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Legislative Update
Election night shake ups bring new faces to office By Jake Hinman and Bastien Andruet
Right on the heels of a contentious and unexpected primary election
While the presidential race consumed most
within striking distance of his challenger,
of Arizona’s attention this year, it was the
Joe Biden was able to secure the state for
down-ballot races that arguably held even
the Democrats for the first time since Bill
season, the state wasted no time
greater significance for Arizona’s political fu-
Clinton in 1996.
in pivoting to the November Gen-
a Democratic flip of the Legislature and many
eral Elections. With shake ups at both the municipal and
ture. While “politicos and pundits” predicted local seats this year, the settling dust and trickling results painted a different picture..
legislative levels, many races began to set
Election night turned into election fortnight
the tone in August for the long-awaited pres-
The 2020 presidential election will certainly
idential race. Record numbers of new voters
go down in history for the country and here
– over 230,000 – registered to vote by the Oct. 5 deadline, with both parties doubling down on their registration after a court decision extended the deadline to Oct. 23.
in Arizona.
Former astronaut Mark Kelly received the most votes of any candidate in the state, nearly 100,000 more votes than incumbent U.S. Sen. Martha McSally, for his victory. While Democrats were ahead early on election night, the long-anticipated “blue wave” was reversed the following morning by what came to be known as the “red dawn.”
Though the Presidential race tightened in Arizona as President Donald Trump came
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