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Just 1 Arizona educator won a seat at the Capitol. Here’s how she did it.

Democrat Jennifer Pawlik, a former Chandler elementary school teacher, prevailed in the race for two House seats in a Republican legislative district.

PHOENIX — Fueled by the #RedForEd movement and outrage over Arizona’s record of underfunding schools, several educators ran for the state Legislature during the midterm elections.

Just one of them prevailed and she did it in stunning fashion: Democrat Jennifer Pawlik, a former Chandler elementary school teacher, was the top vote getter in the race for two House seats in a Republican legislative district.

On this weekend’s “Sunday Square Off,” Pawlik shares how she won the election and why she didn’t give up after losing her first run for the same seat two years ago.

Also on ‘Square Off’:

All-GOP consumer watchdog gets a Democrat: Democrat Sandra Kennedy reclaimed her seat on the five-member Arizona Corporation Commission, after a six-year absence. Kennedy explains what she can get done as the lone Democrat on the state commission that serves as consumers’ watchdog on the state’s electric, gas and water utilities.

Who split their tickets? Data experts Ren Larson of the Arizona Republic and Garrett Archer, data analyst for the secretary of state’s office, uncover the Maricopa County voters who crossed party lines by voting for Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and Democratic Senator-elect Kyrsten Sinema. Ticket-splitting resulted in Maricopa County, the largest county in the state, transforming from Republican red to purple, as several Democrats won the countywide vote. What could that mean for the 2020 presidential election?

“Sunday Square Off” airs at 8 a.m. Sundays on 12 News, after NBC’s “Meet the Press,” with Chuck Todd.

Teacher didn’t give up after losing 2016 election 

 See video above

Democrat Jennifer Pawlik explains how she won a seat in the Legislature in a Republican East Valley district. She was the only one of several educators on the midterm ballot to win the election.

What can a Democrat get done on GOP-dominated watchdog? 

Democrat Sandra Kennedy explains what she can get done as the lone Democrat on the state commission that serves as consumers’ watchdog on the state’s electric, gas and water utilities.

Meet the voters who split vote for Ducey and Sinema 

Experts on election data show us which Maricopa County voters crossed party lines by voting for Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and Democratic Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema.

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