Shah wins Arizona Democratic primary, rejects party-backed rival

Former NFL kicker Jay Feely wins GOP nomination

Shah defeats DCCC-backed challenger; Feely wins GOP nod

Amish Shah, an emergency physician who previously served as a state lawmaker, won the Democratic primary in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District on Wednesday, according to media projections, defeating Marlene Galán-Woods, a former Republican who switched parties and was backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Shah’s victory marks another instance this cycle in which primary voters have rejected the national party’s preferred candidate. The DCCC, the campaign arm of House Democrats, had backed Galán-Woods, a former television journalist who changed her party affiliation at the beginning of Trump’s first term.

Shah, who was the Democratic nominee in the district in 2024, led Galán-Woods by about 5,000 votes in early returns Tuesday night, according to results reported by Arizona media outlets.

On the Republican side, Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker who played for the New York Jets and was endorsed by President Donald Trump, won his primary, defeating several rivals including former state lawmakers. Before becoming political opponents, Feely and Shah were part of the same organization — Shah served as a sideline doctor for the New York Jets while Feely was the team’s kicker.

The 1st Congressional District covers an affluent area including northeast Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and Paradise Valley. Although Republicans hold a voter registration advantage in the district, it has shifted toward the center over the past decade and is expected to be one of the most competitive House races in the country this fall, as reported by MSI previously.

The open seat is being vacated by Republican Rep. David Schweikert, who ran for governor instead of seeking reelection. Schweikert lost the GOP gubernatorial primary to U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs on Tuesday, according to a race call by the Associated Press.

Control of the U.S. House, where Republicans currently hold a narrow majority, is expected to hinge on roughly three dozen competitive seats, including Arizona’s 1st District.