Arizona’s political face is turning purple

PHOENIX — Red state, blue state, how about purple state?

A Valley political analyst said Arizona is becoming more purple and will eventually turn to a blue state.

Arizona has long been a red state but Mike O’Neil said a shift to purple or blue is inevitable. Still, it won’t happen by the 2016 presidential election.

“The longterm demographic shift is clear. It has to do with migration, not just Hispanics but more people coming to Arizona from elsewhere,” O’Neil said. “We will not be a lock-red state anymore.”

But Republicans will have a lock on the state legislature until 2020, he said.

“Just because of the way the districts are. A Democrat could be elected governor but that Democrat starts with a 6 percent handicap.”