Legislative District 6 Voting History

CURRENT LEGISLATORS

Senate
Pamela Gorman (R)
Anthem;
freelance writer and consultant (Web design).
Termed out in 2014.

House
Sam Crump (R)
Anthem;
attorney.
Termed out in 2014.

Carl Seel (R)
Moon Valley;
small business owner (advertising/marketing).
Termed out in 2016.

VOTING HISTORY

When the Independent Redistricting Commission drew boundaries of LD-6 in 2002, the historical partisan voting pattern in the district was 59 percent Republican and 41 percent Democrat. The last two presidential elections mirrored the historical pattern: In 2004 Bush defeated Kerry in the district 61 percent to 38 percent; in 2008 McCain bested Obama 59 percent to 39 percent. In the 2006 gubernatorial election, Democrat Napolitano beat Republican Munsil by 16 percent, much less than the 27-point margin she achieved statewide.

In 2006, the more expansive marriage amendment was defeated in the district by 1,100 votes (2.2 percent). In 2008, with 60 percent more votes cast than two years prior, the narrower marriage amendment passed by 10 percent, slightly less than its 12.4 percent margin of victory statewide.
District voters preferred Republican incumbents in the two congressional districts of which LD-6 is a part: Franks by 18 points over Thrasher in CD-2; Shadegg by 17 points over Lord in CD-3. The union-sponsored minimum wage initiative passed in the district by 23 percentage points, which was significantly smaller margin than its 31-percent margin of victory statewide.

FINAL ANALYSIS

With a registration advantage of more than 15 percent, this district is reliably Republican and has sent only Republicans to the Capitol since 2002. More than 31 percent of the registered voters are not members of the two main political parties.

Del Webb’s Anthem community, 26 miles north of downtown Phoenix, seems to be the growing political center of the district, with two of the district’s three legislators residing there. The development began in 1998, and at full build-out (in the next few years) it is slated to have 12,000 homes and approximately 31,000 residents.

Democrats generally have been non-factors in the district. When then-Sen. Dean Martin ran for state treasurer in 2006, both House incumbents (Ted Carpenter and Pam Gorman) tried for the Senate, setting up a four-way primary for the Republican nomination to the House. Gorman won the Senate seat; newcomers Sam Crump and Doug Clark won for the House.

In 2008, Clark decided not to seek re-election and backed Tony Bouie, who had only recently changed registration from Democrat to Republican. Voters in the primary decisively rejected Bouie in favor of Carl Seel. Neither Democrat in the race gave Crump or Seel a serious challenge.

Crump and Gorman are both running for Shadegg’s seat in the 3rd Congressional District. They often duel at the Legislature on acid-test issues such as reducing taxes and state budget cuts, especially to K-12 education.

Fiscal conservatism, transportation and education are often mentioned as the biggest issues in the district.