Two Democrats have taken an early lead in the pivotal Legislative District 4 House race after early election night results.

Incumbent Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, trails Democrats Kelli Butler and Karen Gresham narrowly at approximately 9:45 p.m. 

Butler leads all candidates with 26.08% of votes. Gresham has received 25.37% and Gress is  at 25.21%.

The other Republican running in the race, Pamela Carter, has 23.34% of votes. 

If results hold, then Democrats will have gained a seat in the House, with the district currently represented by Gress and appointed Rep. Eric Meyer, D-Paradise Valley. 

Gress was first elected in 2022 and has made efforts to reach across the aisle on numerous occasions during his term in office. He was a key figure in getting the state’s 1864 abortion ban repealed in the 2024 legislative session, pushing the measure through with Democrats in the House and losing his seat on the House Appropriations Committee for going against Republican leadership. 

Butler was first elected to the House in 2016 and served until 2022. She is now a governing board member of Maricopa County Community College District but is now seeking election again in the district.

Carter and Gresham are seeking their first terms in the legislature. Democrats didn’t run two House candidates in the district after the state was redistricted for the 2022 election but now they’re trying to pick up Gress’s seat. 

Former Democratic state Rep. Laura Terech won in 2022 with Gress. The other Republican in that district, Maria Syms, trailed Terech in that race by just under 2% of votes. 

LD4 leans slightly Republican with about a 3.5% vote spread favoring GOP candidates. It is one of the highly competitive districts in the state, but Democrats have performed well in the district since 2022 with Terech’s win and Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, winning that year’s Senate race as well.