Republican Primaries in Arizona Set Congressional and State Races

Republican primary elections in Arizona on Tuesday established the GOP nominees for a critical congressional seat and the state's chief election officer. Jay Feely, a former Arizona Cardinals kicker, won the Republican primary for Arizona's 1st Congressional District. Endorsed by President Donald Trump, Feely defeated candidates Joseph Chaplik and John Trobough. The district, covering Scottsdale and north Phoenix, is a key battleground for congressional control as current representative David Schweikert vacates the seat to run for governor. In the Democratic primary for the same seat, former state legislator Amish Shah leads a four-way race with 42% of the vote.

In the race for secretary of state, Arizona State Representative and attorney Alexander Kolodin won the Republican nomination, defeating former party chair Gina Swoboda. Kolodin, who is supported by Turning Point USA and several members of Congress, has a history of challenging the 2020 and 2022 election results and sponsoring stricter voter ID requirements. He will face incumbent Democrat Adrian Fontes in the general election. Kolodin has argued that voters have serious concerns regarding the transparency of election administration, while Fontes has criticized efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to cast doubt on election results.