U.S. House, Arizona - 1st District
North and east -- Flagstaff, Prescott, Navajo reservation
Race Forecast: Leans Democratic
2008: Sydney Hay (R) vs. Ann Kirkpatrick (D)
2006: Rep.
Former Democratic state Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick holds the advantage in the contest for the massive district, which covers the northwestern corner of the state including Flagstaff and has the largest American Indian population in the country. She has raised three times more money than Republican nominee Sydney Hay, a conservative activist who is president of the Arizona Mining Association, and has three times more cash for the race through Sept. 30 in addition to strong support from the national party. Hay, meanwhile, is backed by the anti-tax Club for Growth but also is running in the shadow of retiring Republican Rep.
Race Information
- Incumbent: Ann Kirkpatrick, D
- First Elected: 2008 (1st term)
- Last Elected: (%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: Leans Democratic
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
A mix of rural conservatives, artistic liberals and a large American Indian population makes the immense 1st appear ripe for unpredictable elections, but that does not mean the residents have nothing in common.
The eight counties of the 1st, freed partly from Phoenix’s influence after gaining their own district following the 2000 census, take in a 58,608-square-mile swath of Arizona that is larger than 30 states. Democrats have a slight voter registration advantage here, and most locals call themselves environmentalists in a district that includes both sides of the Grand Canyon. Despite the Democrats’ seeming advantage, George W. Bush captured 54 percent of the 1st’s vote in 2004 and Republican Rep. Renzi was re-elected with 52 percent of the 2006 vote.
The district, which exhibits great natural beauty, is a popular destination for tourists, artists and art enthusiasts. Sedona, a renowned tourist destination, is home to numerous art galleries and luxury resorts. The 1st also features mining and timber operations over its vast terrain. Residents are constantly worried about drought, which has hit the area particularly hard in recent years. Drought conditions led to forest fires in 2002 and 2003, which struck severe blows to the area’s many timber and agricultural operations, strained the resources of the state and local governments, and qualified the area for disaster relief from FEMA.
The district has the largest American Indian population (23 percent) in the nation, and high rates of poverty and unemployment continue to be
Major Industry
Tourism, agriculture, timber, mining
Cities
Flagstaff, 52,894; Prescott, 33,938; Casa Grande, 25,224; Prescott Valley, 23,535
notable
Lowell Observatory, in Flagstaff, is where Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930; Casa Grande Ruins National Monument near Coolidge features the remains of a large prehistoric building.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 641,329
- Under 18: 28.2%
- Over 65: 13.7%
- Married: 55%
- Non-Hispanic White: 58%
- Black: 1%
- Hispanic: 16%
- Asian: 1%
- Foreign Born: 5%
- Language other than English: 27.8%
- Median Household Income: 32,979
- Owner Occupied Housing: 71.5%
- Income above $200k: 1.1
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 53%
- Blue Collar: 26.8%
- Services: 19.7%
- Bachelor's Degree: 18%
- Graduate Education: 6.7%
- Civilian Veterans: 72,224
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Ann Kirkpatrick (D) | 155,791 | 55.9% |
| Sydney Hay (R) | 109,924 | 39.4% | ||
| Brent Maupin (I) | 9,394 | 3.4% | ||
| Thane Eichenauer (LIBERT) | 3,678 | 1.3% | ||
| 2006 | general | Rick Renzi (R) | 105,646 | 51.8% |
| Ellen Simon (D) | 88,691 | 43.4% | ||
| David Schlosser (LIBERT) | 9,802 | 4.8% | ||
| 2004 | general | Rick Renzi (R) | 148,315 | 58.5% |
| Paul Babbitt (D) | 91,776 | 36.2% | ||
| John Crockett (LIBERT) | 13,260 | 5.2% | ||
| 2002 | general | Rick Renzi (R) | 85,967 | 49.2% |
| George Cordova (D) | 79,730 | 45.6% | ||
| Edwin Porr (LIBERT) | 8,990 | 5.2% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 45% | George W. Bush: 54% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 45% | George W. Bush: 50% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFFELDT, ALLAN (D) | June 30, 2007 | $5,203.00 | $5,203.00 | ||||
| CACCIOPPOLI, MICHAEL JR (D) | August 23, 2006 | $4,721.00 | $1,329.00 | ||||
| TITLA, MARY KIM (D) | November 24, 2008 | $271,322.00 | $251,215.00 | $250.00 | $265,384.00 | $17,745.00 | |
| JACKSON, JACK C JR (D) | December 31, 2006 | $1,985.00 | |||||
| SHANKER, HOWARD MARC (D) | September 30, 2008 | $212,425.00 | $212,281.00 | $1,000.00 | $171,692.00 | $146.00 | $27,867.00 |
| SCHLOSSER, DAVID B (LIBERT) | December 31, 2007 | ||||||
| RENZI, RICHARD G. (R) | September 30, 2008 | $185,823.00 | $195,827.00 | $26,500.00 | $66,818.00 | $3,825.00 | $456,104.00 |
| SIMON, ELLEN (D) | September 30, 2008 | $13,079.00 | $13,404.00 | $4,980.00 | $252,316.00 | ||
| FRIEDMAN, SUSAN E (D) | September 30, 2006 | $1,174.00 | |||||
| HANSEN, THOMAS N (R) | September 29, 2008 | $18,653.00 | $18,653.00 | ||||
| LIVINGSTONE, SANDRA B DR (R) | August 13, 2008 | $227,050.00 | $37,493.00 | $27,050.00 | $189,556.00 | $200,000.00 | |
| HAY, SYDNEY (R) | November 24, 2008 | $674,468.00 | $678,170.00 | $29,403.00 | $473,948.00 | $25,000.00 | |
| KIRKPATRICK, ANN (D) | November 24, 2008 | $1,996,904.00 | $1,969,516.00 | $103,299.00 | $1,364,369.00 | $27,387.00 | $7,500.00 |
| MAUPIN, BRENT GEER (UNKNOWN) | November 24, 2008 | $30,491.00 | $30,467.00 | $6,110.00 | |||
| KORN, PRESTON (R) | September 30, 2008 | $24,652.00 | $19,175.00 | $16,616.00 | $5,476.00 | $4,552.00 | |
| RILEY, JEFF (D) | June 30, 2008 | $220,825.00 | $220,824.00 | $15,825.00 | |||
| KONOPNICKI, BILL (R) | March 31, 2008 | $60,576.00 | $60,576.00 | $8,520.00 | |||
