Former NFL kicker Jay Feely has lost his bid for a Congressional seat in Arizona's 1st District to his one-time New York Jets sideline doctor, Amish Shah. The race was among the more closely watched contests of the midterm elections.
At the time of reporting, with 85 percent of votes counted, Shah, a Democrat, held a lead of more than seven percentage points over Feely, the Republican candidate. Feely, who spent over a decade in the NFL playing for teams including the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals, was treated by Shah during his two years with the Jets. Shah had served as a sideline doctor for the Jets for five seasons.
Despite receiving an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who described Feely as an "America First Patriot" and a "TOTAL WINNER," Feely was unable to secure victory. Trump had also characterized Shah as "Reckless, Radical, and Dangerous" and a "Radical Left Democrat."
In a separate race, former New York Yankees legend Mark Teixeira secured a victory for Republicans in Texas' 21st Congressional District, defeating Democratic candidate Kristin Hook. Teixeira, a 2009 World Series winner, had invested significantly in his campaign, including substantial personal loans and fundraising efforts, and had received endorsements from Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott. His win offered one of the few bright spots for Republicans on election night.