Arizona's newly-created First Congressional District sprawls across 58,000 square miles, making it one of the nation's largest. Identified as one of the few competitive districts in the 2002 election, the open seat race attracted 15 candidates. Two political novices emerged from the primary election to claim their parties' nominations. Republican Rick Renzi financed his primary campaign from his own deep pockets, buying name recognition throughout the district. Democrat George Cordova employed a grassroots strategy and garnered support on the Navajo reservation to win a surprise primary victory that stunned and immobilized his party. In the general election, national Republican money and an intense negative advertising campaign brought big-city election tactics to rural Arizona for the first time. George Cordova found himself buried in an avalanche of Republican soft money as Rick Renzi claimed the seat.