Selina Bliss

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Selina Bliss
Image of Selina Bliss

Candidate, Arizona House of Representatives District 1

Arizona House of Representatives District 1
Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Predecessor

Compensation

Base salary

$24,000/year

Per diem

For legislators residing within Maricopa County: $35/day. For legislators residing outside of Maricopa County: $251.66.

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 5, 2024

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

High school

Prescott High School

Bachelor's

Arizona State University, 1984-05

Graduate

Arizona State University, 1992

Ph.D

Capella University, 2014-05

Personal
Birthplace
Wagner, S.D.
Religion
Catholic
Profession
Healthcare professional
Contact

Selina Bliss (Republican Party) is a member of the Arizona House of Representatives, representing District 1. She assumed office on January 9, 2023. Her current term ends on January 11, 2027.

Bliss (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the Arizona House of Representatives to represent District 1. She declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]

Biography

Selina Bliss was born in Wagner, South Dakota. She earned a high school diploma from Prescott High School, a bachelor's degree in nursing from Arizona State University in 1984, a master's degree in nursing from Arizona State University in 1992, and a doctorate in nursing education from Capella University in 2014. Bliss’s career experience includes working as a nurse and nurse educator.[1][2]

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at:editor@ballotpedia.org.

2023-2024

Bliss was assigned to the following committees:


Elections

2026

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Incumbent Selina Bliss is running in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on November 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Selina Bliss
Selina Bliss (R)

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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2024

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Incumbent Selina Bliss and incumbent Quang Nguyen defeated Marcia Smith and Jay Ruby in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Selina Bliss
Selina Bliss (R) Candidate Connection
 
33.9
 
88,691
Image of Quang Nguyen
Quang Nguyen (R)
 
33.5
 
87,726
Image of Marcia Smith
Marcia Smith (D) Candidate Connection
 
16.9
 
44,199
Image of Jay Ruby
Jay Ruby (D) Candidate Connection
 
15.6
 
40,911

Total votes: 261,527
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Marcia Smith and Jay Ruby advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on July 30, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Marcia Smith
Marcia Smith Candidate Connection
 
53.4
 
16,516
Image of Jay Ruby
Jay Ruby Candidate Connection
 
46.6
 
14,397

Total votes: 30,913
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Incumbent Quang Nguyen and incumbent Selina Bliss defeated Shawn Wildman in the Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on July 30, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Quang Nguyen
Quang Nguyen
 
44.3
 
38,264
Image of Selina Bliss
Selina Bliss Candidate Connection
 
39.4
 
34,074
Shawn Wildman
 
16.3
 
14,117

Total votes: 86,455
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Campaign finance

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Bliss in this election.

2022

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Incumbent Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss defeated Cathy Ransom and Neil Sinclair in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Quang Nguyen
Quang Nguyen (R)
 
33.2
 
75,106
Image of Selina Bliss
Selina Bliss (R) Candidate Connection
 
33.0
 
74,731
Cathy Ransom (D)
 
17.5
 
39,665
Image of Neil Sinclair
Neil Sinclair (D)
 
16.3
 
36,867

Total votes: 226,369
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Cathy Ransom and Neil Sinclair advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Cathy Ransom
 
54.3
 
19,105
Image of Neil Sinclair
Neil Sinclair
 
45.7
 
16,103

Total votes: 35,208
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Incumbent Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss defeated incumbent Judy Burges and Ryan Cadigan in the Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Quang Nguyen
Quang Nguyen
 
40.8
 
36,832
Image of Selina Bliss
Selina Bliss Candidate Connection
 
26.8
 
24,161
Image of Judy Burges
Judy Burges
 
23.0
 
20,732
Image of Ryan Cadigan
Ryan Cadigan
 
9.4
 
8,450

Total votes: 90,175
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign finance

2020

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Judy Burges and Quang Nguyen defeated Judy Stahl in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Judy Burges
Judy Burges (R)
 
40.8
 
92,058
Image of Quang Nguyen
Quang Nguyen (R)
 
38.3
 
86,405
Image of Judy Stahl
Judy Stahl (D) Candidate Connection
 
20.9
 
47,204

Total votes: 225,667
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Judy Stahl advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Judy Stahl
Judy Stahl Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
19,201

Total votes: 19,201
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Quang Nguyen and Judy Burges defeated Selina Bliss, Steven Sensmeier, and Ed Cocchiola in the Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 1 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Quang Nguyen
Quang Nguyen
 
30.4
 
27,279
Image of Judy Burges
Judy Burges
 
23.6
 
21,195
Image of Selina Bliss
Selina Bliss Candidate Connection
 
20.9
 
18,777
Steven Sensmeier
 
14.4
 
12,972
Ed Cocchiola
 
10.7
 
9,576

Total votes: 89,799
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign finance

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Selina Bliss has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Selina Bliss, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

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2024

Candidate Connection

Selina Bliss completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Bliss' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

As a nurse for 40 years, and a nursing educator at the local community college for 26 years, I am accustomed to being put in a position that makes a difference in the lives of others. I come from a long line of public servants in my family and know what is required to step up to work as a legislator at the state level.

