The most recent voter registration counts show that in District 17 Republicans hold a slight 1.4 percentage point advantage over Democrats, 35.6 percent to 34.2 percent. The margin is the smallest of any district in the state. On top of that, 30.2 percent of voters are registered with no party affiliation.
As such, the district, which encompasses south Scottsdale and the bulk of Tempe, is considered by many to be the only truly competitive district in the state, a billing it has lived up to — voters have elected a representative from each party since before the 2002 redistricting, when it was known as District 27. Sure, other districts have split representation, but none is as tightly contested in both the primary and general elections.
This year is no exception. On the Democrat side, three legislative newcomers and the district’s current state senator are vying for the two House nominations, including the seat being vacated by Rep. Meg Burton Cahill, who is running for the Senate. In the Republican race, the incumbent is joined by three challengers who are new to statewide politics.