Gonzales and Villegas clinch LD20 House race

Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales and Rep. Betty Villegas are likely headed to Arizona's two Legislative District 20 House seats as most votes in the four-candidate Democratic primary were counted early Wednesday. 

With 99% of precincts reporting, Gonzales held onto 34% of the vote while Villegas had about 32%, according to Pima County’s election results portal.

No Republicans qualified for the primary ballot in the deeply blue district, meaning the winners will likely run unopposed in the November general election.

This will be Villegas' second election to the House. Gonzales ran for the House seat after reaching her term limit in the state Senate.

Gonzales ran as a slate with District 20 Senate candidate Alma Hernandez, who beat progressive challenger Rocque Perez Tuesday night, and Genoveva Diaz, a public relations worker and dance instructor who trailed  in third place with 19%.

Gonzales held a joint celebration with Alma and Consuelo Hernandez at a downtown Tucson ballroom. Mariachi music blared through a hotel ballroom shortly after initial results dropped.

She said she appreciated continued support from voters.

“I'm very proud to to have run with the two ladies that I ran with, and the results. I'm very proud that the people elected me to continue to represent them over the years,” she said.

Villegas gathered at the Southside American Eat Co. restaurant and reflected on a challenge bid from her Hernandez-aligned legislative colleagues. 

"it's been more stressful, because it's really hard when you have your own colleagues and your own peers running somebody against you," she said.

She said her main focus for another term is affordability issues. 

"I try to let people know that I understand it, I know it, I've lived it," she said. 

Legislative District 20 includes most of Tucson’s west side, some parts of midtown, the University of Arizona, and a northern section of the Pascua Yaqui tribal lands.