Population (2015) 759,663 Cook PVI R+2 | Median income 32,979 Area 151,794 km² | |
 | ||
Current Representative Tom O'Halleran (D–Sedona) Distribution 55.4% urban
44.6% rural Ethnicity 65.8% White
1.3% Black
0.5% Asian
16.4% Hispanic
22.6% Native American
7.5% other | ||
Arizona's 1st congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona. Geographically, it is the tenth-largest congressional district in the country and includes much of the state outside the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. Since 2013 it includes the Navajo Nation, the Hopi reservation and the Gila River Indian Community, with 25% of the population being Native American. It has the largest Native American population of any congressional district in the country.
Contents
It is currently represented by Democrat Tom O'Halleran.
The district borders were changed in 2012 after Arizona gained two seats in the 2000 U.S. Census. The old 1st District, based in Mesa and at one time the east side of Phoenix, was renumbered as the 6th District. Another area of the 1st District, containing the North Indian Bend Wash Superfund Site, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first documented in 1981, became part of what is now the 5th District.
After the 2012 redistricting, the Hopi reservation was redrawn into the 1st District; it had previously been included within the 2nd District. Also included were some northern suburbs of Tucson that had been in the 8th, as well as a tiny section of Phoenix itself near the Gila River Indian Community. Meanwhile, heavily Republican Prescott, the old 1st's largest city, and much of surrounding Yavapai County were drawn into the new, heavily Republican 4th District. The district is now considered to be significantly more competitive for Democrats.
Some 25% of the population of the district is Native American, primarily Navajo, Hopi and Pima. The district has more Native Americans than any other congressional district in the United States.
Competitiveness
This large congressional district covers the mainly rural areas of northern and eastern Arizona. Democrats perform well in Flagstaff, Sedona, and the Navajo Nation among Native Americans, while Republicans are strongest in the more rural areas. Elections are usually decided by conservative "Pinto Democrats" throughout the rural areas.
George W. Bush received 54% of the vote in this district in 2004. John McCain also carried the district in 2008 with 54.42% of the vote while Barack Obama received 44.25%. In the 2012 presidential election Mitt Romney (R) won with 50% of the vote, with Obama receiving 48%. Due to intense competition, this is generally considered a swing district. The redistricting has increased the number of historically Democratic voters.
During the Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008 Arizona Democratic Primary, the district was won by Hillary Clinton with 48.49% of the vote, while Barack Obama received 42.21% and John Edwards took 5.01%. In the Arizona Republican Primary, the 1st District was won by McCain with 45.99% while Mitt Romney received 35.20% and Mike Huckabee took in 11.70% of the vote in the district.
Tom O'Halleran (D) won the congressional seat in 2016. The district was considered very competitive for both parties in the 2016 primaries and general election.
List of representatives
Arizona gained a second congressional seat after the 1940 Census. It used a general ticket to elect its representatives until the 1948 elections, when candidates ran from each of the districts.
Living former Members
As of January 2017, there are seven former members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 1st congressional district that are currently living. The most recent representative to die was John Jacob Rhodes III (1987-1993) on January 20, 2011.