Congressional incumbents lead their primary races

All nine members of Arizona’s congressional delegation are leading their respective primary races.

Democratic Congressman Tom O’Halleran, who represents Arizona’s First Congressional District, is leading former Flagstaff City Councilmember Eva Putzova by 14 percentage points in early ballots. If he keeps his lead, he’ll face the likely Republican nominee in Tiffany Shedd in November. Shedd leads Nolan Reidhead 56% to 44%. 

In Arizona’s Second Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Tucson, will defend the seat she won in 2018. Her Republican challenger will come from a three-man race between Brandon Martin, Joseph Morgan, and Noran Eric Ruden. Martin is currently leading with 44% of the vote.

Congressman Raul Grijalva, who was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, did not face a Democratic primary challenge and will face Daniel Wood, a Republican, who was also unopposed, in the Third Congressional District.

In Western Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar  leads his primary opponent Anne Marie Ward by 25 percentage points and will likely face Delina DiSanto, a Democrat, in the general election. DiSanto is currently leading Stuart Starky with 74% of the vote. 

Andy Biggs, a two-term Republican congressman and leader of the Freedom Caucus, is on his way to his third term in Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District, but must beat Democrat Joan Greene on Nov. 3 to make it official. Greene is ahead of her two opponents with 51% of the vote.

U.S. Rep. David Schwiekert, fresh off admitting to 11 separate ethics violations, will defend his seat in the Sixth Congressional District from his Democratic challenger Hiral Tipirneni, in a race national Democrats have been targeting for a while. Schweikert did not face a Republican opponent though there were rumors in 2019 that he might. Tipirneni is currently leading her primary with 54% of the vote to Anita Malik’s 36%. 

Ruben Gallego, Arizona’s Democratic congressman in the Seventh Congressional District, did not have a primary opponent contrary to 2018, and will now face Republican Joshua Barnett, a candidate who has not filed his campaign finance report since September 2019, which the Federal Election Commission says is likely because he did not raise or spend more than $5,000 in each quarter. 

Debbie Lesko, a first-term Congresswoman in Arizona’s Eighth Congressional District, will defend her seat in the west parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area against Democrat Michael Muscato. Moscato is currently leading with 54% of the vote over Bob Musselwhite and Robert Olsen.

And Greg Stanton, who  won Arizona’s Ninth Congressional District in 2018, went unopposed this year and will defend his seat against likely Republican candidate Dave Giles. He is currently leading with 54% of the vote over Sam Huang and Nicholas Tutora.