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Arizona's 7th Congressional District elections, 2014

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Arizona's 7th Congressional District
General Election Date
November 4, 2014
Primary Date
August 26, 2014
November 4 Election Winner:
Ruben Gallego Democratic Party
Incumbent prior to election:
Ed Pastor Democratic Party
Ed Pastor.jpg
Race Ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid D[1]

Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe D[2]

Arizona U.S. House Elections
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2014 U.S. Senate Elections
2014 U.S. House Elections
Flag of Arizona.png

The 7th Congressional District of Arizona held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014.

Ruben Gallego (D) won election to the seat in 2014. Four Democratic candidates competed in the primary for the open seat left by the retirement of Rep. Ed Pastor: Randy Camacho, Ruben Gallego, Jarrett Maupin and Mary Rose Wilcox. Gallego emerged from the primary victorious and subsequently defeated Joe Cobb (L) in the November general election.[3]

There were challenges to the candidacies of Camacho and Gallego in the contentious Democratic primary, but they were dismissed. However, candidate Cesar Chavez was removed from the ballot after a number of his nominating signatures were ruled invalid.[4]

Candidate Filing Deadline Primary Election General Election
May 28, 2014
August 26, 2014
November 4, 2014

Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Arizona utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Unaffiliated voters may choose which party's primary they will vote in, but voters registered with a party can only vote in that party's primary.[5][6][7]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Voter registration: To vote in the primary, voters had to register by July 28, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 6, 2014.[8]

See also: Arizona elections, 2014

Incumbent: Ed Pastor (D), who was first elected in 1990, announced that he would retire at the end of his term, leaving the seat open.[9]

The 7th District is one of five primarily urban districts centered around Phoenix, Arizona.[10]

Candidates

General election candidates

Democratic Party Ruben Gallego Green check mark transparent.png
Libertarian Party Joe Cobb
Grey.png Rebecca DeWitt (Americans Elect)
Grey.png Jose Penalosa


August 26, 2014, primary results
Democratic Party Democratic Primary

Libertarian Party Libertarian Primary

Grey.png Other candidates

Withdrew

Democratic Party Steve Gallardo - State senator
Democratic Party Johnnie Robinson
Republican Party Brianna Wasserman
Libertarian Party Ted Rogers

Disqualified

Democratic Party Cesar Chavez

Election results

General election

U.S. House, Arizona District 7 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngRuben Gallego 74.9% 54,235
     Libertarian Joe Cobb 14.8% 10,715
     Americans Elect Rebecca DeWitt 5.3% 3,858
     Independent Jose Penalosa 4.8% 3,496
     Write-in Gary Dunn 0.2% 129
     Write-in Gustavo Ortega 0% 17
     Write-in Samuel Esquivel 0% 4
Total Votes 72,454
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

Primary election

U.S. House, Arizona District 7 Democratic Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngRuben Gallego 48.9% 14,936
Mary Rose Wilcox 36.3% 11,077
Randy Camacho 7.6% 2,330
Jarrett Maupin 7.2% 2,199
Total Votes 30,542
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

Endorsements

Ruben Gallego

Gallego received the endorsement of former congressman Harry Mitchell. Mitchell said, "Since becoming a Marine, Ruben's whole life has been dedicated to public service. At the state legislature, Ruben proved himself to be one of the state's most effective public servants. I have no doubt that he would do the same in Congress."[11]

Gallego also picked up the endorsement of Rep. Raul Grijalva. He said, "I worked with Ed Pastor for many years. He was the best partner I could have asked for in Phoenix, and I couldn’t think of a better candidate to replace him than Ruben Gallego. He’ll be a force for Arizona in Congress and I can’t wait to work with him."[12]

Mary Rose Wilcox

Wilcox received the endorsement of retiring Rep. Ed Pastor.[13]

Wilcox also received the endorsement of EMILY's List.[14]

Wilcox received the endorsement of the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce on August 8, 2014. CEO Margot Dorfman stated, "I am proud to announce the endorsement of the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce for Mary Rose Wilcox in the race for Arizona's 7th Congressional District. Mary Rose Wilcox is a powerhouse community-focused leader with a long, strong and proven record of fighting every day to support the needs and values of her district."[15]

