Arizona’s primary elections on July 21 delivered statewide wins for Trump-backed Republican candidates, with former NFL kicker Jay Feely capturing the GOP nomination in the state’s 1st Congressional District, a closely watched swing seat.
In the governor’s race, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, a Trump-endorsed hard-right congressman and former chair of the House Freedom Caucus, won the Republican primary to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in November. Biggs defeated fellow Republican Rep. David Schweikert, who had left his competitive House seat to run for governor. Hobbs ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and secured her party’s nomination for a second term.
Feely, a former Arizona Cardinals kicker, won the GOP primary in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, which spans affluent areas including Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Fountain Hills. He defeated former state lawmaker Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Troubough. Democrat Amish Shah, an emergency room physician who received 48% of the vote against incumbent David Schweikert in 2024, led the Democratic primary field and is expected to face Feely in November. The district has long been a Democratic target as Arizona’s suburbs have shifted away from Republicans.
Trump-backed candidates also prevailed in other key races. Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb won the Republican primary for Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, which he will defend in November against Democrat Elizabeth Lee, a nurse. Lamb’s victory came despite allegations of sexual misconduct reported in an Arizona Republic investigation; prosecutors found no basis for criminal charges, and Trump has reaffirmed his support.
The Arizona primary results underscore Trump’s continued influence over Republican voters in the state, even as the party confronts challenging conditions heading into the midterm elections. Democrats are banking on national headwinds—high gas prices and an unpopular Iran war have weighed on Trump’s approval ratings—to flip competitive seats in Arizona, a battleground state that has trended Democratic since 2016. Two House districts in Arizona are seen as key to Democratic hopes of controlling Congress.
Arizona has undergone a political transformation over the past decade. Democrats now control the state’s top three offices—governor, attorney general, and secretary of state—as well as both U.S. Senate seats. Trump narrowly carried Arizona in 2024 after losing the state four years earlier, a defeat he unsuccessfully sought to overturn.
Sources
- Reuters — confirmed Jay Feely’s primary win and Trump endorsement
- The Guardian — reported Andy Biggs’ victory, his role in January 6 efforts, and Hobbs’ unopposed nomination
- Arizona Mirror — detailed Feely’s win and the Democratic race in CD-1
- Politico — covered Feely’s and Lamb’s primary victories
- USA Today — reported that Trump-backed candidates Biggs, Feely, and Lamb all won their GOP primaries
- Fox News — confirmed Hobbs’ unopposed Democratic primary win and Lamb’s Republican primary victory
- KTAR News — reported results across multiple Arizona House districts
