Arizona State Senate elections, 2012
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Arizona's 2012 elections U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Other executive offices • State Senate • State House • State ballot measures • Candidate ballot access |
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Elections for the office of Arizona State Senate were held in Arizona on November 6, 2012. A total of 30 seats were up for election.
The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 30, 2012. The primary Election Day was August 28, 2012.
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Heading into the November 6 election, the Republican Party held the majority in the Arizona State Senate:
| Arizona State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2012 | After the 2012 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 9 | 13 | |
| Republican Party | 21 | 17 | |
| Total | 30 | 30 | |
Incumbents retiring
| Name | Party | Current office |
|---|---|---|
| David Lujan |  Democratic |
Senate District 15 |
| David Schapira | Democratic |
Senate District 17 |
| Linda Gray |  Republican |
Senate District 10 |
| Lori Klein | Republican |
Senate District 6 |
| Paula Aboud | Democratic |
Senate District 28 |
| Ron Gould | Republican |
Senate District 3 |
| Steve Smith | Republican |
Senate District 23 |
| Sylvia Allen | Republican |
Senate District 5 |
Campaign contributions
This chart shows how many candidates ran for state senate in Arizona in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state senate races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.[1]
| Year | Number of candidates | Total contributions |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84 | $2,954,711 |
| 2008 | 60 | $3,185,493 |
| 2006 | 65 | $2,571,504 |
| 2004 | 58 | $2,274,490 |
| 2002 | 73 | $2,149,412 |
In 2010, candidates running for the state senate received a total of $2,954,711 in campaign contributions. Their top contributors were:[2]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Public Fund | $751,935 |
| Davis, Rich | $36,230 |
| Konopnicki, William | $33,140 |
| Kohner, Shawn | $26,132 |
| Kohner, Stephen | $25,050 |
| Downing, Theodore | $24,450 |
| Arizona Association of Realtors | $19,424 |
| Cox Communications | $17,490 |
| Bundgaard, Scott | $15,000 |
| Arizona Medical Association | $10.580 |
Impact of redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Arizona
The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission approved new maps on January 17, 2012, by a 3-2 vote and they were federally precleared in compliance with the Voting Rights Act on April 9, 2012. A lawsuit was filed in April 2012 alleging the commission drew the maps to favor Democratic partisanship. The challenge was not successful in federal court and the maps drawn by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission were upheld. Tucson Citizen stated that the new legislative map created 16 districts "deemed safe for Republicans," 10 safe for Democrats, and four that were considered competitive.[3][4][5]
In Arizona, there are six state senate districts where the partisan registration of Democratic and Republican voters was less than 10 percentage points apart. The six districts in Arizona were Districts 4, 8, 9, 10, 18 and 26.
Qualifications
Article 4, Part 2, Section 2 of the Arizona Constitution states: "No person shall be a member of the Legislature unless he shall be a citizen of the United States at the time of his election, nor unless he shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and shall have been a resident of Arizona at least three years and of the county from which he is elected at least one year before his election."
Term limits
All of Arizona's 30 state senate seats were up for election on November 6. Arizona senators serve two-year terms with a four-term/eight-year limit that was imposed by Proposition 107 in 1992. Arizona's term limits apply to parts of terms and not just full terms. One state senator in 2010, Albert Hale, was affected by this provision of Arizona's law.
In the 2012 state senate elections, 2 senators, or 6.7% of the total senate seats, (0 Democratic state senators and 2 GOP state senators) could not run for re-election.
In addition to the 2 state senators who left office because of Arizona's term limits, 5 state representatives are also termed-out.
Democrats (0):
None
Republicans (2):
List of candidates
District 1
August 28 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
August 28 GOP primary:
- Steve Pierce
Incumbent Pierce first assumed office in 2009.
- Steve Pierce
November 6 General election candidates:
- Steve Pierce: 65,988
Tom Rawles:[6] 26,656
District 2
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Linda Lopez Incumbent Lopez first assumed office in 2009.
- Linda Lopez
- August 28 GOP primary:
- No candidates filed.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Linda Lopez: 39,590
- Don Woolley (Write-in): 1,263
District 3
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Olivia Cajero Bedford: 9,718 Incumbent Bedford first assumed office in 2011.
- Maria Garcia: 4,822
- Olivia Cajero Bedford: 9,718
- August 28 GOP primary:
- No candidates filed.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Olivia Cajero Bedford: 43,084
District 4
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Perla Inzunza (write-in)
- Perla Inzunza (write-in)
Note: Inzunza did not appear on the general election ballot.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Lynne Pancrazi: 29,823
District 5
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Nancy McLain: 5,762
- Sam Scarmardo: 7,832
- Kelli Ward: 9,925
November 6 General election candidates:
- Beth Weisser: 20,040
- Kelli Ward: 49,613
District 6
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Tom Chabin: 39,933
- Chester Crandell: 45,105
District 7
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Jack C. Jackson, Jr. Incumbent Jackson assumed office in 2011.
- Jack C. Jackson, Jr.
- August 28 GOP primary:
- No candidates filed.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Jack C. Jackson, Jr.: 49,639
District 8
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
August 28 Libertarian primary:
- Dean Dill (write-in)
- Dean Dill (write-in)
November 6 General election candidates:
- Barbara McGuire: 25,026
- Joe Ortiz: 23,542
- Dean Dill (Write-in): 2,570
District 9
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Steve Farley: 49,818
- Tyler Mott: 39,562
District 10
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Frank Antenori Incumbent Antenori first assumed office in 2010.
