Two candidates vying for LD 16 Senate seats

Arizona's 16th legislative district is one of 30 in the state, consisting of sections of Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties. It was created in January 2022.

Meet the 2024 LD 16 state senate candidates:

Stacey Seaman

Democrat Stacey Seaman is running for the LD 16 state senate seat against incumbent Republican T.J. Shope. (Courtesy Stacey Seaman)

Seaman, a Democrat, grew up in the rural community of Lake Havasu City and was involved in both her community and politics at an early age. She was one of the founding members of the Young Democrats of America Club at her high school and also volunteered for her dad’s (LD 16 State House Democratic Member Keith Seaman) first legislative campaign when she was 16.

She has been prominent in the Casa Grande community and served on the Casa Grande Arts and Humanities Commission for nine years, the Casa Grande Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for two years and was a three-year member of the Creative Communities grant delegation through the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

Seaman has been a Casa Grande “Voices” of the Future Honoree, named an Exemplary Woman Leader for Pinal County, and a National Women in Business Week Honoree.

Seamon received two master’s degrees from Southern Oregon University and the University of Northern Colorado. After working as a professor of music at Central Arizona College, she now is the director of the college’s Pence Center for the Arts. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in music education from Boston University.

T.J. Shope

Republican T.J. Shope is running for reelection for his his LD 16 state senate seat (Courtesy Shope campaign)

Republican Incumbent T.J. Shope’s family background is rooted in his community. His grandmother and grandfather, Luisa and Jesse Salazar, have been a positive influence in his life. Jesse Salazar worked for 32 years as a miner in both Superior and San Manuel and was a member of the United Steelworkers. Shope’s other grandfather opened an independent grocery store in a small Arizona town 60 years ago.

Shops and his family continue to own, operate and work in that store today. He lives with his wife Melissa in Coolidge.

He has served his community for many years, including as a member and president of his local school board. Shope has won the "Freshman of the Year" award from the Arizona Mining Association, was recognized as one of the "Tech Ten" legislators by the Arizona Technology Council and has received other accolades.