Lorena Austin

Rep. Lorena Austin is a fifth-generation Arizonan from Mesa running for reelection to the Arizona House this fall. Lorena is the grandchild of farmworkers, a child of civil rights activists, and the first Chicane, non-binary person elected to a state legislature in the United States. In their first term, Lorena secured $40 million for tuition assistance through the Arizona Promise Program. They’re on the ballot to ensure their community is represented by someone who understands the needs of working people.

This year, Democrats have their best chance to flip the Arizona Legislature in sixty years, and retaining key blue districts like Lorena’s is critical to achieving that goal.

After decades of GOP control, 2026 is a historic opportunity to flip the Arizona state legislature from red to blue and establish a new Democratic trifecta.

Over the past several election cycles, the DLCC has worked with Arizona Democrats to win key races in both of the state’s legislative chambers, putting blue majorities within striking distance. 

This year, the hard work of the DLCC and state Democrats has primed Arizona for a long-overdue shift in legislative power. A 4-seat gain is needed to establish a new Democratic majority in the Arizona House. In the Senate, a gain of just 3 seats is needed to achieve a Democratic majority.

Both the Arizona House and Senate are top priorities on the DLCC’s 2026 Target Map, as a Democratic-led legislature and potential trifecta would help strengthen the firewall in the states against the chaos of MAGA extremism.