Longtime Republican Jim Kolbe retired in 2007 , and was succeeded by Democrat Gabrielle Giffords , who was shot and severely wounded at a public event on January 8 , 2011 . Giffords resigned her seat in January 2012 . A special election that was on June 12 , 2012 elected Ron Barber as the new congressman
shot and severely wounded
2011 Tucson shooting
Arizona's 8th congressional district