Eli Crane represents the largest mass of land in Arizona at over 20,000 square miles. But records show he lives in a home an hour outside of that district. 

The Copper State Republican, who was elected in 2022, lives in Oro Valley, a Tucson suburb in the district represented by fellow Republican Juan Ciscomani. His residence is about an hour's drive south of the closest point to his own district. 

Records indicate that Crane and his wife rent a property in Oro Valley. It's the same address he listed on financial documents during his campaign. He again listed it on his 2024 federal candidate nomination paper. 

But now closing in on two years since the election, he and his family have not picked up their belongings and moved to be closer to the community he represents. 

Residence Concerns

Crane's financial disclosures show he has assets worth up to $2 million, and a bank account worth up to $1 million. He lists no liabilities.

Crane, 44, and his wife Jennifer have two daughters. Crane won his last election in the second district 54 to 46 percent - a safe Republican lead. 

Ciscomani's district, where Crane lives, is much more competitive: Ciscomani won his race in 2022 50.7 to 49.2 percent. 

Crane's Democratic opponent Jonathan Nez knocked him for living in the Tucson area while representing a 'rural' community.

'As a Navajo, I am from this district, and my family has lived here since time immemorial,' Nez said in a statement to DailyMail.com. 

Crane's campaign could not be reached for comment.  

'I've worked hard to serve the families of rural Arizona. Rep. Crane lives near where he was born -- in Tucson. That's a nice place, but it's not rural Arizona. The median household income in his town (Oro Valley) is around $100,000 per year. No wonder he doesn't understand life in rural Arizona.'

Residency Requirements for Congress

Members of Congress are not required to live in their districts - but they do have to reside within the state they represent.   

Members are required to take up two residences - one typically in their home district or state and one in Washington, D.C. Some members even move out their families and enroll their children in school in D.C.'s surrounding suburbs. 

Some members live outside the districts they represent, but usually it becomes campaign fodder for their opponents who criticize them for it.  

Crane's Background

Crane, a member of the right wing Freedom Caucus, is a former Navy Seal who after leaving the military in 2014 started a company that makes bottle openers out of bullet shell casings. He and his wife got funding for the company after pitching it on Shark Tank and he sold it in 2022. 

He was born in Tucson, Arizona and raised in Yuma. He was attending college at the University of Arizona when the September 11 attacks occurred and dropped out to enlist in the Navy after that. 

As a Seal, he deployed five times.  

A 'Nice Place' But Not Rural Arizona

Crane's continued residency in Oro Valley has become a point of contention for his constituents. Critics argue that his decision to live outside of the district demonstrates a lack of understanding of the challenges faced by rural communities, a point he has been repeatedly challenged on by his opponents. With Crane facing no significant primary opposition, it remains to be seen if this will become a central issue in the 2024 general election. However, it's a topic that will undoubtedly continue to be discussed and debated in the weeks and months to come.