I have been highly engaged with the communities in Yavapai County and volunteer for several political and civic organizations including the Yavapai County Republican Party, the State and National Federation of Republican Women, the Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association, The Well-Armed Woman, and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue.

I have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to serve in the State House and thrive in demanding environments. As a state legislator and a lifelong conservative Republican, my priorities are fiscal responsibility, economic security, limited government, and the protection of state rights. Through my actions, I uphold the Constitution and defend Republican values and principles including defending life, securing our borders, protecting Second Amendment rights, restoring election integrity, and supporting our troops and families.
  • The first key message is to protect our southern border, as we need secure borders to promote legal entry into our country and to discourage human and drug trafficking.
  • The second key message is to reduce the tax burden and government overregulation of our citizens by maintaining fiscal responsibility and promoting economic opportunity.
  • The third key message is to restore confidence in our elections because if there is doubt in our elections it shakes the confidence of the voters.
A top priority for the constituents in LD-1 and Arizona is to provide for economic opportunity. Less governmental regulation and reduced taxation will be critical in protecting our economy. Let’s get Arizonans to work by supporting excellence in education where smart spending is important. As an educator, I believe in empowering others for earned success and not learned helplessness. These areas of public policy are what I am passionate about and are what motivate me to serve, as I come from a family of public servants and am called to keep Arizona great!
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck as it is a great American novel that was set at challenging times in this country during the Great Depression. I come from a long line of small farmers from the Midwest and appreciate how dreams and human tenacity to seek employment and thus maintain ones’ dignity is a driving force. I appreciated from this book that even the most impoverished of persons can achieve their dreams.
Responsibilities include the ability to lead and represent the constituents we serve. It is imperative to gather input and feedback from subject matter experts when crafting legislation.
Selina left Arizona a better place as a result of her work.
In this environment of a split government, it is imperative to work with the governor’s office to set goals with the end in mind for bills. Early input in the process is ideal for the success of a bill.
The state’s greatest challenges in the next decade include the current environment of a split government, where we are challenged to agree on what is best for Arizona and the citizens we serve.
While State legislators don't necessarily need previous experience in government or politics, life experiences and experiences in leadership roles appear to be of great advantage. The talents various legislators bring to the House of Representatives make for a dynamic and varied group that best represents the districts they serve.
Relationships are critical to getting work done in the State House of Representatives. Trust is required and this must be earned. In order to gain trust, a person must be steadfast to their ideals and not waver in their convictions.
I model myself after my grandfather who served in the South Dakota State House for 17 years.
No, I am not currently interested in running for a different political office in the future. Like my grandfather who served in the South Dakota State House for 17 years, I am called to serve in the Arizona State House of Representatives.
I have bills I have introduced from several categories. One category we hear is important for the constituents we serve is the proliferation of short-term rentals displacing homeowners and destroying the private property rights of the residents. It is time to introduce a bill that protects all property owners and property rights.
The Arizona State Troopers Association

The Arizona Police Association
The Center for Arizona Policy Action
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club
Straight Talk Sedona
Conservatives for a Constitutional Republic
The National Rifle Association
The Arizona Small Business Association
National Federation of Independent Business
Home Builders Association of Central Arizona
The Greater Phoenix Chamber
Arizona Medical Association
Arizona Academy of Family Physicians
Arizona Nurses Association

Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona
As a current member of the House Health and Human Services Committee, my next interest is to serve as Chair. As a result of being a nurse for 40 years, and a nursing educator for the past 25 years, I have come to realize I have the knowledge, skill, and abilities this committee benefits from.
Financial transparency and government accountability are critical in providing confidence in the government to the constituents served.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2022

Candidate Connection

Selina Bliss completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Bliss' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

As a nurse for 36 years, and a nursing educator at the local community college for the past 26 years, I am accustomed to being put in a position that makes a difference in the lives of others. I come from a long line of public servants in my family and know what is required to step up to work as a legislator at the state level.

A have been highly engaged with the communities in Yavapai County and volunteer for several political and civic organizations including the Yavapai County Republican Party, the State and National Federation of Republican Women, the Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association, The Well-Armed Woman, and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue.

I have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to serve in the State House and thrive in demanding environments. As a state legislator, and a life-long conservative Republican, my priorities are fiscal responsibility, economic opportunity, limited government, and the protection of state rights. Through my actions, I uphold the Constitution and defend Republican values and principles including defending life, securing our borders, protecting second amendment rights, restoring election integrity, and supporting our troops and families.

