Arizona awaits Congressional election results | 2024 Election

PHOENIX - Besides voting for the next President, voters in Arizona also weighed in on who will be their next representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Here's a look at all of Arizona's nine Congressional races.

District 1

Arizona's First Congressional District covers a portion of the Phoenix area, as well as parts of northeastern Maricopa County. 

There are two candidates in this race: Republican David Schweikert and Democrat Amish Shah.

David Schweikert

Incumbent David Schweikert has been in Congress since 2011.

On his website, Schweikert touted his previous experience in government, having worked as Maricopa County Treasurer and the Arizona State Legislature. Some of the issues Schweikert mentioned include promoting economic growth, protecting freedom, reducing taxes, and stopping illegal immigration.

Dr. Amish Shah

A former lawmaker in the Arizona State Legislature, Dr. Shah said he worked as an ER doctor for 20 years, and was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2019.

Issues mentioned on Shah's website include his support for universal healthcare, opposition to gerrymandering, and properly funding the education system.

District 2

This district covers a vast swathe of northern Arizona, including Flagstaff, parts of Coconino County, and parts of Pinal County.

There are two major candidates in this race: Republican Eli Crane and Democrat Jonathan Nez.

Eli Crane

Crane, who was first elected to the position in 2022, is running for a second term in office.

On his website, the Congressman describes himself as "pro-life, pro-second amendment, and unafraid to take a stand against cancel culture and the radical left."

Some of the campaign issues listed by Crane include support for a bill that would resume construction of the Trump border wall, fighting to ban Critical Race Theory in Arizona schools, and fighting for more health care options, better outcomes, and more opportunities for veterans. 

It should be noted that according to an article published by FactCheck.org in 2023, most teachers, along with UCLA researchers in one 2022 report, state that Critical Race Theory is not being taught in K-12 schools.

Jonathan Nez

Nez, who is a former Vice President of the Navajo Nation, said on his website that he has experience in "cultivating relationships with government leaders."

Some of the political positions Nez's campaign listed include standing up to "partisan attacks on mail-in voting and Arizona’s time-tested election infrastructure," comprehensive reform on border security and immigration, and securing Arizona's water future.

District 3

This district covers parts of Phoenix, including South Phoenix and Downtown Phoenix, as well as parts of the West Valley.

The incumbent for this seat, Democrat Ruben Gallego, is not running for re-election, as he is running for Senate.

There are two major candidates in this race: Democrat Yassamin Ansari and Republican Jeff Zink.

Yassamin Ansari

The former Vice Mayor for the City of Phoenix describes herself as the daughter of immigrants "who instilled in her the value of education and hard work at a young age."

Some of Ansari's political positions include codifying the now-overturned Roe v. Wade abortion ruling as law, advocate for the end of the Senate filibuster, expanding the U.S. Supreme Court, and measures that support LGBTQ+ equality.

Jeff Zink

Zink describes himself as a "Conservative Republican, constitutionalist, America First candidate."

The GOP candidate states he believes in "expanding school choice and quality for all Americans" and support for law enforcement. He also said he is in favor of negotiating for more dams in order to create new reservoirs along the Colorado River, as well as supporting desalination of ocean water and brackish groundwater.

In addition, Zink has pledged to only serve three terms in office.

District 4

The district covers the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix, as well as parts of the East Valley including portions of Chandler, Mesa, and Tempe.

There are two major candidates in this race: Republican Kelly Cooper and Democrat Greg Stanton.

Kelly Cooper

Cooper, who describes himself as a Marine Corp veteran, touted his experience in business, and wrote on his website that "compassion, not ideology, wins in the end."

On the issues, Cooper said he is a fiscal conservative who will take "a common-sense approach to lower taxes, will reduce and eliminate government red-tape and push for limited government intervention in our free markets." He also claims he is an "open advocate for school choice policies, such as vouchers and tax credit scholarships," and touted his strong support of the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Greg Stanton

A former Phoenix City Council member who went on to become the city's mayor, Stanton became a Congressman in 2019, and has been re-elected twice since then.

On his website, Stanton listed a number of issues he believes in, including measures related to water security, support of various election reform and voting rights measures, and support of measures that would ban "discrimination against individuals on the basis of sexual orientation when it comes to employment, education, access to credit, jury service, federal funding, housing and public accommodations."

District 5

This district covers a portion of the East Valley and the Far East Valley, including parts of Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa.

There are two candidates in this race: Republican Andy Biggs and Democrat Katrina Schaffner.

