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The district, which stretches across Pima and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ counties, includes two military bases, the U.S.-Mexico border and the east side of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. Before Kirkpatrick, the seat has flip-flopped parties over the last decade between well-known names such as Democrat Ron Barber and Republican Martha McSally.

Kirkpatrick, a four-term incumbent who returned to Congress in 2016 after a failed Senate run, cruised to victory in the primary, amassing a 41,000-vote lead over attorney Peter Quilter, with 77% of the roughly 75,000 votes, as of Wednesday morning. The Associated Press called the race at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

In her victory statement, Kirkpatrick said voters prioritized her status as an “independent thinker, experienced legislator and accessible appropriator working for them in Washington. She said her campaign will focus on making the country’s health-care system more accessible and humane border policies.

“I am running because our American values are under attack — from health care to immigration and from climate change to financial security. Washington is putting massive corporations first instead of focusing on what matters to everyday families,� she said.

“As we face some of the hardest economic and social challenges in our country’s history, I am so grateful that Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ns trust me to continue the work we’ve started.â€�

She’ll face Martin, the executive director of Keepers for Liberty, who had 44% of the roughly 58,000 votes, as of Wednesday morning. He was about 6,000 votes ahead of small-business owner Noran Eric Ruden (33%) and 11,500 votes ahead of Joseph Morgan, a support technician for Pima Community College (24%). The Associated Press called the race early Wednesday.

Martin, who did not respond to an ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ email Wednesday morning, emerged victorious after finishing second in the Republican primary in 2018. His opponent, Lea Marquez Peterson, lost the general election to Kirkpatrick by roughly 28,000 votes, or about 9.5 percentage points.

During the lead-up to the election, Martin told the Star his most important issues were improving the economy by cutting regulations and permits through an economic plan he’s dubbed the “Liberate the Economy and American Paychecks Act.� He also emphasized securing the border and defending the Second Amendment.

“I’ve served my country and the American people all of my life and I want to continue that service for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s 2nd district. With bad actors such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, we need to focus on national security and advocate strongly for Fort Huachuca and Davis-Monthan. I have the experience to address these issues for the residents of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s 2nd district,â€� he wrote in a survey response to the Star.

He faces an uphill battle as experts are projecting the seat to remain safely in the hands of Kirkpatrick, who returned to her role after a stint in rehab for alcoholism. The Cook Political Report recently moved the district to a “solid democrat� seat. The also show Democrats with a nearly 28,000-voter advantage in the district.

Martin will also be facing a large money deficit as his campaign had raised roughly $187,000, with about $33,000 remaining on hand, according to the most-recent FEC filings as of July 15. Kirkpatrick had raised nearly $1.5 million and had $750,000 remaining.

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