Sounds like the state is doing Ok. What happened to turn AZ purple is California migration, specifically LA to Phoenix.

https://la.curbed.com/2018/11/2/18055974/los-angeles-where-to-move-away

IMO Arizona Republicans favored the Phoenix area over Democratic strongholds like Tucson, ... so many of the Californians moved to Phoenix. If a former Angeleno wants to fly back home, Phoenix has all the direct air routes to multiple airports in the LA area. From Tucson I can only fly direct to LAX usually. Driving is closer on I-10 too. Most of the sporting venues moved to the Phoenix area (Tucson used to have a lot of spring training but tax incentive over it all to Phoenix. So basically AZ Republicans kind of screwed themselves ..