For Buckeye’s Legislative District 25 — which encompasses parts of Maricopa and Yuma Counties — the district could be poised to go all red.
The House race is split with two Republican candidates and one Democrat, while the Senate seat has been claimed by Republican Tim Dunn, projects InBuckeye.
State House seekers are the incumbent Michael Carbone (R-Buckeye), William Olear (D-Surprise) and Nick Kupper (R-Surprise).
Voting results show Carbone in the lead with 33,627 votes, or 39%. Kupper is trailing for the second seat with 31,501 votes, or 36%, and Olear brings up the rear with 21,389 votes, 25%.
“It takes away my anxiety,” Carbone reacted to the first round of results, "because you still don’t know ... it’s like Friday night with football it can always turn another way. But it takes away that anxiety and then you can kind of get ready to be focused into the next session. But it’s not over, we still have a long night.”
Kupper said he was excited about the initial results, especially because a year ago he didn’t even know he would be running.
“It’s a little surreal,” Kupper said. “A year ago, I was in the Air Force and now here I am on the verge of potentially winning an election. So, it’s exciting and I’m hopeful that it continues to go this way so I can continue serving.”
As for the Senate seat in LD 25, Tim Dunn (R-Yuma) ran uncontested after successfully challenging his opponent’s signatures.
“It’s been an honor to serve since 2018 as a state representative for Buckeye, being one of the fastest growing communities in the country,” Dunn told InBuckeye.
Dunn said the main issues that he is going to focus on and work with the city and state on are water and the ability for growth in the West Valley.
“Then making sure that we have a stable budget and continue to keep taxes low and work on the ability for an agriculture community to prosper in the West Valley” Dunn said. “And that’s kind of our focus is on agriculture, investment in our roads and working on a good water policy.”
