Democrat Amish Shah has been projected to win the Democratic primary for Arizona's 1st Congressional District, setting up a general election contest against Republican Jay Feely this November. The Associated Press made the projection following primaries held on Tuesday, July 22, 2026.

Shah's victory over Marlene Galán-Woods, a former broadcast journalist and Republican-turned-Democrat who had the backing of the national Democratic Party, represents a notable defeat for the party's establishment. Galán-Woods had signed a pledge last month rejecting the Democratic Party's left wing after several primary wins by democratic socialists, underscoring internal divisions over the party's future direction.

Arizona's 1st District, which includes Scottsdale and surrounding areas northeast of the city, is considered one of the most competitive House races in the country. The seat was previously held by David Schweikert, who has represented the district since 2023 and earlier served as the representative for Arizona's 5th and 6th districts. Schweikert chose to run in the Republican primary for governor but lost that race.

Amish Shah is a physician and former state legislator who was the Democratic nominee in 2024. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has faced challenges recently, with its preferred candidates losing in other competitive districts such as Maine's 2nd and California's 22nd.

Caitlin Yilek, the CBSPolitics.com reporter covering this story, is based in Washington, D.C., and has previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill. She was also a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

Sources