Scottsdale: LD8 Primary Race Heats Up as Three Democrats and One Republican Vie for State House Seats
Marcus Whitfield
Scottsdale voters are heading into a competitive primary election for Arizona's 8th Legislative District, where three Democrats and one Republican are competing for two state House seats and one state Senate seat.
All 90 legislative seats in Arizona are up for grabs in the July primary, and LD8 has emerged as one of the most watched districts in the state, according to the Arizona Capitol Times.
Who Is Running in LD8
The district covers parts of Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa, and the entirety of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. It is currently represented by three Democrats, all seeking reelection.
Two House seats are open for election:
- Janeen Connolly, Democrat, incumbent state representative from Tempe
- Brian Garcia, Democrat, incumbent state representative from Tempe
- Claudia Kline, Democrat, president of Young Democrats for Arizona, running as a primary challenger
- Donald Hawker, Republican, running as the lone Republican candidate in the district
On the Senate side, incumbent Sen. Lauren Kuby, D-Tempe, faces a challenge from former state Rep. Deborah Nardozzi.
The Senate Primary Draws Attention
Nardozzi briefly served in the state House to fill a vacancy when former Rep. Jevin Hodge resigned in 2024 amid sexual misconduct allegations.
According to the Capitol Times, Nardozzi is being backed by former Republican state Sen. Steve Kaiser because the two share similar positions on housing policy. Kaiser has not formally endorsed Nardozzi but has been knocking on doors to help her campaign in the Democratic-leaning district.
What Is at Stake
The LD8 primary will determine which candidates advance to the general election in November. With two House seats available, the top two Democrats are likely to advance, given the district's partisan lean. That means Kline's challenge to Connolly and Garcia could be decisive.
"LD3, LD6, LD7, LD8, LD19, and LD20 are all predicted to be highly competitive," the Arizona Capitol Times reported.
Scottsdale residents who vote in LD8 will have a direct say in which lawmakers represent them on issues ranging from school funding to housing policy to state budget priorities.
The primary election is scheduled for July 2026.
By Marcus Whitfield