Trump shifts power in Arizona primaries as Democrats fend off fury from the left
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President Donald Trump's GOP surge was on display in Arizona's primaries Tuesday night, as his nominees won key Republican contests while Democrats avoided a left-wing upset in one of the state House races.
But Trump's impact on the Republican primaries was the top story of the night, with his candidates strong in key contests up and down the polls.
Rep. Andy Biggs, the former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus who received Trump's endorsement, easily captured the GOP nomination for governor, beating Rep. David Schweikert and the entire Republican field by more than 50 points.
Meanwhile, former NFL kicker Jay Feely, who received Trump's “full and complete endorsement” in the end, also won the GOP primary in Arizona's first competitive district.
TRUMP-BACKED FIREBRAND WINS ARIZONA GOP GOVERNOR PRIMARY, SETS UP BIG SHOW
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. (Getty Images)
Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, another Trump supporter, won the GOP primary in Arizona's 5th District, Biggs is running for governor, and Trump-backed Juan Ciscomani advanced to Arizona's 6th District after running unopposed.
Biggs' win puts the election up against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who is running for re-election after running unopposed in the Democratic Alliance. Hobbs, the former Arizona Secretary of State, narrowly defeated then-GOP nominee Kari Lake four years ago and is now headed for a second term battle against one of Trump's most prominent supporters in Congress.
The race in Arizona's first district, where former NFL kicker Jay Feely emerged victorious in Tuesday night's GOP primary, is a rare open seat as Schweikert, who once held the seat but gave it up to run for governor, has created an open battle in suburban Arizona.
Phoenix County includes northeastern Maricopa County and large portions of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills. Feely now enters the general election battle, where he is expected to face former state Rep. Amish Shah, who is up nearly 9 points Wednesday morning. The Associated Press had not called the race as of 3AM Wednesday.
Former NFL Star Endorses TRUMP WINS BATTLEGROUND STATE PRIMARY: 'TRUE AMERICA FIRST CONSERVATIVE'
Jay Feely, former NFL kicker and Republican Congressional candidate for Arizona, speaks to members of the media outside a polling place at the Fountain Hills Community Center during the primary election in Fountain Hills, Arizona, US, Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The Arizona primaries will provide an early test of how much President Trump's focus on the Republican debunked election. (Cassidy Araiza/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Lamb's win in Arizona's 5th District gave Trump another victory in a reliably Republican seat and put the former Pinal County sheriff in place of Biggs in Congress. Lamb, who campaigned on “God, family, freedom” and echoed Biggs' hard-line message, headed into the general election as the favorite in the Republican-leaning state, even after his campaign faced scrutiny earlier this year over allegations that it included inappropriate messages to women outside of his marriage.
Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb speaks during a town hall event for Republican Sen. Jim Lamons at the Combs Performing Art Center in San Tan Valley, Ariz., Thursday, Jul. 7, 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
While Trump-backed Republicans won their primaries, Democrats avoided a potentially dangerous left-wing upset in Arizona's 4th district, where Rep. Greg Stanton held off ongoing challenger Kai Newkirk.
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Newkirk challenged Stanton on the left, making the race a test of whether the left's power to shake up the Democratic primaries elsewhere could sweep through Arizona. Stanton's win clouded that narrative, at least for one night, and protected Democrats from securing a divisive nominee in the Sun Belt regional battleground.
The result gave establishment Democrats a much-needed victory after a cycle in which ongoing challenges have increased pressure on issues including Israel, ICE, health care and business influence.
