Republican Party primaries in Arizona, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 10 - Nov. 2
- Absentee voting deadline: Postmark Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Republican Party primary elections were held in Arizona on August 28, 2018, in order to select the party's candidates for Arizona's 2018 elections. These primaries included elections for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, and secretary of state.
The primaries for governor, U.S. Senate, and the 1st Congressional District were battleground races.
Incumbent Gov. Doug Ducey beat former Secretary of State Ken Bennett in the Republican primary for governor. Bennett criticized Ducey for his handling of teacher pay raises following a week-long teacher strike in the state, while Ducey touted his role in increasing education funding on the campaign trail. Ducey faced Democrat David Garcia in the general election.
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally defeated former state Sen. Kelli Ward and former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the three-way Senate primary. The seat, left open by Jeff Flake's (R) retirement, was expected to be competitive in November.
Retired Air Force pilot Wendy Rogers, who made her support for President Donald Trump the central theme of her campaign, won the primary in Arizona's 1st Congressional District and faced incumbent Tom O'Halleran (D) in the general election. Arizona's 1st is one of 13 districts nationally to have voted for both a Democratic representative and Donald Trump (R) in 2016.
National background
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on the party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Republican Party's legislative record during Donald Trump’s presidency figured into several Republican primaries. This record included the passage of major tax legislation in December 2017 and the confirmation of federal judges. It also included a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill in March 2018, which Trump opposed, and unsuccessful efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.[1][2]
Trump, himself, also played a role in Republican primaries. His approval rating reached 90% in June among self-described Republicans, according to a Gallup survey.[3] Many Republican candidates campaigned on their support for Trump, and negative ads accusing opponents of criticizing the president were common.[4][5][6] A May report found Trump's name or image had appeared in 37% of all Republican campaign ads at that point in 2018.[7]
This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in Arizona on August 28, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Battleground primaries
Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.
- United States Senate election in Arizona (August 28, 2018 Republican primary)
- Arizona's 1st Congressional District election (August 28, 2018 Republican primary)
- Arizona's 8th Congressional District special election (February 27, 2018 Republican primary)
- Arizona gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 28 Republican primary)
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
U.S. House
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
- Paul Gosar (Incumbent) ✔
District 5
- Andy Biggs (Incumbent) ✔
District 6
- David Schweikert (Incumbent) ✔
District 7
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
District 8
- Debbie Lesko (Incumbent) ✔
- Sandra Dowling
District 9
State elections
Arizona Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas • Twenty-two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D |
| Senate | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | S | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Gubernatorial election
Republican primary candidates
- Doug Ducey (Incumbent) ✔
- Ken Bennett
- Robert Weber (write-in candidate)
Attorney general election
Republican primary candidates
- Mark Brnovich (Incumbent) ✔
Secretary of state election
Republican primary candidates
- Michele Reagan (Incumbent)
- Steve Gaynor ✔
Did not make the ballot:
State legislative elections
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Arizona state legislative Republican primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Arizona state legislative Republican primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
Senate District 13
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground race?
| Former state Rep. Don Shooter challenged incumbent Sine Kerr (R) after being expelled from the state House in February 2018 over sexual misconduct allegations. Shooter said some of the allegations were true but that others were not and that he did not deserve to be expelled. Another candidate in the race, Brent Backus, challenged Shooter's eligibility to run based on his residence. However, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled on June 27 that he could appear on the ballot.[8] |
State party overview
- See also: Republican Party of Arizona
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Republican Party of Arizona's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Republican Party of Arizona revenue, 2011 to 2016[9][10] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $523,290.73 | $231,057.78 | $754,348.51 |
| 2012 | $2,318,972.33 | 165,946.00 | $2,484,918.33 |
| 2013 | $522,281.04 | $253,980.69 | $776,261.73 |
| 2014 | $2,202,461.17 | 265,587.25 | $2,468,048.42 |
| 2015 | $929,827.43 | $246,468.86 | $1,176,296.29 |
| 2016 | $2,684,856.28 | $224,800.00 | $2,909,656.28 |
Arizona compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Arizona utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Unaffiliated voters may choose which party's primary they will vote in, but voters registered with a party can only vote in that party's primary.[11][12][13]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In Arizona, all polling places are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[14][15]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Arizona, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of an Arizona county. A voter must be 18 years or older on or before Election Day.[16]
To be eligible to vote in an election one must register at least 29 days prior to the election. Individuals can register online, in person at the county recorder's office, or by mail.[17]
Automatic registration
Arizona does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Arizona has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Arizona does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
Arizona law requires 29 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.
