New borders in what has been a Democrat-friendly district in the suburbs east of Phoenix will be a test for U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, who cruised to victory in the previous two elections but is having to battle this year.
is banking on his relatively moderate voting record, strong name recognition and a sizable war chest to fend off Republican political newcomer Kelly Cooper, a restaurant owner and Marine veteran.
He is using Cooper’s own words against him, including his calls to defund the FBI after they raided former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate in August and recovered a trove of classified documents. "Many people are trying to migrate here for a better life — I don’t blame them," Cooper said. "But this is overwhelming our Border Patrol."
Stanton billed himself as being in the "political center" and said Cooper can’t secure those wins as a hyper-partisan Republican.