Population (2015) 767,981 Cook PVI R+15 | Median income 40,656 Area 23,458 km² | |
 | ||
Current Representative Trent Franks (R–Glendale) Distribution 87.3% urban
12.7% rural Ethnicity 73.9% White
3% Black
2.1% Asian
18.2% Hispanic
0.8% Native American
0.1% other | ||
Arizona's 8th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona. It includes many of the suburbs north and west of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona.
Contents
After redistricting for the 2012 general election, the new 8th district encompases most of the Maricopa County portion of the old 2nd district, while most of the former 8th district became the 2nd congressional district. It is the geographic and demographic successor of the old 2nd; while the 4th district contains most of the old 2nd's land, more than 92 percent of the old 2nd's constituents were drawn into the 8th.
History
From 2003 to 2013 the 8th district encompassed the extreme southeastern part of the state. It included all of Cochise County and parts of Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz counties.
The district was represented from 2007 to 2012 by Democrat Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot and severely wounded at a public event on January 8, 2011. Giffords resigned her seat in January 2012. A special election that was on June 12, 2012 elected Ron Barber as the new congressman.
For the 2012 election, Barber was redistricted to the 2nd district, which includes the bulk of the old 8th district. The 8th was redrawn to include nearly all of the Maricopa County portion of the old 2nd District. That district's congressman, Republican Trent Franks, won the election for the new 8th.
George W. Bush received 53% of the vote in this district in 2004. Arizona resident John McCain carried the district in 2008 with 52.37% of the vote, while Barack Obama received 46.43%.
List of representatives
Arizona began sending an eighth member to the House after the 2000 Census. Prior to this time, most of the 8th's current territory was in the 5th district.
Living former Members
As of April 2015, there are three former members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 8th congressional district that are currently living.