Verification of citizenship
Arizona requires voters to submit proof of citizenship with their voter registration application. According to the Arizona Secretary of State's website: "A registrant who attests to being a citizen but fails to provide proof of citizenship and whose citizenship is not otherwise verified will be eligible to vote only in federal elections (known as being a "federal only" voter)."[16] Accepted proof of citizenship include:[16]
- An Arizona Driver's License/Identification Number
- Indian Census Number, Bureau of Indian Affairs Card Number, Tribal Treaty Card Number, or Tribal Enrollment Number
- A photocopy of U.S. naturalization documents
- A photocopy of a birth certificate and supporting legal documentation (i.e., marriage certificate) if the name on the birth certificate is not the same as your current legal name.
- A photocopy of a U.S. passport.
- A photocopy of a Tribal Certificate of Indian Blood or Bureau of Indian Affairs Affidavit of Birth.
On March 30, 2022, Governor Doug Ducey (R) signed HB2492 into law. HB2492 requires that voters submitting registration forms not produced by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission submit proof of citizenship along with their registration forms. In the case of registration forms produced by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, HB2492 requires election officials to "use all available resources to verify the citizenship status" of applicants. Should officials be unable to verify a voter's citizenship status, that voter will be barred from voting in a presidential election or by mail in any election, pending submission of proof of citizenship. Should officials determine that a voter is not a citizen, officials will be required to forward the registration application to the county attorney and the attorney general for investigation. Officials who fail to comply with these requirements are guilty of a Class 6 felony.[18]
Verifying your registration
The site Voter View, run by the Arizona Secretary of State's office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Arizona requires voters to present photo identification or two forms of non-photo identification while voting.[19][20]
The following were accepted forms of identification as of July 2024: Click here for the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
Voters can present one of the following forms of ID that contain the voter’s photograph, name, and address:
- Driver’s license
- U.S. federal, state, or local government-issued ID, issued with printed name and address
- Arizona ID card
- Tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal ID
If a voter does not have one of the above forms of ID, the voter can present two of the following forms of ID that contain the voter’s name and address:
- Utility bill in the voter's name
- Bank or credit union statement that is dated within 90 days of the date of the election
- Valid Arizona vehicle registration
- Arizona vehicle insurance card
- Indian census card
- Property tax statement
- Recorder's certificate or voter registration card
- Tribal enrollment card or other tribal ID
- Valid U.S. federal, state, or local government-issued ID with a printed name and address or
- Any mailing in the voter's name that is labeled "official election material"
Additionally, if a voter presents photo ID that does not list an address within the precinct in which he or she wants to cast a vote, that person may present the photo ID with one non-photo identification material from the second list above. The identification material should include the voter’s address.
Early voting
Arizona permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Arizona. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by-mail.
To vote absentee/by-mail, an absentee/mail-in ballot application must be received by elections officials by 5:00 p.m. 11 days prior to the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by elections officials by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.[21][22]
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states. No counties in Arizona are Pivot Counties.
Donald Trump (R) defeated Hillary Clinton (D) in the 2016 presidential election. Trump won 48.7 percent of the vote, while Clinton won 45.1 percent. Arizona was one of 12 key battleground states in 2016. Of the 30 states won by Trump in 2016, Arizona had the fifth closest margin. From when it became a state in 1912 to 2016, Arizona voted Republican in 66.7 percent of presidential elections. It voted Republican in all presidential elections from 2000 to 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Arizona. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[23][24]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 12 out of 30 state House districts in Arizona with an average margin of victory of 25 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 14 out of 30 state House districts in Arizona with an average margin of victory of 27.5 points. Clinton won two districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 18 out of 30 state House districts in Arizona with an average margin of victory of 22.9 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 16 out of 30 state House districts in Arizona with an average margin of victory of 21.5 points. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 30.1% | 68.2% | R+38.2 | 28.6% | 66.9% | R+38.3 | R |
