Arizona's 2nd congressional district

U. S. House district for Arizona

Arizona's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district located in the U. S. state of Arizona. The district is in the north eastern part of the state and includes Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Yavapai counties in their entirety and portions of Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, and Pinal counties. The largest city in the district is Flagstaff. Before January 2023, Arizona's second congressional district was located in the southeastern corner of the state and included Cochise county and eastern Pima county drawing most of its population from the city of Tucson. The majority of that district was renumbered as Arizona's 6th congressional district. The 2nd district essentially took over what was Arizona's 1st congressional district from 2003 to 2023. The district includes 12 Native American reservations including the Hualapai, Havasupai, Hopi, Navajo, San Carlos Apache, and White Mountain Apache people. Twenty two percent of the district's citizens were Native American.

When Arizona was divided into congressional districts for the first time after the 1950 census, the 2nd district comprised the entire state outside of the Phoenix area. Arizona gained a third district after the 1960 census, and the 2nd was cut back to roughly the southern third of the state, stretching border to border from New Mexico to California. It ran along the entire length of the border with Mexico. By far the district's largest city was Tucson. The next largest city was Yuma, in the far west. After a mid decade redistricting in 1967, the district was pushed slightly to the north, picking up a portion of southern Phoenix. This configuration remained largely unchanged until the 1980 census, when much of eastern Tucson was drawn into the new 5th district. The 2nd district remained based in southern Arizona until the 2000 census, when Arizona picked up two districts. At that time, the old 2nd district essentially became the new 7th district, while most of the old 3rd district became the new 2nd district. Located in the northwestern corner of the state, it stretched into the western suburbs of Phoenix, known as the West Valley. It consisted of all of Peoria (within the exception of the portion of that city within Yavapai County) and Surprise, most of Glendale and much of western Phoenix in Maricopa County, all of Mohave County, and the Hopi Nation in Navajo and Coconino counties. The size and diversity of the 2nd district (it included nearly all of the northwestern portion of the state) made it appear rural on a map. However, over 90 percent of its population lived in the strongly conservative West Valley, historically a fairly safe Republican area. The odd shape of the district was indicative of the use of gerrymandering in its construction. The unusual division was not, however, drawn to favor politicians, but was due to historic tensions between the Hopi and the Navajo Native American tribes. Since tribal boundary disputes are a federal matter, it was long believed inappropriate to include both tribes' reservations in the same congressional district. However, the Hopi reservation is completely surrounded by the Navajo reservation. In order to comply with current Arizona redistricting laws, some means of connection was required that avoided including large portions of Navajo land, hence the narrow riverine connection. George W. Bush carried the district in 2004 with 61% of the vote. John McCain won the district in 2008 with 60.75% of the vote while Barack Obama received 38.07%. During the Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008 Arizona Democratic primary, the district was won by Hillary Clinton with 54.52% of the vote while Barack Obama received 35.62% and John Edwards took in 7.43%. In the Arizona Republican primary, the 2nd district was won by favorite son John McCain with 49.51% while Mitt Romney received 29.51% and Mike Huckabee took in 10.46% of the vote in the district. After the 2012 census, the bulk of the Maricopa County portion of the old 2nd became the 8th district, while the new 2nd district took in most of the territory of the old 8th district. That district, in turn, had been the 5th district from 1983 to 2003. In the 2014 midterms, the district was the last House of Representatives race to be decided, as the official recount began on December 1 due to Republican Martha McSally leading incumbent Democratic congressman Ron Barber by fewer than 200 votes. Ultimately, Barber lost to McSally by 167 votes.

Primary job fields of the people in the district include agriculture, ranching, livestock, mining, and tourism. The main irrigated crops are cotton, wheat, corn, grain, sorghum, alfalfa, hay, apples, peaches, cherries, grapes, pistachios, pecans, lettuce, chilis, and other vegetables. The area has a multitude of U pick vegetable farms and orchards, including several organic farms. Greenhouse tomato and cucumber operations have been completed in the past few years with much success. In Cochise County there is the U. S. Army base Fort Huachuca and numerous military industrial companies. In suburban and urban areas, Wal Marts are the most abundant superstores.

