State Highlights

This Republican-leaning state reverted to type on Tuesday, giving convincing victories to Gov. Jan Brewer and Senator John McCain, and reversing most of the gains Democrats had made in recent years.

After losing three of Arizona’s House seats in the last two cycles, Republicans took back two of them, and will hold at least five of eight in the new Congress. Paul Gosar bested Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, and David Schweikert defeated Representative Harry Mitchell.

Another Democratic House member, Gabrielle Giffords, had a slight lead over her opponent, Jesse Kelly, but the vote count was not complete. The race for an open Republican seat was won by Ben Quayle, the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle.

In the last two elections for governor, Arizona had chosen a Democrat, Janet Napolitano, and in the current Congress it had a majority-Democratic House delegation for the first time since the 1960s.

But in a sign of what kind of year this was, the greatest concern for both Mr. McCain and Ms. Brewer was not winning over independents, but placating conservatives.

Ms. Brewer took office less than two years ago, when Ms. Napolitano resigned to become secretary of homeland security, and she has had a roller coaster of a time. She soon faced a backlash from conservatives for raising taxes, and early this year, polls showed her trailing Terry Goddard, the Democratic attorney general.

But after she signed a strict anti-immigration bill and joined in a lawsuit against the federal health care overhaul, conservatives flocked back to her and her popularity soared. That momentum, and the rising Republican tide, were more than enough to carry her past some campaign stumbles that eroded her lead over Mr. Goddard.

Mr. McCain drew fire from conservatives over his efforts to compromise with Democrats on climate change and immigration legislation. He moved to his right and survived a primary challenge from a more conservative Republican, former Representative J. D. Hayworth. On Tuesday, he easily dispensed with his Democratic opponent, Rodney Glassman, former vice mayor of Tucson.

Arizonans approved a state constitutional amendment intended to undermine the new federal health care law, by prohibiting “any law or rule from compelling any person, employer or health care provider to participate in any health care system.” It is not clear what legal weight the measure has.

Voters overwhelmingly approved an initiative requiring secret-ballot elections for workers to unionize, which organized labor had vehemently opposed. On a measure to legalize the use of marijuana to treat certain medical conditions, the vote was too close to call.

Republicans also strengthened their hold on both houses of the Legislature.

RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA