Mary Kim Titla

Former state representative Ann Kirkpatrick is the winner in the 1st Congressional District Democratic primary.

With around 70 percent of votes counted, Kirkpatrick has 49.8 percent of the vote, making it statistically impossible for any of her rivals to catch up.

Kirkpatrick has been the favorite in the race from the start, earning a spot in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red to Blue program - a rare feat for a primary candidate. Kirkpatrick also gained the backing of the Arizona Democratic Party and a host of Democratic elected officials.

Former television personality Mary Kim Titla put up a strong showing - she now has over 31 percent of the vote. Attorney Howard Shanker's share stands at more than 13 percent, while dark horse Jeffrey Brown has gained around 6 percent.

Mary Kim Titla has raised over $100,000 from Native American tribes in Arizona and nationwide, according to a statement put out by the campaign Thursday.

"From coast to coast tribes such as Soboba Band of Mission Indians in California and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina as well as her own tribe, the San Carlos Apache Nation are among those who have enthusiastically endorsed Mary Kim Titla for Congress," said the release, which announced that Native sources have so far contributed $101,000 to her campaign. 

Both Republican Sydney Hay and Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick face primary challenges on Sept. 2, but it's hard to tell from the ads the two have been putting out. Rather than focus on bumping off the intra-party competition (Mary Kim Titla and Howard Shanker on the Democratic side, Sandra Livingstone on the Republican), the would-be rivals for the 1st Congressional District seat have been taking swipes at each other in two new ads.

Hay's attack lambastes Kirkpatrick's "opposition to drilling for American oil," and accuses Kirkpatrick of "voting for every tax increase" and casting "multiple votes against gun rights" during her time in the Arizona House of Representatives. The ad also cites the Goldwater Institute's "F" rating of Kirkpatrick's voting record to label her "one of Arizona's 'most liberal' legislators."

The Kirkpatrick campaign was quick to respond. Wednesday it unveiled a new television ad to "set the record straight."

Ann Kirkpatrick has picked up another endorsement in her AZ-1 Democratic Primary campaign to succeed Rick Renzi.  Kirkpatrick’s campaign is confirming they have received the endorsement of Congressman Harry Mitchell to go along with Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords and Governor Janet Napolitano.  Kirkpatrick faces Mary Kim Titla and Howard Shanker in the September primary.  Shanker has received the endorsement of Congressman Raul Grijalva.    

This week, if you are a politicial from AZ-1 and your name is not Kirkpatrick, there is a good chance you made the losers list. Find out who makes the cut in this weeks Winners & Losers.

Energy was the topic of the day in all four of the competitive congressional races in Arizona. Mary Kim Titla, Democratic candidate in the 1st Congressional District, released an energy plan, while state Sen. Pres. Tim Bee (R-Tucson) visited a gas station to discuss the nation's fuel crisis. Meanwhile, the National Republican Congressional Committee kept up their assault on U.S. Reps. Harry Mitchell (D-Tempe) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-Tucson) over voting against bringing a Republican energy bill up for a vote.

Titla unveiled a five-point plan to combat the nation's fuel problems, a day after Republican candidate Sydney Hay revealed her own five-point plan. Both Hay and Titla believe a revamp of the nation's oil refinery system is necessary, but while Hay's focus is on expanding the production capacity of America's oil refineries, Titla proposes a national air quality standard to eliminate some of the dozens of blends refineries currently produce.

1st Congressional District candidate Ann Kirkpatrick has announced that her campaign raised over $320,000 between April 1 and June 30. The campaign said that left them with an on hand total of just under $700,000.

"Our record fundraising efforts coupled with our strong grassroots support show that [Arizonans] know Ann is the leader they are looking for," said Kirkpatrick adviser Michael Frias in a statement from the campaign. "We are going to keep gaining momentum. Along with the organization we have built throughout the district, these record fundraising totals position us well to keep winning new supporters for Ann through the primary and right up to Election Day in November."

Kirkpatrick's 1st quarter numbers put her well ahead of the pack in the Democratic primary, and 2Q saw her raise $70k more. The only other 1st district Democrat to release her numbers from the 2nd quarter is Mary Kim Titla, who raised over $50k.  

Mary Kim Titla raised over $53,000 in the second quarter of the year, according to her campaign manager Randy Camacho. The Globe Democrat is the first candidate in the 1st Congressional District field to release her fundraising totals for 2Q.

However, Camacho declined to answer how much the campaign currently has on hand. He also noted the total includes in-kind donations.

Titla is running against Democrats Jeffrey Brown, Ann Kirkpatrick and Howard Shanker to earn a spot on the ballot against the eventual Republican nominee. The seat is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Flagstaff), who is under indictment on federal charges of money laundering, fraud and extortion.

The Arizona AFL-CIO has unveiled its endorsements in this year's U.S. House primaries, though only one of the candidates is actually engaged in a primary, and one primary was bypassed altogether.

All candidates who received endorsements were Democrats, and included the four Democratic members of the Arizona House delegation, though none faces a primary. Other recipients were Bob Lord, who is taking on U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) in the 3rd Congressional District; John Thrasher, a Democrat who is running for the second time against U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Glendale) in the 2nd Congressional District; and Ann Kirkpatrick, the front-runner in the 1st Congressional District Democratic pack.

"These candidates share our vision of what is important to Arizona’s working families," said Rebekah Friend, the Arizona AFL-CIO's executive director. "It is crucial for the future of Arizona that we elect those who are going to step up to the plate and fight for the issues that will move Arizona forward. We’re convinced that these candidates will do just that."

Camp Verde - The Congressional Candidate Forum on the Future of Arizona's Natural Resources brought out most of the AZ-1 field, where the candidates who showed up navigated their way through a proving ground of environmental questions. The whole panel was in agreement on the need for renewable energy investment, even if not all saw a consensus on the fact of global climate change. The biggest question of the afternoon wasn't asked by the moderator, however - it was "where is Sydney Hay?"

The seven participants included Democrats Jeffrey Brown, Ann Kirkpatrick, Howard Shanker and Mary Kim Titla, Republicans Tom Hansen and Preston Korn, and independent Brent Maupin. Two other Republicans who filed, Sandra Livingstone and Barry Hall, declined to participate.

However, Sydney Hay, who has been embraced by the Republican establishment, including the state party and numerous Republican state legislators and members of Congress, did not show up. Audience members and press instead received a letter from Hay that apologized for her absence but gave no explanation.