Arizona 2nd District race 2026: Crane vs. Nez

RThe Ledger's profile

Eli Crane

Republican nominee for Congress in Arizona’s Second District: former Navy SEAL, business owner and two-term U.S. Representative since 2023.

Read the documented profile of Eli Crane

Also on the ballot

Jonathan Nez

American politician; former president of the Navajo Nation; 2024 and 2026 Democratic nominee for U.S. House from Arizona’s 2nd district

The general-election field as the board records it: Crane (R) vs. Jonathan Nez (D, 2024 nominee) vs. Curtis Goodwin (L)

The race at a glance

Board data as of Sep 15, 2026. Ratings are the raters' own current calls; polls are the newest public ones with their field dates; money is what the committees reported. Nothing here is a forecast.

Seat

Incumbent Eli Crane (R), 54.5% in 2024 (PVI R+7)

Primary

Jul 21, 2026 (AZ primary moved to July): Crane unopposed 89,205; Nez unopposed 65,118

Ratings

Cook Likely R (Sep 11); Sabato Likely R (Sep 10); IE Likely R (Sep 10)

Newest public polling

GBAO (D, Nez) Aug 21–24 n=500: Crane 46 / Nez 44; Peak Insights (R, Crane) Aug 17–20 n=400: Crane 53 / Nez 42

Reported money

FEC Jul 1: Crane $9,481,428 raised / $2,841,745 COH; Nez $3,519,760 / $1,910,990

Notable

Trump endorsed Crane Jul 10. On DCCC Districts in Play. CFG: 'expected to face a well-funded challenge in one of House Democrats' top target districts'.

Key dates in Arizona

Read from the Arizona Secretary of State. The full guide, with the official tools, is on the Arizona page.

• Voter registration deadlineOctober 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. is the last day to register to vote in the November 3, 2026 general election. The Secretary of State prints this single date and time and gives no separate cutoff for registering online or in person; a paper form sent by mail has its own postmark-and-receipt rule, listed separately. Arizona's registration form says you must register at least 29 days before the election to vote in that election. azsos.gov
• Early voting beginsOctober 7, 2026. The Secretary of State's procedures page says early in-person voting starts 27 days before Election Day and runs until the Friday before Election Day. azsos.gov
• Deadline to request a ballot-by-mailOctober 23, 2026 is the deadline to request a ballot-by-mail for the November 3, 2026 election. The Secretary of State's procedures page says the request must be received by the County no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 11th day before the election. The same 11-day cutoff applies to joining the Active Early Voting List in time for this election and to asking for a replacement ballot-by-mail. azsos.gov
• Deadline to return a ballot-by-mail (received by)November 3, 2026, 7:00 p.m. A voted ballot-by-mail must be delivered to the County Recorder, the officer in charge of elections, an official ballot drop-off site, or any voting location in the voter's county no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. This is a received-by deadline; the Secretary of State's pages give no postmark alternative. Its voter site, Arizona.Vote, says to mail the ballot by October 27. azsos.gov
• Election DayNovember 3, 2026 is General Election Day. azsos.gov
• Polling place hours on Election Day6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2026. Anyone who is in line to vote by 7:00 p.m. should be allowed to vote. azsos.gov

Voting in Arizona: dates, rules and official tools

Questions and answers