Rebekah L. Sanders

The Republic | azcentral.com

U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar%2C R-Ariz.%2C keeps his family home in the 1st District while he runs for the 4th.

Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin lives in the 4th District while he campaigns for the 1st.

Gosar rented an apartment to deflect criticism. Tobin%2C who previously attacked Gosar for his move%2C didn%27t bother.

PRESCOTT – Two Republican congressional candidates don't own homes in the districts they seek to represent.

U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., keeps his family home in the 1st District while he runs for the 4th.

Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin lives in the 4th District while he campaigns for the 1st.

Gosar rented an apartment to deflect criticism. Tobin, who previously attacked Gosar for his move, didn't bother.

Their decisions to run despite questions over their residency highlightthat for some politicians pursuing political opportunity means running away from home, even when they know some voters will disapprove.

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Though no law requires U.S. House candidates to live in the districts they seek, living elsewhere can open their campaigns up to attack. When it rains in the district, voters often want their representative to get doused, too.

But in sprawling Arizona districts like the 1st and 4th, where driving the length can take a day, living outside the boundaries may not mean as much. Gosar and Tobin say more important is their understanding of rural Arizona's needs.

And the political risk can pay off.

For Gosar, the district switch helped him win one of the safest conservative seats in