Jarrett Maupin

Maupin received the endorsement of The Great Alaskan Bush Company, a Phoenix strip club. After receiving the endorsement Maupin said, "What can I say? I support freedom of speech, single moms and college students. In the long run, it might not be good for (the club). My goal is to help young ladies get their clothes back on."[16]

Polls

Democratic primary

Ruben Gallego vs Mary Rose Wilcox
Poll Ruben Gallego Mary Rose WilcoxUndecidedMargin of ErrorSample Size
Public Policy Polling (July 22-24)
 41%31%27%+/-4.4500
Lake Research Partners (July 20-22, 2014)
 32%24%6%+/-4.9400
Ruben Gallego internal poll from Lake Research Partners (May 20-22, 2014)
 38%32%29%+/-4.9401
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

Noteworthy events

Cesar Chavez name change

Chavez changed his name from Scott Fistler to Cesar Chavez in November 2013. This name change, along with his party change from Republican to Democratic, brought significant media coverage and criticism.[17][18] However, it also brought a lawsuit from the grandson of the late civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. Alejandro Chavez's lawsuit sought to remove Chavez from the ballot for attempting to confuse voters. The lawsuit claimed that he was guilty of a misdemeanor, corruption by confusing voters.[19]

Leaders of the Arizona Democratic Party also challenged Chavez's candidacy for making "a mockery of the system." Chavez responded by embracing his strategy to gain name recognition. He said, "It’s almost as simple as saying Elvis Presley is running for president. You wouldn’t forget it, would you?"[19]

By the end of the court hearing on the matter, Alejandro Chavez's attorney withdrew the charge that Chavez changed his name to attempt to confuse voters. Alejandro Chavez said, "I believed it was an attempt to try and fool voters, but now that I've met him, I don't believe that was his intent." However, the judge ruled that 711 of Chavez's 1,455 signatures were invalid. As a result, Chavez was ultimately removed from the ballot.[20]

Jarrett Maupin felony conviction

Candidate Jarrett Maupin was unable to vote for himself in the primary due to the fact that he was a felon who was still serving probation at the time. The U.S. Constitution does not bar felons from running for office, but the Arizona Constitution does forbid felons on probation or with outstanding restitution from voting. He was convicted of a felony for lying to the FBI about criminal behavior by former Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. As a result of the conviction, Maupin was required to resign from the Phoenix school board, pay restitution for offering legal services without a law degree to at least two people and serve five years of probation. Maupin's probation was set to end in April but was extended by a judge after prosecutors claimed his performance while on probation was "nothing more than a continuation of his predilection for lying and half-truths."[21]

Trayvon Martin mailer

Candidate Mary Rose Wilcox came under harsh criticism after sending out a mailer featuring an illustration of Trayvon Martin with the words, "America doesn't need more Trayvon Martin tragedies." The mailer went on to attack Ruben Gallego for his B+ rating from the National Rifle Association and vote on a "stand your ground"-type law as a state legislator.[22]

Gallego's campaign called the mailer "extreme" and fellow candidate Jarrett Maupin said, "It's a new low in politics to use Trayvon Martin and Martin Luther King on campaign literature. She is absolutely terrified, and for good reason, that she doesn't have Black votes coming." Gallego spokesman Andy Barr said, "It's a sign of a losing campaign that you have to resort to this sort of desperate and disgusting attack."[22]

Key votes

Below are important votes the incumbent cast during the 113th Congress.

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

Nay3.png On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.[23] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.[24] Ed Pastor voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[25]

Yea3.png The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[26] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Ed Pastor voted for HR 2775.[27]

Campaign contributions

Mary Rose Wilcox

Ruben Gallego

Randy Camacho

Jarrett Maupin

Joe Cobb

District history

Candidate ballot access
Ballot Access Requirements Final.jpg
Find detailed information on ballot access requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

2012

On November 6, 2012, Ed Pastor (D) won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Scott Fistler (R write-in) and Joe Cobb (L) in the general election.

