Arizona State Senate Republicans feel impact of term limits

August 12, 2010

Ken Cheuvront, who is ineligible to run for Arizona State Senate District 4 because of term limits. Cheuvront has held the seat since 2002.

By Michael Dean

Arizona is one of 15 states that has enacted state legislative term limits in its state senate. Imposed in 1992, Arizona Term Limits, Proposition 107 (1992) officially takes affect in 2010. Term limits on Arizona senators will affect a total of 10 out of 30 members in the 2010 elections. This is the first year that Arizona senators have felt the impact of term limits.

Four Democratic senators Richard Miranda, Ken Cheuvront, Albert Hale and Jorge Luis Garcia are all in-eligible for re-election as well as six Republican senators Jack Harper, Carolyn Allen, Robert Burns, Barbara Leff, Jay Tibshraeny and Thayer Verschoor.

Republicans hold a six-seat over Democrats heading into the November second elections. Although the Arizona State Senate is historically held by the Republican Party, the Democrat's chances of gaining seats are increased due to Republicans losing more senators to term limits than Democrats.

Politifact staff writer Louis Jacobson writes, "With Arizona in the national spotlight for its polarizing new law that cracks down on illegal immigration, the state’s politics are volatile. Polling in the state shows that the law is popular, so on the surface, the GOP shouldn’t be concerned about keeping its majorities in both chambers. But even Republicans acknowledge some worry. The splits in the national GOP between a restive Tea Party base and the party establishment are even rawer here than in other states, and the targeting of illegal immigration could energize Hispanics to vote in unusually large numbers for a midterm election. The GOP certainly starts with an edge, but don’t rule out a tightening as Election Day approaches." Jacobson's analysis says that the Arizona Senate is likely to remain in the hands of the Republicans.

See also

• Impact of term limits on state legislative elections in 2010#Arizona
• Arizona State Senate elections, 2010
• State senate elections, 2010
• State legislatures with term limits