How a single district became Arizona's most Republican stronghold
In short: In just over a decade, Arizona's 9th congressional district underwent a radical geographic transformation. It shifted from an urban mix of liberal and conservative voters in the Phoenix metro area to a vast western expanse that now defines the state's political landscape.
The current iteration of Arizona's 9th district is the product of the 2020 redistricting cycle. While it was first created following the 2010 census, its original boundaries were concentrated entirely within Maricopa County. That version of the district served as a diverse political tapestry, containing liberal bastions like Tempe alongside conservative portions of the East Valley and moderate Republican voters in southern Phoenix.
The 2020 redistricting fundamentally altered this identity. The district was redrawn to cover most of the territory previously held by the old 4th district. This move shifted the seat westward, encompassing all of La Paz County and the majority of Mohave and Yuma counties. By moving away from the Phoenix metro area toward the western border, the district's political lean became more concentrated.
Arizona's most Republican area is currently the 9th, which carries an R+15 Cook Partisan Voting Index score. The region also occupies a position as the West's fifth-most Republican district. This transition was cemented when incumbent Paul Gosar transferred from the old 4th district to the new 9th, where he was re-elected unopposed in 2022.
The geography of this shift is vast, stretching across communities ranging from Lake Havasu City and Kingman to Yuma Proving Ground. By consolidating rural western counties and specific western portions of Maricopa County, the redistricting effectively traded a diverse urban constituency for a more homogenous, deeply conservative geographic footprint.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Arizona's 9th congressional district
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