Arizona Republican voters nominated far-right candidates for governor and key U.S. House seats in Tuesday’s primary elections, securing victories for President Donald Trump’s endorsed picks. While these results solidify the party’s direction, they set up high-stakes general election contests that could determine the balance of power in Congress and the state’s executive branch.
Rep. Andy Biggs and the Republican nomination for governor
Trump-Backed Candidates Reshape the GOP Ballot
Republican primary voters in Arizona have firmly aligned the party’s statewide ticket with the MAGA brand. Rep. Andy Biggs, who served as chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus from 2019 to 2022, defeated Rep. David Schweikert to secure the Republican nomination for governor. Biggs, a prominent Trump supporter, has made a name for himself by questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election. His victory over the more traditional conservatism of Schweikert highlights a shift in the state’s GOP base.
State Rep. Alexander Kolodin and the GOP nomination for secretary of state
The trend extended to other key positions. State Rep. Alexander Kolodin won the GOP nomination for secretary of state, bolstered by backing from Turning Point, the political machine founded in Arizona by Charlie Kirk. Additionally, state Senate President Warren Petersen secured the nomination for attorney general. Petersen has long made unfounded claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election and, earlier this year, turned over files to the FBI from a 2021 state Senate investigation into claims of election irregularities in Maricopa County, as part of Trump’s ongoing effort to question the results.
According to Ben Giles, political editor at KJZZ, these primary results signal that Republican voters prefer far-right candidates. However, Giles noted that Trump’s endorsement is not always as meaningful in the general election, where these candidates must appeal to a broader portion of the electorate, particularly Arizona’s influential bloc of independent voters. This outcome has left some Republicans worried that Democrats could again win key races in the swing state, noting that Trump’s brand has stumbled in Arizona in recent years, such as the failure of Kari Lake to win either governor or Senate races.
“A complete sweep,” President Donald Trump
Jay Feely and the Republican nomination for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District
Stakes for the House and the Governor’s Mansion
The Republican nominations have transformed the landscape for the Nov. 3 midterm elections. In the gubernatorial race, Biggs will face incumbent Democrat Katie Hobbs, who was unopposed in her primary. Hobbs, who promotes herself as a bipartisan politician, has said in interviews that she expects a close contest. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the state as leaning Democratic. Biggs’s staunch opposition to abortion sets up a stark contrast with Hobbs, especially as Arizona voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2024 that made abortion legal until the point of fetal viability, despite many Republicans in the state legislature continuing to favor restrictions.
Meanwhile, the battle for the House of Representatives remains intense. Former professional football player Jay Feely, who is also backed by Trump, defeated two challengers to secure the Republican nomination for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, a seat currently held by Schweikert. Democrats have targeted this open Phoenix metropolitan district as a top priority in their quest to win back majority control of the House. Republicans currently hold 218 House seats to Democrats’ 212 seats, not counting one independent who caucuses with Republicans and four vacancies. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to regain majority control of the House starting in 2027.
Amish Shah and the Democratic nomination in the 1st District
As of Wednesday morning, with 96% of votes counted, Amish Shah was leading Marlene Galan-Woods 40.5% to 33.6% for the Democratic nomination in the 1st District. Shah, an emergency room doctor, narrowly defeated Galan-Woods for the party nomination in 2024. Shah is a former Republican and ex-broadcast journalist whose supporters range from Sen. Mark Kelly to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
The Influence of Election Denialism on November Races
The primary results have brought the issue of election integrity to the forefront of the general election. Beyond Biggs and Kolodin, several nominees have histories of challenging the results of previous elections. Democrats intend to frame Republicans like Biggs and Kolodin as too pro-Trump and too extreme to act in the best interest of Arizona voters. Political editor Ben Giles noted that while Trump won the popular vote for president in Arizona two years ago, Democrat Ruben Gallego also easily won the U.S. Senate race, outperforming the Republican in that race, suggesting that voters may differentiate between Trump and his down-ballot allies.
The upcoming election will serve as a definitive test of whether the MAGA platform can successfully bridge the gap between primary voters and the general public. With registered Republicans outnumbering registered Democrats but a large number of independents making the state closely divided, the path forward for both parties remains highly competitive.
Worth a look
