Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District is represented by Republican Eli Crane, who took office in January 2023 and is running for reelection in 2026. The district covers roughly 58,350 square miles across the northeastern quadrant of the state, making it one of the largest House districts in the country by land area. It takes in Flagstaff, large portions of the Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation, and a wide stretch of rural high desert and ponderosa pine country.
What the District Covers
The current boundaries were drawn by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission and adopted in January 2022 following the 2020 census.1Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. Maps The district spans all or parts of Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Yavapai counties.
Flagstaff is the largest population center, home to about 77,500 residents and to Northern Arizona University.2U.S. Census Bureau. Flagstaff City, Arizona QuickFacts Prescott and the surrounding Yavapai County communities anchor the southwestern corner. Everything else is small towns, unincorporated land, and tribal country.
Tribal land is the defining feature. Large parts of the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Reservation sit inside the district, and American Indian and Alaska Native residents make up roughly one in five people living there.3Data USA. Congressional District 2, AZ That shapes local infrastructure needs and complicates voter access, since many tribal communities are long distances from polling locations and government offices.
Who Represents Arizona’s 2nd District
Eli Crane was sworn in with the 118th Congress in January 2023. He left the University of Arizona shortly after the September 11 attacks to enlist in the Navy, serving 13 years and completing three deployments with SEAL Team 3.4Eli Crane. About He and his wife co-founded a veteran-owned business, which he sold in 2022 before running for Congress.
In the 119th Congress, Crane sits on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the House Committee on Homeland Security.5Representative Eli Crane. Crane Announces Committee Assignments for 119th Congress His subcommittee work includes Border Security and Enforcement, Transportation and Maritime Security, and assignments on cybersecurity and military and foreign affairs.6Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Elijah Crane
Crane keeps a single district office, by appointment only, at 122 N. Cortez St., Suite 211 in Prescott.7Eli Crane. Office Locations With one location in the southwestern corner, constituents in eastern communities and on tribal lands can be hours away from in-person help.
How the District Votes
AZ-02 has a Cook Partisan Voter Index rating of R+7, meaning voters here have performed about seven points more Republican than the national average in recent presidential elections.8Cook Political Report. The Cook Partisan Voting Index The seat is safely but not overwhelmingly Republican.
The population skews older and lower-income than the state as a whole. Median age is around 42, compared with a statewide median near 39.9Census Reporter. Congressional District 2, AZ – Profile Data Median household income sits near $68,000.3Data USA. Congressional District 2, AZ White non-Hispanic residents make up about 54 percent of the district, with American Indian and Alaska Native residents and Hispanic residents each around 18 percent.
Tribal turnout is the variable that moves district-wide margins. Turnout on reservations has historically run lower than in other communities, partly because of distance to polling places and uneven mail service. When it climbs, the partisan math tightens, as Crane’s 2024 race against former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez showed.
The Issues Driving Representation
Water Rights
Water scarcity is an ongoing concern across northeastern Arizona and weighs especially heavily on tribal communities. The Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 (H.R. 2025) was introduced in the 119th Congress to resolve longstanding tribal water rights claims in the district.10Congress.gov. Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 Settlements of this kind can take decades from negotiation to authorization and funding, and they determine whether tribal communities can sustain agriculture, housing, and further development.
Rural Healthcare
Healthcare access across the district’s rural stretches is thin. Rural residents live an average of 20 miles from the nearest hospital, some areas have only one behavioral health provider per 50,000 people, and nearly half of rural women must travel more than 30 minutes for maternal care. American Indian women in rural parts of Arizona face maternal mortality rates seven times higher than the state average.11Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). Arizona Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)
Arizona is deploying $167 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program, running from late 2025 through October 2030. The program directs $47 million per year to workforce recruitment and training and $27 million per year to behavioral health, maternal care, and chronic disease prevention, with grant opportunities for rural and tribal health providers expected to open in spring 2026.11Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). Arizona Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)
The Local Economy
Northern Arizona University anchors Flagstaff.12Northern Arizona University. FY26 Operating Budget Outside Flagstaff, the district runs on tourism (the eastern approach to the Grand Canyon, Sedona-area recreation), ranching, tribal enterprises, and government employment.
The 2026 Election
Arizona’s 2026 primary election is set for July 21, 2026, with the general election on November 3, 2026.13Arizona Secretary of State. 2026 Election Info Filing deadlines and petition requirements are posted on the Secretary of State’s candidate filing page.14Arizona Secretary of State. 2026 Candidate Filing
Crane is expected to seek reelection. On the Democratic side, at least two candidates have announced: Jonathan Nez, the former Navajo Nation president who lost to Crane in 2024, and Eric Descheenie, a former state representative. Nez carries name recognition from his tribal leadership and his previous congressional run. Descheenie brings a state legislative record. The Democratic primary will decide which of them faces Crane in a race whose competitiveness depends heavily on tribal turnout.