Maricopa County, AZ GOP percentages (2000-2012)

[All Along The Watchtower]

Bush: 53.23%
Bush: 56.86%
McCain: 54.43%
Romney: 54.30%

It's interesting to me that despite Arizona's conservatism, Bush improved by about the same number of points in Maricopa County in 2004 as he did nationwide.

McCain would have done much better as a Favorite Son in 2008 if not for the economy crashing. Plus, the Latino population has been growing there, though many of them don't and/or can't vote.

I'm guessing Romney got a boost among the Mormons there and some of the general upscale suburbanite voters that may have voted for Obama in 2008, but returned to the GOP in 2012.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Don't underestimate the influence of Hispanics, my friend.  The national Hispanic vote in 2012 was nearly 75% for Obama.  I suspect that's why McCain and Romney got a lower total percentage than Bush in 2004.  Then again, so did Bush in 2000, but I  think that's easily explained by the fact that he made such large inroads with them in '04.