Arizona: The red state that turned blue in 2020 in honour of a war veteran and longtime senator

The state of Arizona joined the union back in February 1912 and has participated in 28 US Presidential Elections. It was the 48th state and one of the final pieces in the United States of America. While the state has traditionally voted Republican in presidential elections, it has opted for the Democratic candidate in the 1996 and the latest 2020 polls.

The state contributes 11 electorates, despite calls for an increase in the number in 2020. What makes the state crucial for the GOP is the fact that as of 2022, no Republican has won the presidency without carrying Arizona since its statehood. Meanwhile, Democrats have won the presidency without carrying the state on six occasions, most recently Barack Obama in 2012.

Who are the voters?

According to the most recent voter’s registration report based on the primary elections in July. 35.41 per cent of voters in Arizona are registered Republicans, 29.10 per cent are Democrats, 0.75 per cent are Libertarians and 0.71 per cent of registered voters have no label.

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When it comes to race and ethnicity, Arizona’s 32.5 per cent of the population is Hispanic, 52.9 per cent is white, 3.7 per cent Black, 0.8 per cent Native American and 3.8 per cent Asian. According to an analysis conducted by the NALEO Educational Fund in March this year, about a quarter of Arizona voters who will cast a ballot in November are expected to be Latinos. The group has played a key role in making a state swing towards either of the parties.

Is it Democratic or Republican?

As mentioned earlier, the state has mostly remained a Republican stronghold. Out of the 28 Republican elections held in the state, Arizona voted for 19 Republican presidential candidates and only 9 Democratic presidential candidates. Recently, the state went blue only twice since 1952; it elected former US President Bill Clinton in 1996 and current US President Joe Biden in 2020. The state has been extremely significant since it has voted for 22 winning candidates and it has been only 6 times when it voted for a losing candidate.

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Since the last time Arizona voted for Biden while he was fighting against Trump. Experts believe that history might repeat itself and the southern state can turn blue again.

Is it a swing state?

Before the 2020 polls, Arizona would have been considered a Republican stronghold. However, things changed in 2020 when the state turned blue and voted for Biden. It is pertinent to note that at that time the POTUS’s victory margin was extremely narrow with Biden acquiring just 49.6 per cent votes while Trump got 49.1 per cent.

The Grand Canyon State, which borders Mexico has become a focal point of the nation’s immigration debate. Not only this, Arizona hosted a bitter row over abortion after state Republicans tried unsuccessfully to reinstate a 160-year-old near-total ban on terminating pregnancies. With Trump on the ballot once again, the state is touted as a key swing state.

Has it given the US a president?

Interestingly, no US President as of now has been born in the state of Arizona.

Memorable election: How McCain’s name helped Biden

The 2020 Election is touted as one of the most memorable elections in the state. It came at a time when Trump has often disrespected long-time Senator John McCain. The decorated war veteran served in the state senate from 1987 until his death in 2018. He also ran for the presidency against Obama in 2008. Before Trump even entered the White House, he insulted McCain’s time in the military.

“He’s not a war hero, he’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured, okay? I hate to tell you,” the former reality TV star said in a one-on-one interview with CBS pollster Frank Luntz. “I said he graduated last, or second to last, he graduated last in his class at Annapolis, and he was upset. I said, “Why? For telling the truth?” he added.

However, the straw that broke the camel’s back was Trump’s reaction after McCain died due to complications from Glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, which McCain had been battling on and off since his diagnosis in July 2017. “We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral,” Trump allegedly told his senior staff. After taking in all the insults, in 2020, John McCain’s wife, Cindy McCain formally endorsed Biden and in honour of the senator, the state turned blue.