GOP rep wins primary to defend closely watched Arizona seat

Republican Rep. David Schweikert has won the battle for the party’s nod to keep one of the most vulnerable congressional seats in Arizona, which Democrats are hoping to flip in November.

The 1st Congressional District is currently held by Schweikert, who narrowly won re-election in 2022 by less than 1%, and was the frontrunner going into the primary.

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Businessman Robert Backie and ex-FBI agent and corporate investigator Kim George were his primary rivals. Axios reported that Schweikert led both parties’ fields in fundraising, bringing in $2.5 million. Two of the top Democrats had raised about $1.5 million each.

Schweikert has served in the House for nearly 15 years and has won re-election in a number of redrawn districts since being elected in 2010.

Candidates hoping to oust him in November included ex-state party chair and 2010 state treasurer nominee Andrei Cherny, ex-local news anchor Marlene Galán-Woods, orthodontist Andrew Horne, ex-regional American Red Cross CEO Kurt Kroemer, investment banker Conor O’Callaghan and ex-state Rep. Amish Shah. The results of that primary were not known at the time of publication.

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The Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up, with the report giving it a R+2 rating, meaning Schweikert is narrowly favored – but that was before the Democratic nominee was decided.

Arizona is a closely watched state this election season, with multiple races in the House and Senate as well as the presidential contest all potentially to be decided by thin margins.

In the state legislature, Republicans hold a thin majority and Democrats are hoping to take both chambers. If so, it would be the first time they took the House since 1966. The contest grabbing the most national attention is the race to succeed Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, the Democrat-turned-independent who is not seeking a second six-year term in the Senate. 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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