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Arizona Democrats Name Priya Sundareshan Senate President, Oscar De Los Santos House Speaker After 60-Year Power Shift

Arizona Democrats have selected their leadership teams after winning control of both legislative chambers for the first time in 60 years. Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan will become Senate president and House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos will become the state's first openly LGBTQ+ House speaker when the 58th Legislature convenes in January 2027.

Arizona Democrats Name Priya Sundareshan Senate President, Oscar De Los Santos House Speaker After 60-Year Power Shift

Arizona Democrats have chosen the leaders who will steer the state Legislature when the party takes control of both chambers for the first time in six decades. Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan will become Senate president, and House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos will become House speaker when the 58th Legislature convenes in January 2027.

Sundareshan, entering her third term representing District 18 in the Tucson area, will preside over a Senate where Democrats hold a two-thirds supermajority after winning 20 of 30 seats in last week's midterm election. She said the caucus is focused on delivering tangible results for residents.

"We're united in our commitment to earn your trust every day by delivering results you can feel in your daily life," Sundareshan said. "That means lowering costs for working families, keeping our communities safe and giving every Arizonan a fair shot at getting ahead."

Senate Democrats selected Christine Marsh of District 5 as majority leader and Analise Ortiz of District 24 as majority whip. Sundareshan appointed Alma Hernandez of District 20 and Edgar Soto of District 17 as presidents pro tempore, and Rosanna Gabaldón of District 21 and Aaron Lieberman of District 4 as majority chairs.

In the House, De Los Santos will become the state's first Democratic speaker since 1966 and its first openly LGBTQ+ speaker. He is entering his third term representing District 11, which includes parts of downtown Phoenix, south Phoenix and Laveen. Democrats are on track to win 37 of the chamber's 60 seats.

"It took a lot of hard work to get here, but we have much more to do," De Los Santos said. "Our priorities have been consistently focused on bringing down costs for housing, childcare and healthcare for working people and middle-class Arizonans. Now we have a mandate, a moral obligation and a historic opportunity to deliver an Arizona we can afford."

House Democrats chose Nancy Gutierrez of District 18 as majority leader, Brian Garcia of District 8 and Kevin Volk of District 17 as whips, and Quantá Crews of District 26 as speaker pro tempore.

On the Republican side, current House Speaker Steve Montenegro of District 29 will lead his caucus as minority leader, with Michael Carbone of District 25 as assistant minority leader and Lupe Diaz of District 19 as minority whip. Montenegro said the party's principles remain unchanged despite the shift in power.

"Our role in the House is changing, but our principles and our responsibility to Arizona families are not," Montenegro said. "Our vision for Arizona has always been grounded in three commitments: preserving the American Dream, promoting public safety and protecting individual rights and liberties."

The Senate GOP has not yet named a minority leader. District 3 Sen. John Kavanagh, the current majority leader, is the highest-ranking Republican to win reelection. Former Senate President Warren Petersen ran for attorney general but lost to Democratic incumbent Kris Mayes.

The leadership selections mark a dramatic reversal for a state that has been dominated by Republican legislators for generations. With Democrats now holding both chambers and the governor's office, the party faces pressure to address affordability, public safety and other priorities before voters render their next verdict.

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