Democrat John McLean Claims Narrow Lead Over Republican Vince Leach by 509 Votes in Tucson’s LD17 Election

In a closely contested race for the Senate seat in Legislative District 17, Democrat John McLean’s lead over Republican Vince Leach has narrowed to just 509 votes, as reported in the latest ballot count from Pima and Pinal counties on Friday evening. McLean, a newcomer to politics and former CEO of a defense contractor, has amassed 61,132 votes, while Leach, a former state lawmaker seeking a political comeback after losing his primary in 2022, trails with 60,623 votes.

In related House races, Democrat Kevin Volk remains ahead in the race for two seats against Republican incumbents Cory McGarr and Rachel Jones. Volk is currently leading with 35 percent of the vote, compared to Jones’ 33 percent and McGarr’s 32 percent, placing him 6,320 votes ahead of McGarr. The counting of ballots continues, with an indeterminate number still outstanding in the Republican-leaning district.

“We put in a hell of an effort,” said Volk during an election night gathering at Hotel Congress. “It’s gonna be a close race. We’ve just got to give it time to go through the process and get an accurate count.”

The precincts that make up LD17 include areas in Pinal County’s Saddlebrooke, as well as Oro Valley, Marana, Tucson’s East Side, and Vail in Pima County. As of Friday evening, Pima County estimated approximately 120,907 ballots left to count, while Pinal County reported around 24,262 outstanding ballots. These numbers highlight the potential for outcomes to shift as officials continue to finalize the count.

The district carries a Republican registration advantage of nine percentage points; however, Democrats have actively sought to capitalize on recent electoral trends. Notably, Democrat candidates Mark Kelly, Katie Hobbs, and Adrian Fontes secured victories in LD17 in 2022, prompting strategists to emphasize the district’s appeal.

Statewide, election officials will finalize results next week, as voters can still address any ballot irregularities until Sunday. The process to validate remaining mail-in ballots via signature checks is ongoing and expected to extend through the weekend.

LD17 is pivotal for the next legislative session’s balance of power, alongside Legislative Districts 16 and 23. In District 16, Democratic Rep. Keith Seaman trails Republican Chris Lopez by 3,875 votes, while Republican Rep. Teresa Martinez leads in the run for two House seats.

In the neighboring Legislative District 23, Republicans appear to be fending off Democratic challenges. Republican Michele Peña has garnered 27,614 votes, moving ahead of Democratic state Rep. Mariana Sandoval and fellow Democrat Matias Rosales. The district, marked by a significant Democratic voter-registration advantage, stretches to areas including Yuma County and parts of Maricopa County, encompassing diverse precincts.