PHOENIX — Arizona made history last week as Democrats across the country experienced a blue wave of electoral victories. Arizona Democrats achieved its first trifecta since 1966, holding top statewide races while also flipping the state legislature and several other down-ballot races.
Democrats needed three pickups to flip the State Senate and six pickups to flip the State House. Democrats are on track to flip 17 seats total—7 in the Senate and 10 in the House—giving them majorities of 20–10 and 37–23, respectively.
In statewide races, however, it was a clean sweep all the way down the ballot.
Democrats secured statewide victories for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Treasurer, and Mine Inspector. Democrats Clara Pratte and Jonathon Hill also won the two open seats on the Corporation Commission Board.
Incumbent Governor Katie Hobbs defeated Andy Biggs by 13 points, making her the first Democrat to win re-election since 2006. Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes each defeated their Republican opponents by around 11 points.
Arizona also elected its first ever Lieutenant Governor, former Republican Mesa Mayor John Giles, who joined Hobbs’ ticket as an independent.
“As mayor, I learned there’s no Republican way or Democratic way to fill a pothole,” Giles said in a statement after the election. “The same is true at the State Capitol. There’s no partisan approach that protects our water, builds homes families can afford, keeps rural hospitals open, or gets our kids ready for the good jobs coming to this state.”
The bipartisan ticket paid off. One key to the success of the Hobbs/Giles ticket is the role of Republican voters crossing over and voting for the Democrat.
A CNN voter poll found that Hobbs won over 62% of overall independents but also won 10% of Republican voters. When accounting for independents who express a party preference, Hobbs also received 11% of Republican-leaning independents. By comparison, Biggs only received 2% of Democratic voters and 1% of Democratic-leaning independents.
Democrats also flipped two U.S. House seats on election night.
Amish Shah defeated Jay Feely in Arizona’s first district, and JoAnna Mendoza unseated Juan Ciscomani in the sixth district. Both opponents were incumbent Republicans.
Incumbent Republican Eli Crane in the second district narrowly defeated Democratic challenger Jonathan Nez by just over one percent.
Another stunning victory went to 19-year-old Sebastian “Seb” Matta, who defeated former state legislator Jeff Dial by nearly 7 points for a county clerk seat. Matta told ABC15 in a post-election interview that he did not even have a campaign manager until three weeks prior to the election. Matta will now serve as Maricopa County Clerk of the Superior Court.
Matta appeared on Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday to talk about his victory, where he said that while he serves in his role, he intends to continue his studies of philosophy of law, politics, and morality at ASU.
“I saw a chance to make a big change in my community and here I am,” Matta said during the interview.
Arizona was one of six states where Democrats obtained a trifecta, along with Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada. Democrats now hold the governor’s office in at least 28 states—results are still pending in Alaska and Kansas.
