(CNN) There is little in common between a retiree enclave west of arid Phoenix and a ribbon of urban, suburban and rural landscapes north of Columbus, Ohio.

But the unexpectedly tight win for a Republican in Arizona's 8th Congressional District on Tuesday evening has Democrats almost 2,000 miles away eagerly looking towards an August special election in Ohio as a prime opportunity to buck the political status quo yet again and win another special election before November.

"It is obvious that we should compete everywhere, and we can win just about anywhere and that the map is no longer the obstacle," Ohio Democratic Party chair David Pepper said on Wednesday. "All of the sudden, districts you didn't think you could win in, you can win in."

Both parties have had their eye on the race for Ohio's 12th Congressional District for months, according to conversations with multiple Republican and Democratic operatives, and agree that there is a good chance that the contest ends up being as tight, if not tighter, than past special elections.

The area, which has been represented by a Republican for 35 years, is more conservative than districts that include larger parts of Columbus. But one key reason for concern among Republicans is that the Ohio district is far less conservative than the one where Republican Debbie Lesko, a former state senator, bested Democrat Hiral Tipirneni by a slim 5 points in Arizona on Tuesday night.

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