) ▁and ▁Dem ocrat ▁Marcus ▁A . ▁Smith ▁( class ▁ 3 ). ▁ ▁Henry ▁F . ▁Ash urst ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Territ orial ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁territory ' s ▁young est ▁speaker . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Territ orial ▁Senate . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁Ash urst ▁pres ided ▁over ▁Arizona ' s ▁constitution al ▁convention . ▁During ▁the ▁convention , ▁he ▁position ed ▁himself ▁for ▁a ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁seat ▁by ▁avoid ing ▁the ▁political ▁fighting ▁over ▁various ▁cla uses ▁in ▁the ▁constitution ▁which ▁dam aged ▁his ▁riv als . ▁ ▁Marcus ▁A . ▁Smith ▁announced ▁his ▁candid acy ▁for ▁one ▁of ▁Arizona ' s ▁two ▁sen ate ▁seats ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 1 1 . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁campaign ▁began , ▁Smith ▁abandoned ▁his ▁long ▁standing ▁conserv ative ▁stand ▁and ▁declared ▁himself ▁a ▁" Progress ive ". ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁ad mission ▁of ▁Arizona ▁as ▁a ▁state ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁the ▁Arizona ▁State ▁Legisl ature ▁confirmed ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁Smith ▁and ▁Ash urst ▁as ▁the ▁state ' s ▁first ▁U . S . ▁sen ators ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁taking ▁office ▁April ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁ ▁Colorado ▁▁ ▁On ▁January