Arizona picked up a sixth district after the 1990 census. It covered the northeast quadrant of the state, from Flagstaff to the New Mexico border. Most of its population, however, was located in the northeastern portion of the Valley of the Sun, including Tempe and Scottsdale.
After the 2000 census, most of the Maricopa County portion of the old 6th became the 5th district, while the 6th was reconfigured to take in most of the former 1st district. It included parts of Mesa, Chandler and all of Gilbert as well as the fast-growing town of Queen Creek. It also contained the city of Apache Junction in Pinal County. For the first time since its creation in 1951, it didn't include any of Phoenix itself. The district and its predecessors had seen its share of Phoenix gradually reduced amid the Valley's explosive growth in the second half of the 20th century.
George W. Bush received 64% of the vote in this district in 2004. John McCain—who represented this district (then numbered as the 1st) from 1983 to 1987—received 61.32% of the vote in the district in 2008, making it his best showing in his home state.
After the 2010 census, the old 6th district essentially became the 5th district, while the 6th was redrawn to take in most of the old 3rd district.
Demographics[]
According to the APM Research Lab's Voter Profile Tools[4] (featuring the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey), the district contained about 604,000 potential voters (citizens, age 18+). Of these, 77% are White and 13% are Latino. Immigrants make up 9% of the district's potential voters. Median income among households (with one or more potential voter) in the district is about $77,000, while 8% of households live below the poverty line. As for the educational attainment of potential voters in the district, 42% hold a bachelor's or higher degree.