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    • Republicans make more gains in AZ House as they edge out incumbents • Arizona Mirror
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    Republicans make more gains in AZ House as they edge out incumbents • Arizona Mirror

    Online Niel Posted on

    Arizona Republicans are poised to pick up a third new seat in the state House of Representatives — and they’re about to add a fourth to that swing, an unexpected result in a year where Democrats have pulled out all the stops in their bid to to end 60 years of GOP control of the chamber.

    After Maricopa County collected 123,000 ballots Friday, Democratic state Rep. Seth Blattman saw his slim lead over Republican Kylie Barber in the 9th Legislative District west of Message evaporate. When the day’s counting ended, Blattman moved from second place in the four-person race, with a lead of less than 100 votes, to fourth place behind Barber and Republican Mary Ann Mendoza.

    Barber is now positioned to take second place, although Mendoza is hot on her heels and is just 150 votes behind Barber. Blattman trails Barber by about 280 votes.

    A GOP victory in the district would add to what is already a terrible windfall for Democrats, who have mustered record resources to flip the legislature, including over $10 million from outside groups for a flurry of mailers, ads and paid canvassers who spent months knocking on doors and talking to voters.

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    Before Friday’s count, Republicans were he was already expected to pick up two Democratic-held seats. Blattman’s defeat would add a third, increasing his majority in the 60-member chamber to 34 seats.

    And it might not be done. In north Phoenix’s Legislative District 2, Democratic incumbent Stephanie Simacek collapsed, with Friday’s tally dropping her from leading the field of three to barely clinging to second place. After Thursday’s ballots were counted, Simacek led GOP Rep. Justin Wilmeth by 400 votes and Republican Ari Daniel Bradshaw by about 700 votes.

    But now Wilmeth is leading the contest. Simacek is 160 votes behind him and just 34 votes ahead of Bradshaw.

    Simacek had hoped to maintain Democratic control of a seat currently held by Judy Schwiebert, who has launched a challenge for the state Senate, but appears certain to fall short of victory.

    There were no lead changes in the Senate contests, but Republicans moved closer to capturing two seats held by Democrats and retaining control of another seat.

    In the District 9 Senate race, Sen. Eva Burch saw her lead over GOP challenger Robert Scantlebury drop from 1,300 votes to just over 1,000. And Sen. Brian Fernandez has a 1,300-vote lead over GOP newcomer Michelle Altherr in Legislative District 23, a heavily Democratic district that stretches from the southwest valley to Yuma.

    And in Tucson’s 17th Legislative District, Republican Vince Leach, a former state legislator, recovered 1,000 votes against Democrat John McLean, cutting his lead from more than 1,300 votes to 355.

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