Tucson, the home of the University of Arizona, has long been a bastion of liberal politics. Every four years, Democrats have been able to count on larger margins of victory in the city, thanks to the state's Independent Redistricting Commission, which was established in 2000. The president has a strong base of support in Arizona, and it was here that he made one of his first electoral campaigns alongside former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. One in eleven Arizonans is a military veteran, and for many years, the growing suburbs of Maricopa County gave Republicans an unbeatable advantage in presidential elections.
Before Tucson and Phoenix became Republican strongholds, the strongest Democratic vote in Arizona came from indigenous reservations. Demographics play a large role in understanding the political differences between regions. White voters make up roughly three-quarters of the electorate in the reddest cities, while they make up less than half in Phoenix. Additionally, people living in prisons and detention centers are counted as residents of those facilities, which gives more population and political power to rural areas where those facilities are located. In summary, the political landscape in southern Arizona is unique due to its liberal political culture, demographics, and redistricting process. The state's Independent Redistricting Commission has helped give Democrats larger margins every four years, while white voters make up a larger portion of the electorate in more conservative cities.
Additionally, people living in prisons and detention centers are counted as residents of those facilities, which gives more population and political power to rural areas.
