Howard Shanker

Former state representative Ann Kirkpatrick is the winner in the 1st Congressional District Democratic primary.

With around 70 percent of votes counted, Kirkpatrick has 49.8 percent of the vote, making it statistically impossible for any of her rivals to catch up.

Kirkpatrick has been the favorite in the race from the start, earning a spot in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red to Blue program - a rare feat for a primary candidate. Kirkpatrick also gained the backing of the Arizona Democratic Party and a host of Democratic elected officials.

Former television personality Mary Kim Titla put up a strong showing - she now has over 31 percent of the vote. Attorney Howard Shanker's share stands at more than 13 percent, while dark horse Jeffrey Brown has gained around 6 percent.

Both Republican Sydney Hay and Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick face primary challenges on Sept. 2, but it's hard to tell from the ads the two have been putting out. Rather than focus on bumping off the intra-party competition (Mary Kim Titla and Howard Shanker on the Democratic side, Sandra Livingstone on the Republican), the would-be rivals for the 1st Congressional District seat have been taking swipes at each other in two new ads.

Hay's attack lambastes Kirkpatrick's "opposition to drilling for American oil," and accuses Kirkpatrick of "voting for every tax increase" and casting "multiple votes against gun rights" during her time in the Arizona House of Representatives. The ad also cites the Goldwater Institute's "F" rating of Kirkpatrick's voting record to label her "one of Arizona's 'most liberal' legislators."

The Kirkpatrick campaign was quick to respond. Wednesday it unveiled a new television ad to "set the record straight."

The AZ-1 Democratic primary is turning out to be a contest of Ann Kirkpatrick, her war chest, DCCC support and establishment endorsements from the likes of Gov. Janet Napolitano, Congressman Harry Mitchell and Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords vs. Howard Shanker and his Indian reservation support.

Ann Kirkpatrick has picked up another endorsement in her AZ-1 Democratic Primary campaign to succeed Rick Renzi.  Kirkpatrick’s campaign is confirming they have received the endorsement of Congressman Harry Mitchell to go along with Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords and Governor Janet Napolitano.  Kirkpatrick faces Mary Kim Titla and Howard Shanker in the September primary.  Shanker has received the endorsement of Congressman Raul Grijalva.    

This week, if you are a politicial from AZ-1 and your name is not Kirkpatrick, there is a good chance you made the losers list. Find out who makes the cut in this weeks Winners & Losers.

Jeffrey Brown, Democratic candidate in the 1st Congressional District, will be on the primary ballot in September, after thwarting an attempt to remove him due to a lack of valid petition signatures.

 A Maricopa County Superior Court judge found that although Brown's nominating petition did not contain a sufficient number of valid signatures to qualify him for the primary ballot, the challenge was made too late to have an effect.

Bethany Hicks, the presiding judge, wrote:

First District Congressional candidate Howard Shanker has been very verbal over the last few months about the “anointment” of Ann Kirkpatrick as the nominee.  Ann Kirkpatrick has received from support many Democratic leaders including the DCCC.  Shanker has talked a lot about an open process and not letting the insiders determine the candidate.  But one of Shanker’s supporters is behind the effort to remove fellow CD1 candidate Jeffrey Brown from the ballot.

Stanford Lerch of of Lerch & De Prima PLC Attorney’s (office in Phoenix, Arizona) is challenging the signatures of Brown and trying to prevent him from being added to the ballot.  Lerch is not exactly a neutral observer in the process.  Lerch donated $500 to Shanker’s campaign.

An email to Shanker’s campaign for comment was not answered.   

Progressive Democrats of America has endorsed attorney Howard Shanker in the Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District seat. Shanker received the endorsement over other Democratic candidates Jeffrey Brown, Ann Kirkpatrick and Mary Kim Titla.

Tim Carpenter, PDA National Director, said in the announcement, "We are thrilled to endorse, actively aid, and support Howard for Congress.  Howard is precisely the kind of progressive leader needed in Congress today, who will protect human rights."

The Arizona AFL-CIO has unveiled its endorsements in this year's U.S. House primaries, though only one of the candidates is actually engaged in a primary, and one primary was bypassed altogether.

All candidates who received endorsements were Democrats, and included the four Democratic members of the Arizona House delegation, though none faces a primary. Other recipients were Bob Lord, who is taking on U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) in the 3rd Congressional District; John Thrasher, a Democrat who is running for the second time against U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Glendale) in the 2nd Congressional District; and Ann Kirkpatrick, the front-runner in the 1st Congressional District Democratic pack.

"These candidates share our vision of what is important to Arizona’s working families," said Rebekah Friend, the Arizona AFL-CIO's executive director. "It is crucial for the future of Arizona that we elect those who are going to step up to the plate and fight for the issues that will move Arizona forward. We’re convinced that these candidates will do just that."

Camp Verde - The Congressional Candidate Forum on the Future of Arizona's Natural Resources brought out most of the AZ-1 field, where the candidates who showed up navigated their way through a proving ground of environmental questions. The whole panel was in agreement on the need for renewable energy investment, even if not all saw a consensus on the fact of global climate change. The biggest question of the afternoon wasn't asked by the moderator, however - it was "where is Sydney Hay?"

The seven participants included Democrats Jeffrey Brown, Ann Kirkpatrick, Howard Shanker and Mary Kim Titla, Republicans Tom Hansen and Preston Korn, and independent Brent Maupin. Two other Republicans who filed, Sandra Livingstone and Barry Hall, declined to participate.

However, Sydney Hay, who has been embraced by the Republican establishment, including the state party and numerous Republican state legislators and members of Congress, did not show up. Audience members and press instead received a letter from Hay that apologized for her absence but gave no explanation.