Southern Arizona turned blue on Tuesday night.
Tens of thousands of votes still haven’t been counted, but plenty of Democrats claimed victory on election night — including JoAnna Mendoza, who led with 52.9% of the vote compared with Republican U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani’s 44.9%.
Her race was considered one of the most competitive in the country, a bellwether that could show just how far voters had swung against President Donald Trump and his congressional allies.
That wasn’t lost on Mendoza.
“At the end of the day, this is about us and the kind of district and country that we want for our families, for our kids, that we want for the entire world,” Mendoza said to a packed ballroom at a resort north of Tucson, chants of “Sí Se Puede” rising from the crowd.
Mendoza claimed victory against incumbent Republican Juan Ciscomani during a watch party on election night (Arren Kimbel-Sannit/Tucson Agenda).
While the Associated Press has yet to call Mendoza’s race, her fellow Democrat in Southern Arizona, U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva, easily secured her first full term in the House with 71.4% of the vote as of Tuesday night.
The blue wave sweeping across the country — OMG Texas, right? — also meant healthy leads for statewide Democrats. Gov. Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Attorney General Kris Mayes, all held double-digit leads in their reelection bids on Tuesday night.
But the blue wave didn’t stop there.
In the race for two seats on the Corporation Commission, Democrats Clara Pratte and Jonathon Hill were handily leading the Republican candidates.
Democratic superintendent of public instruction candidate Teresa Ruiz held a 6-point lead over Republican Treasurer Kimberly Yee, who was widely expected to lead the Republican statewide candidates.
The office of state treasurer appears poised to go to Democrat Nick Mansour.
And even Democratic state mine inspector candidate Brian Matlock had nearly 53% of the vote.
If his lead holds, he will be the first Democrat in that office in 50 years.
The Republican-leaning legislative district that all of Southern Arizona was watching, Legislative District 17, also looked blue on Tuesday night. Democrats Kevin Volk, Holly Lyons and Edgar Soto were each leading their Republican rivals by roughly 10,000 votes in Tuesday’s returns.
All of the races are likely going to tighten up as more ballots are counted today.
But some of these leads are simply insurmountable.
Democratic Rep. Kevin Volk, who flipped a seat in LD17 in a tight race in 2024, addresses the crowd at the Mendoza watch party on election night. (Arren Kimbel-Sannit/Tucson Agenda)
The local propositions were less clear-cut. Voters in the Old Pueblo were narrowly divided on some big questions.
Here is a quick snapshot, with tens of thousands of ballots still uncounted in Pima County and nearly 4,000 provisional ballots awaiting review.
Prop 421: A 25-year extension of the franchise agreement between the City of Tucson and Tucson Electric Power was headed to a narrow defeat on Tuesday night, with 53.4% voting against it.
Prop 422: The 20-year extension of the 0.1% sales tax dedicated to Reid Park Zoo easily passed with 73% support.
Prop 425: A measure to raise Pima County’s state-mandated expenditure limit was leading with 52% in favor on Tuesday night.
Prop 427: A $250 million bond for the region’s Joint Technical Education District (JTED) had 53% support.
Prop 430: A $250 million bond for Pima Community College also drew 53% support on Tuesday night.
An armed Raoul Garza hands out voter guides at Woods Library in Tucson on Tuesday.
As for concerns about issues at the polls on Tuesday, election officials reported all was quiet here in Pima County.
Well, mostly.
Raoul Garza, the guy behind those “Evil Torta” signs that have littered Tucson’s roadways, hung around Woods Library on Tuesday rocking a sidearm.
Election officials questioned Garza because he had a firearm holstered at his hip, though he was outside the 75-foot perimeter of the polling place.
Officials determined that Garza didn’t pose a threat and allowed him to continue handing out voter guides.