U.S. House, Arizona District 7 General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngEd Pastor Incumbent 81.7% 104,489
     Libertarian Joe Cobb 18.3% 23,338
Total Votes 127,827
Source: Arizona Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

2010

On November 2, 2010, Raul Grijalva won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Ruth McClung (R), Harley Meyer (I) and George Keane (L) in the general election.[37]

U.S. House, Arizona District 7 General Election, 2010
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngRaul Grijalva incumbent 50.2% 79,935
     Republican Ruth McClung 44.2% 70,385
     Independent Harley Meyer 2.8% 4,506
     Libertarian George Keane 2.7% 4,318
Total Votes 159,144

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2014 HOUSE RACE RATINGS FOR June 26, 2014," accessed July 28, 2014
  2. ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2014 House Races," accessed July 28, 2014
  3. ↑ Politico, "2014 Arizona House Primaries Results," accessed August 26, 2014
  4. ↑ Arizona Daily Independent, "2014 Nomination Petition Challenges in Statewide, Legislative, or Federal Offices," accessed June 16, 2014
  5. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 19, 2024
  6. ↑ Citizens Clean Elections Commission, "Primary Election," accessed July 19, 2024
  7. ↑ Arizona State Legislature, "Arizona Revised Statutes 16-467," accessed July 19 2024
  8. ↑ Arizona Secretary of State Website, "Voter Registration and Education," accessed January 3, 2014
  9. ↑ Reuters, "Arizona Democratic Rep. Ed Pastor says will retire," February 27, 2014
  10. ↑ Arizona Redistricting, "Map," accessed July 7, 2012
  11. ↑ azcentral, "Mitchell endorses Gallego in AZ07," March 11, 2014
  12. ↑ Politico, "Raul Grijalva takes sides in Arizona primary," March 19, 2014
  13. ↑ KTAR, "Retiring Ed Pastor endorses Mary Rose Wilcox in Arizona congressional race," March 31, 2014
  14. ↑ Azcentral, "Gallego tops fundraising in race to replace Rep. Pastor," April 18, 2014
  15. ↑ PR Newswire, "U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce Endorses Mary Rose Wilcox for Arizona's 7th Congressional District; A Powerhouse Leader for Women, Arizona and America," August 8, 2014
  16. ↑ Azcentral, "Democratic pastor running for Congress: Strip club endorsement a blessing," July 25, 2014
  17. ↑ The Huffington Post, "Arizona Candidate Cesar Chavez Faces Legal Challenge," June 11, 2014
  18. ↑ Fox News, "Arizona's 'Cesar Chavez' Faces Legal Challenge To Congressional Candidacy," June 11, 2014
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Politico, "Suit over ‘Cesar Chavez’ name change," June 11, 2014
  20. ↑ AZ Central, "Cesar Chavez to be removed from ballot, plans to appeal," June 17, 2014
  21. ↑ Azcentral, "Arizona congressional candidate can't vote for himself," June 30, 2014
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Azcentral, "Trayvon Martin mailer stirs racial politics in campaign for Congress," August 10, 2014
  23. ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
  24. ↑ Buzzfeed, "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013
  25. ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
  26. ↑ The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013
  27. ↑ U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013
  28. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Mary Rose Wilcox April Quarterly," accessed April 30, 2014
  29. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Mary Rose Wilcox July Quarterly," accessed July 24, 2014
  30. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ruben Gallego April Quarterly," accessed April 30, 2014
  31. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ruben Gallego July Quarterly," accessed July 24, 2014
  32. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ruben Gallego Pre-Primary," accessed October 22, 2014
  33. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ruben Gallego October Quarterly," accessed October 22, 2014
  34. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Randy Camacho July Quarterly," accessed July 24, 2014
  35. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Jarrett Maupin July Quarterly," accessed July 24, 2014
  36. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Joe Cobb July Quarterly," accessed July 24, 2014
  37. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
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Arizona's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Ruben Gallego (D)
Mark Kelly (D)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Eli Crane (R)
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
Vacant
District 8
District 9
Republican Party (6)
Democratic Party (4)
Vacancies (1)

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