Austin and Blattman Battle for LD9 Dominance

In Legislative District 9, both Democrat state representatives are positioned favorably for re-election against their GOP opponents, according to early election results.

As of 9:30 p.m. on election night, Democrat Reps. Lorena Austin and Seth Blattman garnered approximately 27.27% and 26.07% of the votes, respectively.

Their Republican challengers, Kylie Barber and Mary Ann Mendoza, trailed with 23.36% and 23.31% of the votes.

The Republican Party currently maintains a narrow 31-29 majority in the House. Losing either or both seats in LD9 could jeopardize their control.

Historically, LD9 is significant as the only swing district where all three legislative seats went to Democrats in the 2022 election.

Recent elections indicate a slight Democratic lean, with a 2.6% vote margin favoring Democrats, as detailed by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.

This marks Mendoza’s second attempt against Blattman and Austin. In 2022, Blattman narrowly defeated third-party candidate Kathy Pearce by just over half a percent, while Mendoza fell behind by approximately 1.5%.

This year, Barber is positioned as a business-friendly candidate, reminiscent of other Republican figures in competitive districts.

Interestingly, the two Republicans in LD9 did not campaign together. Reports reveal that Barber’s campaign contributed $22,000 to the Arizona Republican Party for mailers promoting her as a standout candidate, a tactic criticized by some party members.

Freedom Caucus Chairman, Sen. Jake Hoffman, expressed concern in a social media post, emphasizing that any losses for the Republicans could be attributed to such strategic missteps.