| Abstract: |
Arizona’s newly-created First Congressional District sprawls over a rural area larger than Pennsylvania. The 2002 race for Congress in this district promised to be wide open, both figuratively and literally. Two unknown political novices emerged victorious with small pluralities of the vote in the primary elections. The general election, initially projected as a toss-up, took on national prominence in an election season with few tight races and control of the U.S. House of Representatives at stake. For the first time, rural Arizona experienced big-time national politics, accompanied by big-time money and mudslinging. |
