Arizona Capitol Times Election Coverage Your Inside Track to Arizona Elections
If the public held an anti-incumbent sentiment, it didn’t extend to the Republican primary race in a North-Central Phoenix district, where voters chose a known name over relative newcomers.
Rep. Adam Driggs, a Phoenix Republican and son of former Phoenix Mayor John Driggs, appeared to have won the three-way primary for the Legislative District 11 Senate seat.
Driggs has received 9,463 votes; rivals Rich Davis Andrew Smigielski got 7,549 and 2,305 votes respectively, according to the latest unofficial tally by the Maricopa County’s election department.
The race also affirmed the advantages of possessing not only an established name but also a lot of money.
Driggs, who collected about $83,000, outraised and outspent his primary opponents.
Additionally, Driggs also received a huge boost from independent groups, which poured in $57,000 to help put him in office.
The primary contest had boiled down to Driggs and Davis, who have both stepped up the attack against each other in the last few weeks.
Davis’ D.C. property also became a focus of Drigg’s criticism.
Driggs smacked Davis in a campaign mailer for taking advantage of the homestead tax deduction for his D.C. home, and questioned whether it was legal since the tax break requires D.C. residency. The Davis campaign admitted the error in applying for the tax deduction, and said the mistake had been corrected.
Driggs will face Democrat Rita Dickinson in the general election.
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