PHOENIX — Arizona's 3rd Congressional District officially has a new representative in Congress.
The Associated Press called the race at 8:05 p.m. Arizona time, saying Yassamin Ansari has won the election to take Rep. Ruben Gallego's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
She defeated Jeffrey Zink, a self-described constitutionalist and America First candidate.
Ansari spoke on her victory concurring with Arizona voting to codify abortion protections with ballot proposition 139. She released the following statement:
Today I breathe a huge sigh of relief and celebrate a win for the reproductive rights of all Arizonans. Tonight’s vote empowers Arizonans to make their own decisions about their bodies and will save the lives of countless women.
"Over the last few years, we’ve seen a relentless assault on abortion rights, but now that right is protected in the Arizona Constitution, as voted on by the people. We no longer have to live in fear of additional attacks on reproductive and sexual health care services that most directly affect communities that are already marginalized and underserved by our health care system, including people of color, low-income people, immigrants, young people, and people with disabilities.
Today’s victory is a win for the many Arizona leaders, organizers, and health care workers who have spent the last 2+ years educating, advocating, collecting signatures, and getting out the vote - to all of them I want to say congratulations and thank you!
While today’s result is certainly cause for celebration, the fight isn’t over. I won’t rest until every American has the same rights as Arizonans. In Congress, I will fight to make Roe v. Wade the law of the land once again, so that no woman has to face the life and death decisions they’ve had to make since Roe v. Wade was overturned."
CD3 covers a densely-populated urban area that covers most of downtown, western and southern Phoenix along with parts of Glendale.
This is one of Arizona's most heavily Democratic districts.
See the live results below, along with more information on Ansari.
LIVE RESULTS:
Yassamin Ansari (D)
Ansari was a member of the Phoenix City Council from 2021 to 2024, representing District 7. She narrowly defeated her opponent, Raquel Terán, in the Democratic primary election by just 42 votes.
Ansari's campaign website lists housing affordability, climate action and reproductive freedom as her primary issues. In 2023, Ansari pushed for Phoenix to open more indoor shelter space for homeless people instead of moving ahead with a structured outdoor campground plan.
Additionally, Ansari helped create Phoenix's Office of Heat Response and Mitigation during her time in office.
During the primary, she benefited from $1.3 million in outside spending by a pro-cryptocurrency super PAC called Protect Progress, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
Ansari is the first Iranian American elected to public office in Arizona.
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DECISION 2024
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