Kirkpatrick has narrow lead in close CD1 race

U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick was holding a narrow lead over opponent Andy Tobin Tuesday night, but it could be days until the final outcome of the District 1 race is known.

Both candidates were watching the election results in Flagstaff Tuesday after campaign stops all across Northern Arizona.

The race was called a toss-up by national political groups, because polling is difficult in this vast and diverse district. Congressional District 1 includes parts of 11 Arizona counties.

With about half the precincts voting by 11 p.m. Tuesday, Democrat Kirkpatrick had about 52 percent of the votes.

Kirkpatrick is seeking a third term. She was first elected to Congress in 2008, then lost to Republican Paul Gosar in 2010 but was re-elected in 2012 after redistricting.

Kirkpatrick attended many voter rallies in the Navajo Nation Tuesday and was unavailable for comment. The Native American vote was expected to play a major role in the outcome of the race, and turnout was expected to be high due to the Navajo presidential election.

An early attack ad picturing the congresswoman as a pair of legs in high heels pulling a suitcase meant to symbolize “Obama’s luggage” set the tone for this race.

Kirkpatrick pointed out her typical footwear is a pair of boots, and voters at debates across the state asked to see her boots.

Republicans then sought to turn those boots into a different kind of symbol, saying politicians are stepping on people’s rights.

Through a spokesman, Republican Tobin said he was feeling good and confident he would be victorious. He was watching results for a few spots that were expected to lean Republican, said spokesman Bill Cortese.

Tobin was counting on President Obama’s unpopularity to gather enough votes to oust Kirkpatrick. Tobin has spent eight years in the state House, including four as speaker, and focused on getting Arizona through the recession.

In a speech to Republican supporters at a restaurant in Flagstaff Tuesday night, Tobin spoke of his service as “a true privilege.”

Democrats attacked Tobin’s record, saying deep budget cuts hurt education and child welfare. Tobin depicted the cuts as necessary for a balanced budget and helping Arizona spend within its means.

And Kirkpatrick often pointed out that Tobin lives just outside the district boundaries and couldn’t cast a vote for himself. However, candidates for Congress aren’t required to live within the district.

Kirkpatrick highlighted her independent nature in her campaign, saying that’s what the district needs. She touted her work on veterans’ affairs and infrastructure.

The district’s Democrats tend to be conservative. District 1 voters chose Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in 2012, and Romney campaigned for Tobin.

The race has been an expensive one. Kirkpatrick raised at least $3.1 million and Tobin raised at least $1.2 million after a difficult primary. Money from outside groups poured in — at least $10 million — and was spent mostly on attack ads that aired on TV in the Phoenix media market but were not seen in the local parts of the district.

“We knew this was going to be a tough race,” Cortese said, but Tobin was staying optimistic Tuesday night.