| 2 | 57.2% | 41.6% | D+15.7 | 59.4% | 36.1% | D+23.2 | D |
| 3 | 70.0% | 28.1% | D+41.9 | 70.2% | 24.4% | D+45.8 | D |
| 4 | 54.3% | 44.2% | D+10.2 | 56.8% | 38.2% | D+18.7 | D |
| 5 | 28.1% | 70.0% | R+41.9 | 22.2% | 73.5% | R+51.3 | R |
| 6 | 42.2% | 55.6% | R+13.4 | 41.7% | 52.1% | R+10.4 | R |
| 7 | 63.2% | 35.4% | D+27.8 | 59.8% | 34.1% | D+25.7 | D |
| 8 | 44.7% | 53.5% | R+8.8 | 40.2% | 54.6% | R+14.4 | R |
| 9 | 53.4% | 44.9% | D+8.4 | 56.8% | 37.9% | D+18.9 | D |
| 10 | 51.8% | 46.5% | D+5.4 | 52.9% | 41.6% | D+11.4 | D |
| 11 | 39.7% | 59.0% | R+19.3 | 40.6% | 54.5% | R+13.9 | R |
| 12 | 32.5% | 65.9% | R+33.4 | 34.8% | 59.3% | R+24.5 | R |
| 13 | 33.5% | 65.1% | R+31.6 | 34.1% | 61.1% | R+27 | R |
| 14 | 35.7% | 62.5% | R+26.8 | 33.6% | 59.9% | R+26.2 | R |
| 15 | 36.4% | 61.9% | R+25.4 | 39.1% | 55.7% | R+16.6 | R |
| 16 | 35.0% | 63.1% | R+28.1 | 32.9% | 61.3% | R+28.4 | R |
| 17 | 42.1% | 56.2% | R+14.2 | 45.1% | 49.2% | R+4.1 | R |
| 18 | 48.1% | 50.0% | R+1.9 | 51.9% | 41.5% | D+10.4 | R |
| 19 | 66.4% | 32.1% | D+34.3 | 67.4% | 27.2% | D+40.3 | D |
| 20 | 42.4% | 55.3% | R+12.9 | 42.7% | 50.7% | R+8 | R |
| 21 | 40.6% | 58.0% | R+17.4 | 39.8% | 55.0% | R+15.2 | R |
| 22 | 33.4% | 65.4% | R+31.9 | 33.7% | 62.1% | R+28.4 | R |
| 23 | 35.9% | 62.9% | R+26.9 | 41.2% | 54.6% | R+13.3 | R |
| 24 | 63.2% | 34.4% | D+28.8 | 65.9% | 27.7% | D+38.3 | D |
| 25 | 33.1% | 65.1% | R+31.9 | 35.1% | 58.7% | R+23.6 | R |
| 26 | 58.3% | 38.5% | D+19.8 | 59.4% | 31.9% | D+27.5 | D |
| 27 | 75.2% | 23.2% | D+52 | 74.1% | 20.6% | D+53.5 | D |
| 28 | 44.6% | 53.6% | R+9 | 49.9% | 44.6% | D+5.3 | R |
| 29 | 64.7% | 33.6% | D+31.1 | 65.0% | 29.3% | D+35.7 | D |
| 30 | 61.3% | 36.7% | D+24.7 | 62.2% | 31.7% | D+30.5 | D |
| Total | 44.6% | 53.7% | R+9.1 | 45.5% | 49.0% | R+3.6 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Federal primaries in Arizona | State primaries in Arizona | Arizona state party apparatus | Arizona voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ ‘’National Review’’, “Trump Is Not Blameless in the Spending-Bill Disaster,” March 28, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "A New Guide to the Republican Herd," August 26, 2012
- ↑ Gallup, "Trump Job Approval Slips Back to 41%," June 25, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "Trump hurdle looms large in Florida GOP governor primary," July 30, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "These 2018 Primaries Are Worth Watching," July 25, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Republican primary candidates have one goal: Securing Trump’s endorsement or denying it to an opponent," July 25, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "Donald Trump once divided Republicans; ads for midterms signal that's no longer true," May 17, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Court: Arizona lawmaker kicked out amid #MeToo can run again," June 28, 2018
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance and Reporting," accessed May 2016 (Search terms AZ Republican Party and Arizona Democratic Party)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Arizona Republican Party and Arizona State Democratic Central Executive Committee)
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Citizens Clean Elections Commission, "Primary Election," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, "Arizona Revised Statutes 16-467," accessed July 19 2024
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Title 16, Section 565," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Arizona generally observes Mountain Standard Time; however, the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time. Because of this, Mountain Daylight Time is sometimes observed in Arizona.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Arizona Secretary of State, "Voters," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Arizona Voter Registration Instructions," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Legislature, "HB2492," accessed March 14, 2023
- ↑ ArizonaElections.gov, "What ID Do I Need to Vote Quiz," accessed March 14, 2023
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-579,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-541,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-547,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
