Elections
- 2008
On July 24, 2007, Kirkpatrick resigned from the state House to run for the Democratic nomination in Arizona's 1st congressional district. The seat was due to come open after three-term Republican incumbent Rick Renzi announced that he would not seek re-election in the face of a federal indictment on corruption charges. Kirkpatrick won a four-way primary by almost 15 points on September 2, 2008.
Kirkpatrick faced Republican Sydney Ann Hay, a conservative activist, in the general election. Despite the presence of Arizona senator John McCain atop the ticket, Kirkpatrick garnered 56 percent of the vote - a higher percentage than McCain in her district. Her victory gave the Democrats a majority of the state's House delegation for the first time in over half a century.
Kirkpatrick earned endorsements from leaders in government, education, tribal communities, first responders, and other groups. Among those endorsing her were: former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, U.S. Representative Harry Mitchell, the Arizona Education Association, the Arizona Police Association, the Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs, the International Association of Firefighters, county sheriffs in Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Navajo, and Pinal Counties, Navajo County School Superintendent Linda Morrow,Coconino County School Superintendent Cecilia Owen, Pinal County School Superintendent Orlenda Roberts, Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, San Carlos Apache Tribal Chairman Wendsler Nosie, White Mountain Apache Tribal Chairman Ronnie Lupe, former Navajo Nation president Peterson Zah, and many other tribal leaders. The Arizona Republic, the state's largest newspaper, and the White Mountain Independent and the Arizona Daily Sun, two of the most widely-read newspapers in the district, all endorsed her candidacy.
- 2010
Kirkpatrick was defeated for reelection by Republican nominee Paul Gosar. She had been endorsed by the Arizona Republic, the state's largest newspaper, as well as Coconino Supervisor Lena Fowler, Apache County Supervisor Tom White, Jr., Navajo County Supervisor Jesse Thompson, Apache County Superintendent Pauline Begay, Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr., Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs, and the county sheriffs of Apache, Cononino, Gila, Greenlee, and Navajo counties.
- 2012
Kirkpatrick announced she would run again for her old congressional seat in 2012. Redistricting made the district significantly more Democratic than its predecessor; Democrats now have a nine-point registration advantage. She was initially priming for a rematch against Gosar, but Gosar opted to run for reelection in the newly created, heavily Republican 4th District. Kirkpatrick eventually won the general election on November 6, 2012, defeating Republican Jonathan Paton.
Read more about this topic: Ann Kirkpatrick, U.S. House of Representatives
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