IN FOCUS - Nov. 8, 2024
Updated: Nov 8
Call it Trump II: Return of The Donald.
This week, Donald Trump completed one of the unlikeliest of political comebacks as he won the presidency four years after being swept out of office. Despite a race that appeared neck-and-neck for months, Trump earned an electoral college landslide, swept each of the seven swing states and even won the popular vote.
Though Trump’s victory was clearly the biggest, it was far from the only GOP win in Arizona this week. Caveat: approximately 700,000 ballots statewide remain uncounted. However, Republicans are on-track to retain control of the Legislature and expand their margins, sweep the Arizona Corporation Commission races, and even fend off challenges to conservative Supreme Court Justices Clint Bolick and Kathryn King.
The results are even more surprising in light of the multiple millions that Democrats and progressive groups dumped in Arizona. Did Democratic voters simply no-show? Were they swamped by a MAGA surge? We won’t know for certain until tabulation is complete next week.
In the meantime, AZ politicos are watching closely as Arizona’s 15 counties update results impacting too-close-to-call U.S. Senate, congressional and legislative contests. This is where they stand, as of 4:30 p.m. Friday:
U.S. Senate:
Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego leads Republican Kari Lake by fewer than 37,000 votes statewide.
U.S. House:
In the Northeast Valley’s CD-1, GOP Congressman David Schweikert has expanded his lead to 15,000+ votes over Democrat Amish Shah. In southern Arizona’s CD-6, GOP Congressman Juan Ciscomani clings to a less than 1,000-vote edge over Democrat Kirsten Engel.
Arizona Legislature:
Multiple House and Senate contests hang in the balance. The Arizona Republican Party appears poised to cushion its current one-seat majority in each chamber to a 33-27 (or even 35-25) advantage in the House, and 16-14 or 17-13 margin in the Senate.
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