  • The first key message is to secure the border, as we need secure borders to promote legal entry into our country and to discourage human and drug trafficking.
  • The second key message is to restore election integrity because if there is doubt in our elections it shakes the confidence of the voters.
  • The third key message is to fight back against federal assaults on our 2nd Amendment rights by protecting the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. Arizona deserves strong leadership in reaching these goals, and unlike other candidates who only talk about these issues, I have experience in these issues that will help me to promote legislation that protects Arizona.
A top priority for the constituents in LD-1 and Arizona is to provide for economic opportunity. Less governmental regulation and reduced taxation will be critical in protecting our economy. Let’s get Arizonans to work by supporting excellence in education where smart spending is important. As an educator, I believe in empowering others for earned success and not learned helplessness. These areas of public policy are what I am passionate about and are what motivate me to serve, as I come from a family of public servants and am called to keep Arizona great!

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Candidate Connection

Selina Bliss completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Bliss' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Motivated by a deep love and care for Arizona, Selina Bliss is a candidate for the AZ State House of Representatives. She grew up, raised her family, and has lived in Legislative District 1 since 1971. She has a respect for our rich history, love of our community, and is dedicated to protecting and strengthening our communities.

As a nurse for 35 years, Selina comes from a highly respected profession and is accustomed to being in a position that makes a difference in the lives of others. She comes from a long line of public servants in her family and knows what is required to step up to work as a legislator at the state level. She is called to serve and has a passion to give back to the community in which she was raised and where she stayed to raise her family.

  • As a principled conservative her priorities are to honor our Constitution and defend the Republican values and principles. This includes protecting life, religious and educational freedom, securing our borders, defending the second amendment and the right to bear arms, and supporting our troops and families.
  • Selina has proven leadership experiences and the ability to communicate with others which is important to accomplish legislation that meets the needs of the constituents of LD-1. As a Patriot, she believes in hard work and family values.
  • Selina possesses the purpose, passion, and power to serve. She is optimistic of a better future even if it means tough decisions and a lot of effort. She has the courage and integrity required of this office. She is internally motivated, not externally influenced, to serve the constituents of Arizona and LD-1. Selina is your candidate!
Selina has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to serve in the State House and thrives in demanding environments. As a state legislator and a life-long conservative Republican her priorities are fiscal responsibility, economic opportunity, limited government, and the protection of state rights. She has the experience and wisdom to take our communities into the future.
I look up to my grandfather, Harold Sieh, who served in the South Dakota State House of Representatives for 16 years, much of that as Chair of the Appropriations Committee. I grew up watching him make tough decisions that weren't always popular but needed to be done. I come from a family of public servants and am ready to follow the footsteps of those who came before me.
I am an honest and trustworthy individual that believes in family values and the virtues of hard work.
The core responsibilities are to represent the public a legislator serves and not to make decisions behind closed doors without the input of the public.
Selina left Arizona a better place as a result of her work.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a great American novel that was set at challenging times in this country during the Great Depression. I come from a long line of small farmers from the Midwest and appreciate how dreams and human tenacity to seek employment and thus maintain ones' dignity is a driving force. I appreciated in this book that even the most impoverished of persons can achieve their dreams.
Struggle to take time off and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.
While State legislators don't necessarily need previous experience in government or politics, they do need to have previous experience in leadership roles. Community leaders without political experience have a lot to offer as a fresh point of view and ability to get work done. The talents various legislators bring to the House of Representatives make for a dynamic and varied group that best represents the populations they serve.
Relationships are critical to getting work done in the State House of Representatives. Trust is required and this must be earned. In order to gain trust, a person must be steadfast to their ideals and not waver in their convictions.
My priority is to serve on the Health and Human Services Committee. As a nurse for 36 years, and a nursing educator for the past 25 years, I have the knowledge, skill, and abilities this committee could benefit from.

My second priority is the Transportation Committee as I see the work Noel Campbell, who is the current Chair of this committee, is doing that is critical to rural Arizona. Since Representative Campbell is not re-running, it is important to keep strong rural representation on this committee.

Finally, I want to serve on the Appropriations Committee as that is where the tough decisions are made and I have the ability to consider the data and evidence when making tough decisions.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Selina Bliss campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Arizona House of Representatives District 1Won general$39,077 $17,306
2022Arizona House of Representatives District 1Won general$48,322 $48,338
2020Arizona House of Representatives District 1Lost primary$43,172 N/A**
Grand total$130,570 $65,644
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Arizona

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Arizona scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.


2024


2023








See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. ’’Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 16, 2020’’
  2. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 7, 2024


Current members of the Arizona House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Steve Montenegro
Majority Leader:Michael Carbone
Minority Leader:Oscar De Los Santos
Representatives
District 1
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District 3
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District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 13
District 14
District 15
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Lupe Diaz (R)
District 20
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District 23
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Lisa Fink (R)
District 28
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Republican Party (33)
Democratic Party (27)