{"id":2633922,"date":"2026-07-22T23:01:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T03:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meet-the-candidates-vying-for-arizonas-competitive-house-seats\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T23:07:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T03:07:36","slug":"meet-the-candidates-vying-for-arizonas-competitive-house-seats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meet-the-candidates-vying-for-arizonas-competitive-house-seats\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the candidates vying for Arizona\u2019s competitive House seats"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmeet-the-candidates-vying-for-arizonas-competitive-house-seats%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2633922&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Primary candidates in Arizona advanced to the general election, wiht key races in three House districts that could influence the midterm election outcome. Republicans are defending swing seats, including Arizona\u2019s open 1st Congressional District following incumbent Rep. david Schweikert\u2019s run for governor, and the 2nd District, currently represented by Rep. Eli Crane. In the 1st District, Republican Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker, and Democrat Amish Shah, a former state representative, emerged from competitive primaries; the district narrowly favored Trump in 2024. The 2nd District features a rematch between Crane, known for his right-wing stance and role in ousting former Speaker McCarthy, and Native American community leader Jonathan Nez, with the race likely to become costly.<\/p>\n<p>Another contested race is in the 6th District between Republican Juan Ciscomani, a naturalized Mexican-American, and Marine veteran JoAnna Mendoza, as the district remains highly competitive, having recently favored Trump by a slim margin. these races highlight Arizona\u2019s importance in shaping the national midterm landscape, with candidates positioned for crucial battles in November.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Primary candidates advanced to the general election on Tuesday night across <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/arizona\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"327\">Arizona<\/a>, including in three House districts that could shape the path to the majority in November\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11675\">midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans are defending two swing seats in Arizona, including the open 1st Congressional District, which is open after incumbent Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) ran for governor.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4655643\/candidates-arizona-competitive-house-seats-midterm-elections\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Meet the candidates vying for Arizona\u2019s competitive House seats<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4659420\/democratic-socialists-america-sweet-spot-byron-york\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DSA\u2019s \u2018sweet spot\u2019 is voters who are \u2018bitter\u2019 about their lives: Byron York<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4658695\/democrats-see-dip-generic-ballot-polling\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Democrats see dip in generic ballot polling<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arizona\u2019s 2nd District, currently represented by Republican Rep. Eli Crane, is a greater reach for Democrats but is targeted by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dccc\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"467\">Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee<\/a> as Republicans stare down a potentially difficult midterm cycle.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<h2 id=\"h-1st-congressional-district-jay-feely-vs-amish-shah\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1st Congressional District: Jay Feely vs. Amish Shah <\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republican Jay Feely and Democrat Amish Shah are both vying for this Scottsdale-based district after Schweikert bowed out of the race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schweikert opted to leave the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/house\/\" type=\"category\" id=\"1250\">House<\/a> after two terms to participate instead in the GOP\u2019s gubernatorial primary in Arizona but lost soundly to Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/andy-biggs\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11421\">Andy Biggs<\/a> (R-AZ) on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That left the race open for Feely, a former NFL kicker and broadcaster for CBS. The Trump-endorsed athlete fended off a primary challenge from former Arizona state Rep. Joseph Chaplik. Feely will proceed to the general election with 49.8% of his party\u2019s primary vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats also held a competitive primary for the district. Shah, a former state representative who narrowly lost to Schweikert in 2024, once again aimed to appear on the November ballot. Shah defeated Marlene Galan-Woods, an establishment-backed former broadcast journalist, by roughly 6 percentage points. The DCCC spent roughly $500,000 on joint ads with Galan-Woods, according to nonpartisan firm AdImpact, while other outside groups spent nearly $3 million supporting her.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> won the district by about 3 points in 2024.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-2nd-congressional-district-eli-crane-vs-jonathan-nez\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2nd Congressional District: Eli Crane vs. Jonathan Nez<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crane will once again face former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez in this vast district, which stretches from Flagstaff and Prescott to just south of Phoenix and includes 12 Native American reservations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crane has made a name for himself on Capitol Hill as a vocal member of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"514\">Republican Party\u2019s<\/a> right-wing flank. He played a prominent role in the successful ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nez, meanwhile, has a strong base of support in the district\u2019s Native American communities. The district includes large swaths of reservation land. One in five residents is Native American, according to Arizona <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/redistricting-irc-az.hub.arcgis.com\/pages\/final-draft-maps\">redistricting data<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both candidates advanced on Tuesday night in uncontested primaries. Nez and Crane have proven to be apt fundraisers, meaning this race could become expensive despite currently flying under the radar.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The matchup will be a reprisal of their 2024 contest, when Crane bested Nez by 9 points. Vice President Kamala Harris lost the district by 15 points.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-6th-congressional-district-juan-ciscomani-vs-joanna-mendoza\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">6th Congressional District: Juan Ciscomani vs. JoAnna Mendoza<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) and Marine veteran JoAnna Mendoza are headed for a duel of their own in this toss-up district, home of the iconic gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The district, which includes Tucson\u2019s northern suburbs and a small section of the U.S.-Mexico border, is one of the most competitive seats in the country. Trump endorsed Ciscomani in his race against Mendoza, a political newcomer and former drill instructor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4619709\/republican-challengers-new-york-house-democrats\/\"><strong>MEET THE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS VYING TO UNSEAT NEW YORK\u2019S CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ciscomani, who was first elected in 2022, was born in Mexico and became a naturalized citizen in 2006.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump carried the district by less than 1 point in 2024 after the GOP narrowly lost the seat in 2020.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arizona primary winners move to November races, key House seats<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4301,"featured_media":2633923,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP24311830902051.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[36739,36253,44661,32983],"class_list":["post-2633922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-arizona-politics","tag-election2024","tag-house-elections","tag-political-candidates"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP24311830902051.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4301"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2633922"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633922\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2633925,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633922\/revisions\/2633925"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2633923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2633922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2633922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2633922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}