The 2010 congressional elections in Arizona were held on November 2, 2010, to determine who would represent the
state of
Arizona in the
United States House of Representatives. Arizona had eight seats in the House, apportioned according to the
2000 United States census. Representatives were elected for two-year terms; those elected were to serve in the
112th Congress from January 3, 2011 until January 3, 2013.
The state's 2009-2010 delegation consisted of five Democrats and three Republicans. With the exception of Democrat
Ann Kirkpatrick, who had won the open seat in District 1 during the previous election, all members of the delegation were incumbents who had served for at least a full term in Congress. Also, with the exception of retiring Republican
John Shadegg of District 3, all incumbent members of the state's delegation ran for re-election.
As of August 17, 2010, Districts 1, 5 and 8, all held by Democrats, were considered to be competitive by both CQ Politics and The Cook Political Report.[1][2] The primary elections for Congressional races were held on August 24, 2010.[3][4]
Overview
The table below shows the total number and percentage of votes, as well as the number of seats gained and lost by each political party in the election for the United States House of Representatives in Arizona. In addition, the voter turnout and the number of votes not valid will be listed below.[5]
Incumbent Democrat
Ann Kirkpatrick, who had represented the district since 2009, ran for re-election. She was elected with 55.9% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a
PVI of R+6.
The Republican primary featured 8 candidates seeking to take on Kirkpatrick in the general election. Mining industry lobbyist
Sydney Hay, who had been the Republican nominee to run against Kirkpatrick in
2008, finished second in the primary behind
dentistPaul Gosar. Other unsuccessful Republican candidates included attorney Bradley Beauchamp and former state legislator
Russell Bowers.
Gosar, a political neophyte, buoyed by endorsements from highly visible Republican politicians, including Sarah Palin, won the primary with just under 31% of the vote.[11]
Prior to Kirkpatrick's election in 2008, the 1st district had been held by Republicans since this version of the seat was created following the
2000 census.
Incumbent Republican
Trent Franks, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 59.4% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a
PVI of R+13.
Retired teacher John Thrasher ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Thrasher has twice attempted to unseat Franks, losing to the incumbent by 19% in 2006 and by 22% in 2008.(
campaign site,
PVS)
Candidates
Nominee
John Thrasher, retired teacher and nominee for this seat in
2006 and
2008
Incumbent Republican
John Shadegg, who had represented the district since 1995, retired. He was re-elected with 54.1% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a
PVI of R+9.
Republican primary
On January 14, 2010 8-term incumbent Shadegg announced his retirement at the end of his current term, making the third district an open seat.[19] In the wake of Shadegg's retirement, several
Republicans declared their candidacy.[20]
Quayle, the initial frontrunner in the race, faced criticism for his prior involvement with the controversial rumour and gossip website "DirtyScottsdale.com". According to the site's founder, Quayle was one of the "original contributors" to the site, which covered Scottsdale nightlife with features including sexy photos of women, and was the predecessor to the gossip website TheDirty.com.[30] Quayle initially denied the rumors,[31] before admitting several weeks later that he did, in fact, write material for the site under the pen name Brock Landers.[30][32][33][34] Newcomer Steve Moak's strong fundraising[35] and television advertising blitz against Quayle saw him to be viewed as the new frontrunner, however he faced allegations that he illegally profited from a charity he had set up, hurt his campaign.[36][37]
Results
Quayle emerged victorious with 22.1% of the vote, while businessman and political neophyte Steve Moak came in second with 18%.[18]
Jon Hulburd filed his candidacy for the Democratic nomination on October 16, 2009.[38] The Hulburd campaign got off to a strong start and raised over $300,000 in the fourth quarter of 2009.[39] This attracted national attention with the
DCCC naming the race as one of its top 17 races to watch nationwide.[40]
Incumbent Democrat
Ed Pastor, who had represented the district since 1991, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 72.1% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a
PVI of D+13. Since taking office, he has been re-elected nine times with no less than 62% of the vote.
Incumbent Democrat
Harry Mitchell, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 53.2% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a
PVI of R+5.
Prior to Mitchell's victory over incumbent conservative Republican
J. D. Hayworth in 2006, the district had been held by Republicans since
1995, although it had been tending towards the Democrats. Schweikert posted signs across the district calling Mitchell a “lap dog” for
Nancy Pelosi, after Mitchell voted for the
2008 bank bailout, the
$787 billion stimulus law in 2009 and the
Affordable Care Act in March 2010. This despite Mitchell's breaks with the Party on a number of Tax and climate change legislation.[48]
Incumbent Republican
Jeff Flake, who had represented the district since 2001, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 62.4% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a
PVI of R+15.
Incumbent Democrat
Raúl Grijalva, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 63.3% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a
PVI of D+6.
Despite the Democratic lean of the district Grijalva faced a tougher than expected re-election campaign following his suggestion that businesses should boycott the state in response to the passing of the highly controversial
SB 1070 anti-illegal immigration bill. Both Grijalva and challenger, 28-year-old physicist Ruth McClung, benefitted from outside spending in the final weeks of the campaign, in addition to the national environment favouring the Republicans.[49][50]
Incumbent Democrat
Gabby Giffords, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 54.7% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a
PVI of R+4.
^
abcdeRothenberg Political Report (November 1, 2010).
"House Ratings". Rothenbergpoliticalreport.com. Archived from
the original on November 1, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2010.