ARIZONA CITY — Candidates in the Legislative District 16 House race, including two incumbents, will meet later this month in Eloy for a forum.

     The incumbents, Republican Teresa Martinez and Democrat Keith Seaman, along with a second Republican nominee, Chris Lopez, will meet at the Tumbleweed Inn on Sept. 18 at a luncheon of the Arizona City Chamber of Commerce.

     The forum will be moderated by Donovan Kramer Jr., co-publisher and editor of the Casa Grande Dispatch.

     Seaman and Martinez won seats in the 2022 midterm election, each again claimed party nominations in the July 30 primary election. They are joined by challenger Lopez, who received the second most votes in the GOP primary. Seaman is the lone Democrat because he ran unopposed in the July 30 primary. Martinez received 32% of the vote in the primary while Lopez received 27%. The three candidates are running for two seats.

     LD16 includes the bulk of western Pinal County and stretches into the tip of Pima County.

     Currently Republicans hold a slight majority in the House at 31-29, but all 60 House seats are up for election in November.

     According to her campaign website, Martinez is focused on the economy, specifically protecting local businesses, inflation and bringing high-paying jobs to the area. Transportation infrastructure is also a focus, as she aims to support I-10 expansion from Casa Grande to the Valley, where an expansion project to widen the two-lane stretch to three lanes is already underway. Martinez is also focused on law enforcement funding, school choice, water access and her pro-life stance on abortion.

     Republicans hope both seats go to Martinez and Lopez in a step to maintaining control of the House. Lopez stands alongside Martinez in her focus for law enforcement funding, small business protection, educational funding and school choice.

     Seaman hopes to retain his seat and, as a retired teacher, has campaigned on his support for public education, increasing Arizonans’ access to health care, water access and reproductive freedom.