Arizona State Senate District 1

Current seat holder: Mark Finchem.

Mark Finchem

Finchem was born in Detroit, Michigan, and graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1975. He graduated from the Southwest Michigan Regional Police Academy in 1982 and received an associate degree in criminal justice from Kalamazoo Valley Community College in 1986.

· Official legislative page · Ballotpedia

Campaign site

Campaign priorities: “We must seek new water supplies. • We must protect parental authority. • We must protect individual property rights.” (Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (2026))

Christine Ellen Dargon

Christine Dargon earned a high school diploma from Low-Heywood Thomas School, a bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut in 1992, a graduate degree from Fordham University in 1994, and a Ph.D. from Seton Hall University in 1999. Dargon's career experience includes working as an adjunct professor.

· Ballotpedia

Campaign site

Education: “Hi, I'm Christine. I'm originally from Connecticut. I teach for two universities online and have been in education and social service for over 30 years. I moved to AZ 16+ years ago and love living in Rimrock, with my husband since Jan 2010. My mother moved to the Village of Oak Creek/Sedona in 2017. I also own a local business, Emerald Waves Healing with locations in Rimrock and the Village of Oak Creek/Sedona.” (Campaign website (accessed Oct 23, 2026))
Campaign priorities: “1. PRESENT, NOT ABSENT LD1 deserves a senator who actually shows up. Our current senator has been consumed by extremist causes, national conspiracy politics, and personal ambition, leaving Verde Valley families without meaningful representation on water, schools, healthcare, and housing. I have been here for over fifteen years, organizing, listening, and doing the unglamorous work of community building. As your state senator, I will be present, at committee hearings, constituent meetings, and every corner of this district. Presence is not optional. It is the job. • 2.” (Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (2026))
Education: “Helping people! Education has been my life's work for nearly thirty years, as a professor, an organizer with Red for Ed, and the spouse of a public school teacher. Fully funding our schools and supporting educators is personal to me in a unique way compared with other issues. Water security is existential for Arizona and I treat it that way. Rural healthcare, reproductive freedom, affordable housing, and tribal sovereignty round out my core policy commitments. And above all: democracy.” (Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (2026))