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U.S. Rep. Eli Crane in June 2024. Photo by Gage Skidmore (modified) | Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Eli Crane has easily defeated challenger Jack Smith in the Republican primary for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, according to unofficial election results.
With almost 65,000 votes counted in the contest, Crane leads Smith 78% to 21%, a gap of more than 37,000 votes. The winner of the primary election will face Democratic candidate Jonathan Nez, who was running unopposed, in November.
“Thank you to every voter across Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District who entrusted me to carry your voices and concerns to Washington and actually fight,” Crane said in a statement released on the social media platform X.
Crane said that, within less than 100 days of the November election, he wants voters to remain focused on sending “America First warriors” to Washington, including reelecting former President Donald Trump.
Crane is one of several Republicans across Arizona who have been endorsed by Trump.
“The road to the presidency cuts directly through Arizona, and I’m committed to helping lead the charge on delivering a decisive victory for President Trump in our state,” Crane added.
Crane was elected into the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022 after defeating three-term incumbent Democrat Tom O’Halleran, turning Arizona’s largest congressional district red.
In a video statement released on Facebook, Democratic nominee Nez said that “Second District families are struggling, and extremists like Eli Crane are actively putting Washington elites ahead of everyday Arizonans.”
“We can not afford to have an extremist representative willing to ban women’s health care, support big corporations and tear down our democracy representing us any longer,” he added.
The 2nd Congressional District covers much of northern and eastern Arizona. It includes Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Yavapai counties, as well as portions of Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, and Pinal counties.
The total population within District 2 is more than 794,000 people, with over 628,000 voting age, according to data from the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. The district’s voting history splits 53% toward Republicans and 46% toward Democrats.
The map for Congressional District 2 was redrawn in 2022, and a key concern about the remapping is that the district now leans seven points in favor of the Republican Party.
The map includes 14 tribes in northern, eastern, and central Arizona, and those tribal members make up about 20% of the district’s population.
Native voting advocates voiced their concerns about the district throughout the redistricting process, stating that it did not represent what voters wanted.
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