Andy Biggs

The four-term Congressman, according to the AP, built a reputation as a staunch supporter of Donald Trump and as a border enforcement hawk. 

On his campaign website, Biggs states Congress must "fund, begin, and complete the border wall," while also calling for a balanced budget, tax cut, and a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (labeled as Obamacare on the website).

Katrina Schaffner

On her website, Schaffner said she was born into an immigrant family, with her grandparents having moved to America as refugees after they survived forced labor camps in Nazi Germany.

Some of the policies Schaffner mentioned on her website include protecting and expanding Social Security and Medicare, invest in affordable housing, implementing common sense gun safety policies, and protect abortion access.

District 6

This district covers portions of southeastern Arizona, as well as a portion of Pinal County.

There are two major candidates in this race: Republican Juan Ciscomani and Democrat Kirsten Engel.

Juan Ciscomani

Ciscomani is the incumbent in the race.

On his website, Ciscomani wrote he is the first naturalized American citizen from Mexico elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona’s history."

As for issues, Ciscomani is calling for an "all-of-the-above approach to securing the border," which includes completing the border wall. He also states he is opposed to a federal abortion ban, as well as "any and all efforts" to reduce Social Security and Medicare or efforts that jeopardize those programs.

Kirsten Engel

This is the second time Engel mounted a run for the seat. In 2022, the former Arizona State Senator lost the race to Ciscomani, who received 50.8% of the vote. 

On the issues, Engel states she will work to "combat drought and rising utility bills with smart water policies and green energy jobs," reduce prescription drug costs, strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and "ensure we have a secure, fair, orderly and humane process at the border."

District 7

The district covers parts of the Phoenix area and Southern Arizona, including parts of Cochise, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties.

There are two candidates in this race: Republican Daniel Francis Butierez, Sr. and Democrat Raúl Grijalva.

Daniel Francis Butierez Sr.

On his campaign site, Butierez describes himself as a third-generation Arizonan, a contractor, and the owner of two small businesses. Butierez also states that he has a conviction from September 1992 that was voided by the Arizona Superior Court in Pima County in 2020.

The candidate listed some of his political positions online. They include support for the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, criminal justice reform, and "always be available to District 7 residents and will ensure the Federal government is nothing short of 100% responsive to your needs."

Raúl Grijalva

Grijalva is the incumbent for this seat. Per his Congressional biography, Grijalva has been serving in Congress since 2003.

"Quality public education, protecting our public lands and environment, creating a functioning immigration system, and ensuring good wages and the right for workers to organize are some of his top concerns," read a statement from his campaign on Arizona.vote.

District 8

This seat covers a portion of the Phoenix metro area's northwest.

The incumbent for this district, Debbie Lesko, announced in 2023 that she won't seek reelection. She subsequently announced that she is running for a seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

There are two candidates in this race: Republican Abraham "Abe" Hamadeh and Democrat Gregory Whitten.

Abe Hamadeh

This is not the first time Hamadeh has taken part in an Arizona election in recent years: in 2022, he ran for Arizona Attorney General, but lost to Democratic candidate Kris Mayes.

On his website, Hamadeh calls himself an "America First Warrior." He wrote that he will work with Trump to build the border wall, fight for "the integrity of our elections," and protect the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Gregory Whitten

On his campaign page, Whitten wrote that he is a third-generation Arizonan who returned to Arizona to care for his mother, who became addicted to opioids.

As for the issues, Whitten's website states the candidate will work to make prescription drugs more affordable, prioritize making a university education more affordable, and work for "data-driven and non-partisan" water policies.

District 9

This seat covers a big portion of western Arizona, including parts of La Paz, Mohave, and Yuma Counties. The seat also covers a portion of the West Valley.

There are two candidates in this race: Republican Paul Gosar and Democrat Quacy Smith.

Paul Gosar

Gosar has served in Congress for over a decade, having started his first term in 2011.

On his website, Gosar calls himself a conservative Republican who "continued to challenge the status quo, offer common sense solutions, fight against liberals and special Interests, and often, stand up to his own party." 

Quacy Smith

Smith is known for his work in the legal field: he represented the family of a 34-year-old man who died following a Phoenix Police shooting in 2022.

Some of Smith's political positions include support for women's rights, support of efforts to "eradicate voter suppression in all its forms," and opposing "extreme measures on both sides of the reproductive rights debate" like overly restrictive abortion laws and expansion of abortion rights "without any reasonable limitations."