Ron Barber Likely to Lose His Seat in AZ's Second Congressional District

image
Published: 14 Jan, 2014
1 min read
U.S. Representative Ron Barber (D-AZ) is looking at a tough fight in 2014 to keep his incumbency in Arizona's Second Congressional District. He is one of the many Democratic politicians in danger of losing their seat this year.

The main danger to Barber's seat is Republican Martha McSally, a retired U.S. air force colonel who narrowly lost to Barber in the 2012 election. With one of her primary challengers -- radio talk show host Ed Martin -- dropping out, McSally is the clear GOP frontrunner in the race.

Voters have given a mixed reception to Barber's term. The incumbent has failed to build any support from his 2012 election victory and a 2013 GOP poll puts him behind McSally by a single point. While Barber has been well-liked for his centrist record, such as his support for increased border security and Second Amendment rights, his support of the Affordable Care Act is likely to become a key issue in the race.

With conservative groups spending money on advertising that links Barber to Obamacare, party demographics that have the county leaning Republican, and McSally losing the 2012 election by less than 3,000 votes, the odds are obviously stacked against Barber.

Ultimately, the race will depend on who can attract more Republican women and independents. During the 2012, McSally was able to position herself as a centrist Republican -- a likely asset in the upcoming election. Couple that with the problems in the rollout of Healthcare.gov, it seems like the election may be McSally's to take.

Photo Credit: Joie Horwitz / Tuscon Weekly

You Might Also Like

Trump sitting in the oval office with a piece of paper with a cannabis leaf on his desk.
Is Trump About to Outflank Democrats on Cannabis? Progressives Sound the Alarm
As President Donald Trump signals renewed interest in reclassifying cannabis from a Schedule I drug to Schedule III, a policy goal long championed by liberals and libertarians, the reaction among some partisan progressive advocates is not celebration, but concern....
08 Dec, 2025
-
5 min read
Malibu, California.
From the Palisades to Simi Valley, Independent Voters Poised to Decide the Fight to Replace Jacqui Irwin
The coastline that defines California’s mythology begins here. From Malibu’s winding cliffs to the leafy streets of Brentwood and Bel Air, through Topanga Canyon and into the valleys of Calabasas, Agoura Hills, and Thousand Oaks, the 42nd Assembly District holds some of the most photographed, most coveted, and most challenged terrain in the state. ...
10 Dec, 2025
-
6 min read
Ranked choice voting
Ranked Choice for Every Voter? New Bill Would Transform Every Congressional Election by 2030
As voters brace for what is expected to be a chaotic and divisive midterm election cycle, U.S. Representatives Jamie Raskin (Md.), Don Beyer (Va.), and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (Vt.) have re-introduced legislation that would require ranked choice voting (RCV) for all congressional primaries and general elections beginning in 2030....
10 Dec, 2025
-
3 min read