Democrats flip open Arizona House seat

Former Democratic state Rep. Amish Shah is projected to defeat Republican former NFL kicker Jay Feely to win Arizona’s 1st District, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) , flipping a competitive seat Shah narrowly lost two years earlier.

Shah led with 52.5 percent of the vote to Feely’s 45.5 percent with over 95 percent of votes reported when the race was called, per DDHQ.

Shah will succeed Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), who beat Shah by 3.8 percentage points in 2024. Schweikert launched an unsuccessful bid for governor this year, creating an opening for Democrats to compete in a more favorable political environment without facing an incumbent.

The district — which includes Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Cave Creek and parts of northeast Phoenix — backed President Trump by roughly 3 points in 2024 but also supported Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego by about 5 points that year. The district was considered one of the most competitive in the country this cycle.

Shah entered the closing days of the race as the favorite. Cook Political Report shifted the race from “toss up” to “lean Democrat” in September, while DDHQ rated the district as “likely Democrat,” giving Shah a 76 percent chance of winning as of Sunday.

An emergency room physician and former Arizona state lawmaker, Shah secured the Democratic nomination over former broadcast journalist Marlene Galán-Woods, who was backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

Shah pointed to the DCCC’s support of his primary opponent as evidence that he would be an independent voice in Congress and not fall in line behind party leaders. He also emphasized his bipartisan record in the state legislature and touted his support from former GOP state House Speaker Rusty Bowers.

The Democrat sought to contrast his record with his opponent’s relationship with Trump, arguing Feely owed his primary victory to the president. Feely initially ran in the more GOP-friendly 5th District but switched after the president urged him to do so and gave him an endorsement.

Feely, a political newcomer, became a sports commentator after playing 14 NFL seasons, including four with the Arizona Cardinals. He argued his relationship with Trump would benefit Arizona and painted Shah as too liberal for the district. Feely largely defended Trump’s agenda but broke with the president over his administration’s proposed cuts to Arizona’s Colorado River allocation.