- Frank Antenori
November 6 General election candidates:
- David Bradley: 48,509
- Frank Antenori: 40,193
District 11
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Al Melvin Incumbent Melvin first assumed office in 2009.
- Al Melvin
November 6 General election candidates:
District 12
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Andy Biggs Incumbent Biggs first assumed office in 2011.
- Andy Biggs
November 6 General election candidates:
- Andy Biggs: 63,812
District 13
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Terri Woodmansee (write-in)
- Terri Woodmansee (write-in)
Note: Woodmansee does not appear on the general election list of candidates.
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Don Shooter Incumbent Shooter first assumed office in 2011.
- Don Shooter
Note: Incumbent John Nelson is listed on the candidate list as having withdrawn late.[8][9] Nelson's name will still appear on the ballot. His name appears on the official list of withdrawn candidates.[10]
November 6 General election candidates:
- Don Shooter: 48,132
District 14
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Gail Griffin Incumbent Griffin first assumed office in 2011.
- Gail Griffin
November 6 General election candidates:
- Patricia Fleming: 30,808
- Gail Griffin: 49,647
District 15
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Nancy Barto Incumbent Barto first assumed office in 2011.
- Nancy Barto
- August 28 Libertarian primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Nancy Barto: 58,213
- Dennis Grenier: 21,384
District 16
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Rich Crandall: 9,493 - Incumbent Crandall first assumed office in 2011.
- John Fillmore: 8,614
- Rich Crandall: 9,493
November 6 General election candidates:
- Scott Prior: 25,553
- Rich Crandall: 45,586
District 17
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Steven B. Yarbrough Incumbent Yarbrough first assumed office in 2011.
- Steven B. Yarbrough
November 6 General election candidates:
- Bill Gates: 36,349
- Steven B. Yarbrough: 48,581
District 18
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- John McComish Incumbent McComish first assumed office in 2011.
- John McComish
November 6 General election candidates:
- Janie Hydrick: 45,115
- John McComish: 51,084
District 19
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- No candidates filed.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Anna Tovar: 31,473
District 20
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Michael Powell: 26,987
- Kimberly Yee: 37,371
- Doug Quelland: 8,829
District 21
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Rick Murphy Incumbent Murphy first assumed office in 2011.
- Rick Murphy
November 6 General election candidates:
- Michael Tarrats: 30,087
- Rick Murphy: 44,369
District 22
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Judy Burges Incumbent Burges first assumed office in 2012.
- Judy Burges
November 6 General election candidates:
- Judy Burges: 72,211
District 23
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- No candidates filed.
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Michele Reagan Incumbent Reagan first assumed office in 2011.
- Michele Reagan
November 6 General election candidates:
- Michele Reagan: 82,278
District 24
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Ken Cheuvront: 4,589
- Katie Hobbs: 7,234
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Note: Scott Fistler filed for election, but withdrew prior to the primary.[7]
November 6 General election candidates:
- Katie Hobbs: 38,142
- Augustine Bartning: 19,326
District 25
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Greg Gadek: 7,005
- Nick Thomas: 2 (Write-in)
- Greg Gadek: 7,005
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Russell Pearce: 13,534
- Bob Worsley: 17,200
November 6 General election candidates:
- Greg Gadek: 27,720
- Bob Worsley: 55,290
District 26
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Jerry Lewis Incumbent Lewis first assumed office in 2011.
- Jerry Lewis
- August 28 Libertarian primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Ed Ableser: 26,051
- Jerry Lewis: 19,442
- Damian Trabel: 2,747
District 27
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Victor Jett Contreras: 3,546
- Leah Landrum-Taylor: 5,516 Incumbent Landrum-Taylor first assumed office in 2007.
- August 28 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Leah Landrum-Taylor: 33,137
- Sarah Coleman: 10,333
District 28
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- August 28 GOP primary:
- Adam Driggs Incumbent Driggs first assumed office in 2011.
- Adam Driggs
- August 28 Libertarian primary:
- Note: Jim Iannuzo was removed from the ballot.[7]
November 6 General election candidates:
- Eric Shelley: 39,243
- Adam Driggs: 49,160
District 29
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Steve Gallardo Incumbent Gallardo first assumed office in 2011.
- Steve Gallardo
- August 28 GOP primary:
- No candidates filed.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Steve Gallardo: 27,931
District 30
- August 28 Democratic primary:
- Robert Meza: 4,268 Incumbent Meza first assumed office in 2011.
- Raquel Teran: 4,155
- Robert Meza: 4,268
- August 28 GOP primary:
- No candidates filed.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Robert Meza: 27,485
See also
External links
- Arizona Secretary of State - Official 2012 General Election Results
- Arizona Secretary of State - 2012 General Election Candidates
- Arizona Secretary of State - Official 2012 Primary Results
- Arizona Secretary of State - 2012 Primary Candidates
Footnotes
- ↑ Follow the Money, Arizona
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Arizona 2010 Senate Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Arizona State Summary," accessed April 1, 2024
- ↑ Tucson Citizen, "Arizona approves final maps," December 20, 2011
- ↑ The Arizona Republic, "Arizona redistricting maps challenged by lawsuits," April 27, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State Elections Division, "Independent Candidates" accessed September 5, 2012
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 azsos.gov - 2012 Primary Candidates
- ↑ AZ Secretary of State, "Full listing" accessed July 31, 2012
- ↑ Yuma Sun, "Shooter unopposed in bid for state senate seat" accessed July 31, 2012
- ↑ AZ Secretary of State, "Withdrawn Removed Candidates" accessed July 31, 2012
