A total of 114 Democratic candidates have filed to run for the Arizona Legislature, topping the previous record of 101 in 2002.

Calling it a “reverse coattail,” Charles Fisher, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, is working to ensure a Democrat will be on the ballot in all 30 legislative districts.

“Making sure that folks even in traditionally conservative areas have a reason to get excited to go vote and having candidates at the local level is what really drives turnout and narrow the margins for our top-ticket candidates,” he said.

Fisher also touted the diversity of the 114 candidates. There are 58 women and 54 candidates of color in the field. He said many were inspired to run in November 2016.

“And then a whole host of events over the course of 2017 maintained that energy and the #RedForEd movement as well,” he said.

While there are more Democrats filed to run than Republicans, Constantin Querard, president of Grassroot Partners, a conservative consulting firm, says Republicans aren't too worried.

“Similar to the Clinton/Sanders primary battle, it is also the result of the left battling the far left and so you see unusual primaries in districts where Democrats have no chance in the general yet they're having contested primaries,” Querard said.

The final candidate list for the 2018 primaries will be released after Wednesday’s filing deadline.