Arizona's 1st congressional district
Arizona's 1st congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona. Geographically, it is the tenth largest congressional district in the country and includes much of the state outside the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas.
It is currently represented by Republican Paul Gosar, who defeated Democratic incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick in 2010.
The district was created after Arizona gained two seats in the 2000 U.S. Census - the old 1st District, based in Mesa and at one time the east side of Phoenix, was renumbered the 6th District. Another area of the 1st District, containing the North Indian Bend Wash Superfund Site that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first documented in 1981, became part of what is now the 5th District.
The district is home to more Native Americans than any other district in the United States.[1]
Competitiveness
This large congressional district covers the mainly rural areas of northern and eastern Arizona. Republicans have a base in Prescott and Yavapai County, while Democrats perform well in Flagstaff, Sedona, and the Navajo Nation among Native Americans. Elections are usually decided by conservative "Pinto Democrats" throughout the rural areas.
George W. Bush received 54% of the vote in this district in 2004. John McCain also carried the district in 2008 with 54.42% of the vote while Barack Obama received 44.25%. Due to intense competition, it is generally considered a swing district.
During the Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008 Arizona Democratic Primary, the district was won by Hillary Rodham Clinton with 48.49% of the vote while Barack Obama received 42.21% and John Edwards took in 5.01%. In the Arizona Republican Primary, the 1st District was won by McCain with 45.99% while Mitt Romney received 35.20% and Mike Huckabee took in 11.70% of the vote in the district.
Voting
List of representatives
Arizona transitioned from electing its members of the House from separate districts with the 1948 elections, after using a general ticket since gaining a second seat in the House with the 1940 Census.
| Representative |
Party |
Term |
Congress |
Counties[2][3][4] |
Description |
Notes |
| John R. Murdock |
Democratic |
January 3, 1949 - January 3, 1953 |
81st-82nd |
Maricopa |
Metro Phoenix |
Re-districted from the At-large district, Defeated |
| John J. Rhodes, Jr. |
Republican |
January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1967 |
82nd-89th |
Retired |
| January 3, 1967 - January 3, 1983 |
90th-97th |
Maricopa (part) |
| John S. McCain |
Republican |
January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1987 |
98th-99th |
Parts of Metro Phoenix |
Elected to U.S. Senate |
| John J. Rhodes III |
Republican |
January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1993 |
100th-102nd |
Defeated |
| Samuel G. Coppersmith |
Democratic |
January 3, 1993 - January 3, 1995 |
103rd |
Ran for U.S. Senate |
| Matthew J. Salmon |
Republican |
January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001 |
104th-106th |
Ran for Governor |
| Jeffrey Flake |
Republican |
January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2003 |
107th |
Re-districted to 6th district |
| Richard G. Renzi |
Republican |
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2009 |
108th-110th |
Apache, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Yavapai, Coconino (part), Navajo (part), Pinal (part) |
N and E Arizona |
Retired |
| Ann Kirkpatrick |
Democratic |
January 3, 2009 - January 3, 2011 |
111th |
Defeated |
| Paul Gosar |
Republican |
January 3, 2011 - Present |
112th |
Incumbent |
Recent election results
The current 1st District is a new district created after the 2000 census. Prior to the 2002 elections, most of the territory in what is now the 6th District was in the 1st District.
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
http://projects.usatoday.com/news/politics/2010/elections/AZ/
References