Democrats secure key wins across Arizona

Tuesday night, a blue wave swept Arizona, mirroring results across the nation in an apparent rebuke of President Donald Trump’s administration and his GOP backers.

Democrat Katie Hobbs won the midterm election and will continue as Arizona governor. AP called the race early Wednesday morning.

Hobbs won despite being viewed as the most vulnerable Democratic governor in the country. She courted disaffected Republicans and independent voters to win a second term in the swing state. She also picked former Republican and former Mesa mayor John Giles as her running mate. 

Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes also secured their reelection, beating out their Republican counterparts by more than 1.1 million votes as of Wednesday afternoon. Mayes and Fontes have both spoken out against federal directives, primarily involving increased immigration enforcement and election interference.   

Perhaps the most closely watched race statewide is that of the Arizona Corporation Commission, where two seats remain up for grabs. As of Wednesday afternoon, with about 84% of ballots counted, both Democratic candidates were leading: Clara Pratte with 27% and Jonathon Hill at 26%.

Republican incumbent Kevin Thompson sat at 23% and fellow party member Ralph Heap was below at 21%, while Green Party candidate Mike Cease trailed at 1%.

Arizona is one of about a dozen states that elect their regulatory utility commissioners. In most states, governors or legislators appoint them. The ACC stands out for having responsibilities beyond public utility regulation, including business incorporation, railroad and pipeline safety and securities regulation.

In the Valley, Democratic representatives Greg Stanton and Yassamin Ansari were projected to win in their districts. In Southern Arizona, Rep. Adelita Grijalva’s win was announced soon after polls closed on Tuesday, garnering an overwhelming 71% of voter approval as of Wednesday afternoon.

In an apparent shift in direction for the Arizona Department of Education, a Democrat is leading the latest ballot count with 53% of votes, ahead of Republican candidate Kimberly Yee at 47%. 

Far removed from current superintendent Tom Horne — whose policies have included targeting diversity, inclusion and equity practices, primarily those benefiting Black and Brown students — Democrat Teresa Leyba Ruiz ran on a platform to restore trust in schools and audit Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) spending.

Not all called races, however, are pointing to progressive wins. At least two GOP-backed propositions were passed, signaling that while Arizona voters are steering away from MAGA candidates, they may still support some of their policies.

Following along the federal agenda, Proposition 317 will classify drug cartels as terrorist organizations under Arizona law and establish the Arizona Department of Homeland Security, directing the agency to use all lawful means within its authority to address threats posed by cartels.

Proposition 318, on the other hand, targets transgender students. It will require public and private schools, colleges and athletic associations to designate sports teams as male, female or co-ed based on a person’s biological sex as recorded on their original birth certificate. It would also restrict access to restrooms, locker rooms and showers based on sex and allow athletes to sue schools or athletic associations that knowingly violate the proposed rules.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.