Preliminary results for the Legislative District 23 primary election have been posted, with Michelle Altherr running unopposed in the Republican primary and incumbent Brian Fernandez in the Democratic Senate primary with no in-party opposition .
As of 8 p.m., on Tuesday, July 21, in the crowded State House primaries, Michele Peña and Gary Garcia Snyder lead the Republican field uncontested. Mariana Sandoval and Emilia Cortez lead the Democratic field.
Candidates are competing to advance from their respective party primaries to the general election to represent an expansive district spanning Goodyear, Tucson, Yuma, San Luis, Buckeye, Avondale and Casa Grande, along with rural and tribal areas across southern and western Arizona.
State House Candidates:
Republican Primary
Gary Garcia Snyder:Holding 47.34% of the vote with 2,311 total votes. Garcia Snyder is a small business owner with a background in agricultural water conservation, focusing his campaign on public safety, cost-of-living concerns, and infrastructure.
Michele Peña:Holding 52.66% of the vote with 2,571 total votes. Peña is an incumbent state representative first elected in 2022 whose legislative focus centers on public safety, agricultural support, water resource management, and parental involvement in education.
Democratic Primary
Emilia Cortez:Holding 25.73% of the vote with 1,562 total votes. Cortez's campaign prioritizes strengthening public education, expanding affordable housing, improving healthcare access, and supporting small businesses across urban, rural, and tribal communities.
Juan Guerrero:Holding 15.76% of the vote with 957t otal votes. Guerrero is a U.S. Navy veteran, former law enforcement officer, and former South County Justice Court justice of the peace emphasizing public safety, government accountability, and family services.
Naomi Miguel:Holding 16.9% of the vote with 1,026 total votes. Miguel is a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation and former executive director of the White House Initiative for Native Americans and Tribal Colleges and Universities, focusing on education, tribal representation, and community developmen
Mariana Sandoval:Holding 41.61% of the vote with 2,526 total votes. Sandoval is an incumbent state representative first elected in 2022 with a background in legal services and environmental enforcement, advocating for public education funding, environmental protection, and working family support.
As the results continue to come in, the races remain uncalled, with fluctuations in vote counts that will be finalized in the coming days. The official results will be confirmed once all votes are tallied and verified.
More information is available atelections.maricopa.gov. Check Independent Newsmedia in print and onlineyourvalley.net for continuing elections coverage.
James Goldmeer Reporter | Goodyear & Litchfield Park
Meet James James Goldmeer joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2024, starting their career as a reporter in Goodyear and Litchfield Park.
Community: James grew up in the West Valley, calling Avondale home and going to school in Glendale and Peoria. Returning to the community after university, James plans to get involved in everything arts and culture, and civil rights.
Education: Northern Arizona University a bachelor's degree in Journalism, a certificate in Professional Communications, with a minor in English.
Random Fact: James spent half a year as an intern for the Arizona House of Representatives communication team, working with legislators to inform the public through press releases and social media.
Hobbies: James collects postcards and old books, reads memoirs and attends local jazz shows.
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