Democratic challengers jumped out to early leads in a handful of key races that could determine control of Arizona’s Senate, but the contests remain too close to call, initial results show.

House and Senate seats have only flipped when fewer than 10 percentage points separate voter registration numbers for the two major parties. This year, that holds true in nine districts.

Democratic PACs are beginning to spend on the general election, spreading money far and wide in an effort to support the party’s attempted takeover of the Legislature.

After all the talk of a split state Senate, with Republicans and Democrats evenly matched in voting power, the status quo reigned supreme.

Republican Rep. Frank Pratt defeated Sen. Barb McGuire in a race that spoils Democrats’ hopes of picking up enough votes to split the Senate.

The Senate’s 13 Democrats elected Sens. Katie Hobbs and Steve Farley as minority leader and assistant minority leader, respectively. And in an unconventional move, two new senators – Reps. Martin Quezada and Lupe Contreras – will serve as co-whips of the minority caucus.

Republicans who hoped to pad their voting advantage in the Arizona Senate might have to look elsewhere, as Sen. Barbara McGuire leads her GOP opponent in Legislative District 8.

It may be hours before polls close and votes are counted in Arizona’s 2014 primary elections, but for a handful of candidates, today is just a formality. Five senators and two representatives are running unopposed in both the primary and the November general election, ensuring their place at the Capitol. And election is all but assured for many more candidates who are running on one-party-dominant districts.

Democratic Sen. Ed Ableser of Tempe regained his title of most absentee lawmaker this year, showing up for only 62 percent of Senate floor sessions, though he voted on 70 percent of all the bills put before the chamber.

Gov. Jan Brewer made Child Protective Services the centerpiece of her legislative agenda this year, but after four months of debate, lawmakers sent her a budget that leaves much of the work and funding necessary to create a new child protection agency unfinished.