Trump flexes power in Arizona primaries as Democrats dodge far-left upset
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President Donald Trump’s influence within the GOP was on display in Arizona’s primary election Tuesday night; The candidates he endorsed gained ground in key Republican races, while Democrats avoided a far-left defeat in one of the state’s House races.
But Trump’s influence in the Republican primaries was the biggest topic of the night, as candidates he endorsed gained ground in key races up and down the ballot.
Rep. Andy Biggs, the former House Freedom Caucus chairman who has Trump’s endorsement, easily won the GOP nomination for governor, beating Rep. David Schweikert and the rest of the House Republicans by more than 50 points.
Meanwhile, former NFL player Jay Feely, who received Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” in the final stretch, also won the GOP primary in Arizona’s competitive 1st Congressional District.
TRUMP-SUPPORTED FIREBRAND WINS ARIZONA GOP GOVERNORARY PRIMARY, CREATING A HIGH-STITUTE CONTEST
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. (Getty Images)
Another Trump-endorsed candidate, former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, won the GOP primary in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District; Deep red seat Biggs is vacating to run for governor and Trump-backed Juan Ciscomani advanced after running unopposed in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District.
Biggs’ win sets up a risky general election against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who is seeking reelection after running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Hobbs, the former Arizona Secretary of State, narrowly defeated then-GOP candidate Kari Lake four years ago and is now vying for a second term against one of Trump’s most prominent allies in Congress.
The race in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, where former NFL player Jay Feely won the GOP primary Tuesday night, is a rare open-seat contest, with Schweikert, who held the seat but gave it up to run for governor, creating an open-seat battle in the suburban Arizona district.
The Phoenix-area region includes northeastern Maricopa County and large portions of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills. Feely now enters the general election fray and is expected to face former state Rep. Amish Shah, who held a nearly 9-point lead as of early Wednesday morning. The Associated Press had not called the race as of 3 a.m. Wednesday morning
FORMER NFL STAR SUPPORTED BY TRUMP WINS BATTLEGROUND STATE PRIMARY: ‘REAL AMERICA IS THE FIRST CONSERVATIVE’
Former NFL player and Arizona Republican Congressional candidate Jay Feely speaks with media members outside the polling place at the Fountain Hills Community Center during the primary election on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Fountain Hills, Arizona, USA. Arizona’s primary elections will provide an early test of how much President Trump’s focus on debunked claims about 2020 election fraud motivates Republicans. (Cassidy Araiza/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Lamb’s victory in Arizona’s 5th District gave Trump another victory in a reliably Republican seat and positions the former Pinal County sheriff to replace Biggs in Congress. Lamb, who campaigned on “God, family, freedom” and echoed Biggs’ hard-border message, heads into the general election as the favorite in a heavily Republican district even though his campaign faced scrutiny earlier this year over allegations he included inappropriate messages to women outside his marriage.
Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb speaks at a town hall event for Republican Senate candidate Jim Lamons on Thursday, July 7, 2022, at the Combs Center for the Performing Arts in San Tan Valley, Arizona. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
As Trump-backed Republicans continued their primaries, Democrats avoided a potentially damaging left-wing upheaval in Arizona’s 4th District, where Rep. Greg Stanton edged progressive challenger Kai Newkirk.
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Newkirk challenged Stanton from the left, making the race a test of whether the left-wing energy that has roiled Democratic primaries elsewhere can succeed in Arizona. Stanton’s victory blunted that narrative, at least for a night, and spared Democrats from having to defend a more polarizing candidate in the battleground Sun Belt district.
The result gave establishment Democrats a needed win after a cycle in which progressive rivals increasingly pressured incumbents on issues such as Israel, ICE, health care and corporate influence.