Located within the district is Northern Arizona University, Diné College, Yavapai College, Prescott College, and Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.

Tourism is an important industry as the district has numerous natural wonders, national forests, parks, and conservation areas. Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest National Parks highlight the public lands in the district. Other prominent tourist attractions include Lake Powell, Sedona, Meteor Crater , and the self proclaimed "World's Oldest Rodeo". Hiking, camping, fishing, and boating can be found throughout the region. The Apache Sitgraves, Coconino, Kaibab, Prescott, and Tonto National forests are most or partially in the district. The Oak Flat (Arizona) site is also within the second district.

#CountySeatPopulation1ApacheSt. Johns65,0365CoconinoFlagstaff144,4727GilaGlobe54,0039GrahamSafford39,52513MaricopaPhoenix4,585,87115MohaveKingman223,68217NavajoHolbrook109,17521PinalFlorence484,23925YavapaiPrescott249,081

Starting with the 1948 elections, Arizona began using separate districts to elect its members to the House of Representatives rather than using a general ticket due to having gained a second seat in the House with the data from 1940 census. Representative Party Term Congress(es) Electoral history Geography and counties District created January 3, 1949 Harold Patten Democratic January 3, 1949 –January 3, 1955 First elected in 1948. Re elected in 1950. Re elected in 1952. Retired. 1949–1963:All except Maricopa Stewart Udall Democratic January 3, 1955 –January 21, 1961 First elected in 1954. Re elected in 1956. Re elected in 1958. Re elected in 1960. Resigned to become U. S. Secretary of the Interior. Vacant January 21, 1961 –May 2, 1961 Mo Udall Democratic May 2, 1961 –May 4, 1991 Elected to finish his brother's term. Re elected in 1962. Re elected in 1964. Re elected in 1966. Re elected in 1968. Re elected in 1970. Re elected in 1972. Re elected in 1974. Re elected in 1976. Re elected in 1978. Re elected in 1980. Re elected in 1982. Re elected in 1984. Re elected in 1986. Re elected in 1988. Re elected in 1990. Resigned due to health reasons. 1963–1973:South Arizona, including Tucson:Cochise, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yuma 1973–1983:Cochise, Pima, Santa Cruz, Maricopa (part), Pinal (part) 1983–1993:Southwest Arizona, including parts of Metro Phoenix and of Tucson:Maricopa (part), Pima (part), Pinal (part), Santa Cruz (part), Yuma (part) Vacant May 4, 1991 –October 3, 1991 Ed Pastor Democratic October 3, 1991 –January 3, 2003 Elected to finish Udall's term. Re elected in 1992. Re elected in 1994. Re elected in 1996. Re elected in 1998. Re elected in 2000. Redistricted to the 4th district. 1993–2003:Southwest Arizona, including parts of Metro Phoenix and of Tucson:Yuma, Maricopa (part), Pima (part), Pinal (part) Trent Franks Republican January 3, 2003 –January 3, 2013 First elected in 2002. Re elected in 2004. Re elected in 2006. Re elected in 2008. Re elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 8th district. 2003–2013:Parts of Metro Phoenix, extending to NW Arizona, plus the Hopi Reservation:Mohave, Coconino (part), La Paz (part), Maricopa (part), Navajo (part) Ron Barber Democratic January 3, 2013 –January 3, 2015 Redistricted from the and re elected in 2012. Lost re election. 2013–2023:Southeastern Arizona:Cochise, Pima (part) Martha McSally Republican January 3, 2015 –January 3, 2019 Elected in 2014. Re elected in 2016. Retired to run for U. S. Senator. Ann Kirkpatrick Democratic January 3, 2019 –January 3, 2023 Elected in 2018. Re elected in 2020. Redistricted to the and retired. Eli Crane RepublicanJanuary 3, 2023 –present Elected in 2022. 2023–present: Northeastern Arizona:Apache, Coconino, Gila, Graham(part), Maricopa(part), Mohave(part), Navajo, Pinal (part), Yavapai