With just days to go before the midterm elections, Arizona Democrats are fighting to flip two congressional districts currently held by Republicans. Rep. Greg Stanton encouraged volunteers in North Phoenix to get out and canvass.
Stanton met with volunteers who were set to visit residents and campaign for local Democratic candidates. Among those reaching out to voters were supporters of Amish Shah, who is running in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. It is one of two districts in the state that Democrats believe they can win.
The seat is open because incumbent Republican David Schweikert decided to run for governor. Shah, a former state legislator and emergency physician, ran in the district two years ago against Schweikert and lost by a narrow margin. His opponent is Republican Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker and sports commentator. Speaking at President Trump’s September political convention in Texas, Feely said the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania inspired him to run in 2024.
The other district where Democrats see an opportunity is the 6th Congressional District. It covers a large, rural area of southeastern Arizona.
According to the report, independent voters will decide the outcome in both districts. Samara Klar, a political scientist at the University of Arizona, said voters in the state are moderate. In her view, Democratic campaigns appeal to centrist voters better than Republican campaigns do. In recent years, independents in Arizona have shifted to the left and helped elect a Democratic governor and two U.S. senators.
Klar also noted that polls have more often overstated support for Democrats than for Republicans. As a result, the outcomes are sometimes closer than forecasts indicated. Republicans have no intention of backing down. Kathleen Winn, chair of the Republican Party in Pima County, does not believe Democrats will do as well as recent polls suggest.
Source: KJZZ
KN
