2026 Arizona's 1st Congressional District Election
Compare candidates’ positions, polling, and sourced race updates.
About this race
The 2026 election for Arizona's 1st Congressional District is an open-seat race after Republican incumbent David Schweikert vacated the seat to run for governor. The district, covering northeast Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and Paradise Valley, is one of the most competitive in the country — Trump carried it by 3 points in 2024 and Biden won it by 1.5 points in 2020.
Democrat Amish Shah, a former state representative and emergency physician, faces Republican Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker endorsed by President Trump, along with Libertarian Monica Alponte in the general election. Shah has picked up endorsements from the Human Rights Campaign PAC, the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Arizona, End Citizens United, and Reproductive Freedom for All, while Feely holds Trump's endorsement and the NFIB Arizona PAC endorsement; the two major-party nominees are scheduled to debate on October 7, 2026.
Social Security has emerged as a flashpoint, with Shah pledging to protect benefits and Feely having previously called the program a "Ponzi scheme" that needs reforming. Decision Desk HQ rates the race Lean Democratic, and the outcome could help determine control of the U.S. House.
Candidates
Tick Compare on two or more cards to see them side by side.
Jay Feely is a former NFL placekicker who played 14 seasons with seven teams, including the Arizona Cardinals from 2010 to 2013, and later became an NFL broadcaster. A political newcomer endorsed by President Donald Trump, he won the July 21, 2026 Republican primary for Arizona's 1st Congressional District, defeating former state lawmaker Joseph Chaplik. His campaign emphasizes conservative values, supporting law enforcement, and economic growth, and he has raised over $2.5 million.
Amish Shah is a former Arizona state representative and an emergency room physician who served in the Arizona House from 2019 to 2024, representing Districts 24 and 5. He won the July 21, 2026 Democratic primary for Arizona's 1st Congressional District and will face Republican Jay Feely in the general election. His campaign emphasizes his medical background, healthcare policy work, lowering costs for working families, protecting abortion rights, and defending democratic institutions, and he has received endorsements from the Human Rights Campaign PAC, the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Arizona, End Citizens United, and Reproductive Freedom for All.
Monica Alponte is a retired business owner, writer, stock investor, and former political TV talk show co-host running as the Libertarian nominee for Arizona's 1st Congressional District. Raised in a military family as an "Air Force brat" and an Arizona resident for 25 years, she advocates for non-interventionist foreign policy, fiscal restraint, free speech, and property rights under the slogan "Not Left, Not Right, Just Free." She has worked in local governance on HOA reform, road safety, and animal rescue, and earned her diploma from Orange County Business College.
Forecast
Amish Shah favored
Amish Shah: 71% modeled win probability with a +3.2 pts estimated margin
Polling
1 poll, newest firstAbout this research
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated October 10, 2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.