Watch: Arizona Congressional District 3 Democratic primary debate

PHOENIX — Three Democrats who want to represent Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District will square off against one another in a primary debate at 6 p.m. on May 22, 2024.

The three political hopefuls are running to fill a seat the incumbent isn’t running to fill again. In fact, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, who currently holds the seat, is focusing on his run for the U.S. Senate.

This historically blue district covers large swaths of downtown, southern and western Phoenix. Whichever one of the three CD-3 Democratic candidates who wins in July’s primary election will square off against the Republican primary winner in the general election.

However, since this is such a blue area, political analysts expect the winner of the Democratic CD-3 primary to also win the U.S. Congress seat in the general election in November.

Which Arizona Democrats want to represent CD-3?

The three Democrats vying to replace Gallego are:

• Yassamin Ansari, who served on the Phoenix City Council as a Councilmember. During her time on the Council, she also served as vice mayor.
• Raquel Terán, who served in both the Arizona House and Senate and also chaired the Arizona Democratic Party.
• Duane M. Wooten, a physician who worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix before working out in a private practice.

Due to their political experience, Ansari and Terán are seen as the frontrunners of this race.

The two agree on many issues but have been focusing their campaigns on the traits that make them stand out.

Ansari’s ads tend to tout her accomplishments, such as leading the charge to pass Phoenix’s Climate Action Plan. In contrast, Terán focuses on her decades’ worth of experience both in politics and in social justice activism, such as her involvement with Mi Familia Vota.

What’s next for CD-3 Democratic candidates after primary debate?

Voters will choose which Democrat they want to represent the party in the primary election on July 30.

Whoever wins the primary will run against the winner of the Republican primary in the general election on Nov. 5.

On the same day as the Democratic candidates debated each other, those Republican primary hopefuls for CD-3 also debated one another.

Voters can watch the CD-3 Republican primary debate here.