Yassamin Ansari leading in Arizona CD3 Democratic primary
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Yassamin Ansari at a 2022 event in Phoenix. Photo: Jason Wise/Getty Images for Green New Deal Network, Climate Action Campaign
Former Phoenix Council Member Yassamin Ansari was leading in the Congressional District 3 primary against Raquel Terán shortly after 8pm on Tuesday night, though AP has not yet called the race.
Why it matters: CD3 is a heavily Democratic district so the primary winner will almost certainly win in November.
The big picture: Ansari and Terán, a former state legislator and ex-Arizona Democratic Party chair, have been locked in a very expensive and sometimes bitter battle for the seat.
- Both have solid progressive records, so the candidates and their supporters often turned to personal attacks to differentiate themselves.
- Terán led in outside spending for much of the race, but a pro-cryptocurrency super PAC spent more than $1.3 million in television ads for Ansari in the final weeks of the campaign.
The intrigue: The CD3 seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is running for U.S. Senate. Before him, late U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor represented the area for 23 years.
What's next: The primary winner will face Jeff Zink who defeated Jesus David Mendoza in the Republican primary.