v. Suzanne Hug - D (Republican District)
District 26: Bill Loughrige – R v. Marcus Sifuentes – R v. Althena Salman – D v. Melody Hernandez - D (Democratic District)
District 27: Tatiana Peña – R v. Reginald Bolding – D v. Diego Rodriguez – D (Democratic district)
District 28: Ken Bowers – R v. Jana Jackson – R v. Kelli Butler – D v. Aaron Lieberman – D (D dist.) 
District 29: Billy Bragg – R v. Helen Fokszansky-Conti – R v. Cesar Chavez – D v. Richard Andrade - D (Democratic District)
District 30: Raquel Teran– D Robert Meza – D (No Republican challengers – both elected)