Arizona's 8th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona. It includes many of the suburbs north and west of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona. The district includes several high-income retirement communities, including Sun City West.
After redistricting for the 2012 general election, the new 8th district encompasses most of the Maricopa County portion of the old 2nd district, while most of the former 8th district became the 2nd congressional district. It is the geographic and demographic successor of the old 2nd; while the 4th district contains most of the old 2nd's land, more than 92 percent of the old 2nd's constituents were drawn into the 8th.Arizona Redistricting: Commission releases draft map. Daily Kos, October 4, 2011
This seat was vacated by Representative Trent Franks on December 8, 2017. A special election was held on April 24, 2018, and won by Republican Debbie Lesko. In 2024, Abraham Hamadeh was elected after Lesko retired.
History Arizona picked up an eighth congressional district after the 2000 census. It originally encompassed the extreme southeastern part of the state. It included all of Cochise County and parts of Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz counties. For all intents and purposes, it was the successor to what had been the 5th district from 1983 to 2003.
Longtime Republican incumbent Jim Kolbe retired in 2007, and was succeeded by Democrat Gabby Giffords, who was shot and severely wounded at a public event on January 8, 2011. Giffords resigned her seat on January 25, 2012. In a special election held on June 12, 2012, Democrat Ron Barber was elected as the new congressman.
For the 2012 election, Barber was redistricted to the 2nd district, which includes the bulk of the old 8th district. The 8th was redrawn to include nearly all of the Maricopa County portion of the old 2nd district–as mentioned above, more than 92 percent of the old 2nd's population. The district had previously been the 3rd district from 1963 to 2003. That district's congressman, Republican Trent Franks, won the election for the new 8th.
After the 2022 redistricting, the 8th was one of only two districts, the other being the East Valley-based 5th, that retained essentially its same boundaries.
Composition For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of following counties and communities.
Maricopa County (8)
Anthem, Glendale (part; also 9th), New River, Peoria (part; also 2nd; shared with Yavapai County), Phoenix (part; also 1st, 3rd, and 4th), Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise (part; also 9th)
Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results 2004 PresidentBush 52.9% - 46.5%2008 PresidentMcCain 52.37% - 46.4%2010 SenateMcCain 56.5% - 37.5% GovernorBrewer 54.1% - 43.4% Secretary of StateBennett 55.9% - 44.1% Attorney GeneralHorne 52.6% - 47.4% TreasurerDucey 50.0% - 43.9%2013–2023 Boundaries2008 PresidentMcCain 60.6% - 38.4%2010 SenateMcCain 66.0% - 27.9% GovernorBrewer 61.8% - 35.2%2012 PresidentRomney 61.7% - 36.9% SenateFlake 56.3% - 38.9%2014 GovernorDucey 61.2% - 33.6%2016 PresidentTrump 58.1% - 37.0% SenateMcCain 60.7% - 32.7%2018 SenateMcSally 54.9% - 42.9% GovernorDucey 64.7% - 33.2% Attorney GeneralBrnovich 60.0% - 39.8%2020 PresidentTrump 57.3% - 41.4% Senate (Spec.)McSally 56.7% - 43.3%2023–2033 Boundaries2016 PresidentTrump 56% - 37% SenateMcCain 60% - 33%2018 SenateMcSally 54% - 44% GovernorDucey 64% - 34% Attorney GeneralBrnovich 59% - 41%2020 PresidentTrump 56% - 43% Senate (Spec.)McSally 56% - 44%2022 SenateMasters 52% - 46% GovernorLake 55% - 44% Secretary of StateFinchem 53% - 47% Attorney GeneralHamadeh 56% - 44% TreasurerYee 62% - 38%2024 PresidentTrump 58% - 41% SenateLake 53% - 45%
John McCain, the 2008 Republican nominee, was also a resident of Arizona and one of the state's two United States senators.
List of members representing the district Arizona began sending an eighth member to the House after the 2000 Census. Prior to this time, most of the 8th's current territory was in the .
Member Party Years Congress Electoral history District locationCongressional Directory: Browse 105th Congress District created January 3, 2003 Jim Kolbe Republican January 3, 2003 –January 3, 2007 Redistricted from the .Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Retired. 2003–2013Cochise; parts of Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz Gabby Giffords Democratic January 3, 2007 –January 25, 2012 Elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Re-elected in 2010.Resigned. Vacant January 25, 2012 –June 19, 2012 Ron Barber Democratic June 19, 2012 –January 3, 2013 Elected to finish Giffords's term.Redistricted to the . Trent Franks Republican January 3, 2013 –December 8, 2017 Redistricted from the .Re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Resigned. 2013–2023Part of Maricopa Vacant December 8, 2017 –May 7, 2018 Debbie Lesko Republican May 7, 2018 –January 3, 2025 Elected to finish Franks's term.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022. Retired. 2023–present:Part of MaricopaAbraham Hamadeh RepublicanJanuary 3, 2025 –present Elected in 2024.
Complete election results 2002–2012 2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012 (special)
2012–2022 2012
2014
2016
2018 (special)
2018
2020
2022–present 2022
2024
See also
Arizona's congressional districts List of United States congressional districts 2018 Arizona's 8th congressional district special election
References
External links Demographic information at census.gov 2004 Election data at CNN.com 2002 Election data from CBSNews.com Maps of Congressional Districts first in effect for the 2002 election Maps for the 2012 election