Republican David Schweikert has once again pulled off a major victory in the 1st Congressional District of Arizona, clinching his eighth term in the House of Representatives. He beat out Democratic challenger Amish Shah, who previously served as a state lawmaker. The district, which includes north Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and Paradise Valley has been in the hands of the GOP for a long time, but recent signs seemed to indicate it could be making a left-ward slide toward the center.
However, despite changes, Schweikert still held on to his seat in a tight race that was not called until Sunday.
While Republicans traditionally dominate voter registration in this district, shifts began following Donald Trump‘s 2016 election. Some voters who previously supported Republicans began to cast ballots for Democrats or abstained, signaling a growing divide within the party. This trend was further encouraged by redistricting before the 2022 midterms, which provided Democrats with some hope of flipping the district. Schweikert’s victory, however, reaffirms Republican resilience in an area where shifting demographics and political attitudes have generated uncertainty.
Schweikert is no stranger to tight contests. In 2022, he narrowly defeated a lesser-known Democratic candidate by only 3,200 votes, despite minimal support for his opponent from national Democratic organizations. Beyond close elections, Schweikert’s career has been marred by ethics scandals. In 2022, he faced a $125,000 fine from the Federal Election Commission due to campaign fund misappropriation.
Two years before that, the U.S. House Committee on Ethics slammed him with a $50,000 fine for alleged campaign finance violations, which did a little damage to his reputation with the constituency he represented. And yet, despite the controversies, he took a solid stance against government debt and his fiscal policies seemed to be enough to maintain his base.
His opponent, Amish Shah, an emergency room doctor, had built his campaign on promises to slash the cost of housing and to make healthcare more affordable, which are several important issues among Arizona voters.
“His professional background in health care provided a compelling platform in a state where the cost of living, particularly health care, has become a major concern. However, Schweikert’s deep-seated incumbency and familiarity with the district’s voters proved challenging to overcome,” Newsweek reported.
Elsewhere in Arizona, Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton secured reelection against Republican Kelly Cooper in the state’s 4th District, which includes Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler. Stanton, a former Phoenix mayor, has served in Congress since 2019. Meanwhile, in the 6th Congressional District, Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani faced a close race with Democrat Kirsten Engel. This district, spanning Tucson to the New Mexico state line and including portions of the Arizona-Mexico border, remained undecided.
