Mark Finchem Set to Unseat Ken Bennett and Reclaim AZ Senate Seat

Former state lawmaker Mark Finchem is poised for a comeback to the Arizona Capitol, as initial election results show him leading against incumbent state Sen. Ken Bennett in a northern Arizona legislative district.

Finchem holds a lead of more than seven percentage points over Bennett, translating to nearly 2,000 votes.

Previously, Finchem spent a decade representing districts in Pima and Pinal counties. Last year, he moved to Prescott after losing his 2022 bid for Arizona Secretary of State to Democrat Adrian Fontes by 120,000 votes. Finchem subsequently contested the loss in court but was unsuccessful.

Known for his stance on election denialism, Finchem spearheaded a failed lawsuit against electronic tabulators alongside Republican Kari Lake. Courts ruled the case frivolous and sanctioned their attorneys.

Ken Bennett’s political career dates back to 1999 when he was first elected to the state Senate, eventually becoming Senate President in 2003. He served as Secretary of State from 2009, following Jan Brewer’s elevation to governor. Bennett challenged Doug Ducey in the 2018 GOP primary for governor but fell short.

Returning to statewide politics three years ago, Bennett embraced election denialism, serving as the official liaison for the state Senate’s contested 2020 election audit. He rejoined the Senate in 2022, often defying party lines, even at the cost of GOP-backed legislation.

In a notable move earlier this year, Bennett crossed party lines to vote against an anti-trans ballot referral that threatened inclusive school policies across Arizona. Shortly after, he cast a pivotal vote against a referral aiming to preemptively bar cities from introducing taxes based on vehicle miles traveled.

When Republicans united on a ballot referral allowing local police to jail migrants, Bennett conditioned his support on revisions to protect undocumented Arizonans already residing in the state and introduce stipulations on when officers could make arrests.

Also in the race was Steve Zipperman, who trailed Finchem and Bennett significantly, securing only 18% of votes. Zipperman, a U.S. Army veteran, and real estate broker-lawyer, had previously lost to Bennett in 2022. His campaign focused on border security, parental rights in schools, and second amendment advocacy.