Former President Donald Trump's influence within the Republican Party was prominently displayed in Arizona's primary elections on Tuesday, as his endorsed candidates achieved victories in key contests. Simultaneously, Democrats managed to avoid a significant upset from the far-left in one of the state's U.S. House races.
Rep. Andy Biggs, a former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus who received Trump's endorsement, easily won the Republican nomination for governor, reportedly outdistancing Rep. David Schweikert and other Republican contenders by more than 50 points. Biggs' victory sets up a high-stakes general election contest against incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who ran unopposed for her party's nomination. Hobbs, who previously served as Arizona's Secretary of State, narrowly defeated the Republican nominee, Kari Lake, in the previous election cycle and now faces a formidable challenge from one of Trump's staunchest allies in Congress.
In Arizona's competitive 1st Congressional District, former NFL kicker Jay Feely, who earned Trump's "complete and total endorsement" late in the campaign, won the Republican primary for the open seat. This district, which includes northeastern Maricopa County and parts of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Fountain Hills, became open after Rep. David Schweikert opted to run for governor. Feely is now set to face former state Rep. Amish Shah in the general election, though the Associated Press had not called this race as of early Wednesday morning.
Another Trump-backed candidate, former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, secured the Republican nomination in Arizona's 5th Congressional District, a reliably Republican seat that Biggs is vacating. Lamb, whose campaign has emphasized themes of "God, family, freedom" and echoed Biggs' strong stance on border security, is considered the favorite in the general election. This district heavily favors Republicans, despite Lamb's campaign facing earlier scrutiny over allegations related to his personal conduct.
Juan Ciscomani, also supported by Trump, advanced in Arizona's 6th Congressional District after running unopposed in the Republican primary.
While Trump-backed Republicans were largely successful, Democrats in Arizona's 4th Congressional District saw incumbent Rep. Greg Stanton successfully fend off a challenge from progressive candidate Kai Newkirk. Newkirk's campaign had aimed to test the viability of progressive energy in Arizona's Democratic primaries, a trend that has impacted other Democratic contests nationally. Stanton's victory prevented a potentially polarizing nominee for Democrats in a crucial Sun Belt district and offered a win for establishment Democrats seeking to temper the influence of more progressive challengers on issues such as Israel, immigration policy, and healthcare.