PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Republicans cast their votes Tuesday to determine who will carry the party’s banner against Democrats currently holding the state’s most powerful positions, as the GOP works to reclaim ground in a competitive state it once controlled.
The centerpiece of the primary is a contest between two U.S. Representatives from neighboring districts in the Phoenix metropolitan area, each vying for the opportunity to challenge the Democratic governor — widely regarded as the most vulnerable Democratic governor in the country this election cycle.
One of the congressmen is running with President Donald Trump’s endorsement and the organizational backing of the conservative group Turning Point Action. He argues that combination gives him the best chance to unify Republicans heading into the general election.
His opponent contends that a quieter, pro-business approach focused on fiscal conservatism is what it will take to win back voters who have walked away from the party following a series of Trump-aligned candidates — including the Republican nominee for governor four years ago.
Both political parties also have competitive primaries to fill the congressional seat being vacated by the second congressman, which sits in one of the most hotly contested House districts in the country.
Republicans are additionally selecting nominees for secretary of state and attorney general — offices that carry significant authority over elections in a state that was central to efforts to reverse the 2020 presidential election outcome.
The first congressman built a national reputation as chair of the House Freedom Caucus from 2019 to 2022 and as a firm supporter of Trump. He voted against certifying Electoral College results from Arizona and other contested states following the January 6th Capitol riot, and helped in the effort to block certification of the 2020 election results.
Before his time in Congress, he served in the state Senate, where he nearly lost his leadership role in a dispute with a then-Republican governor over a push to expand Medicaid.
The second congressman has maintained a careful balance with Trump — keeping some distance without openly opposing him. That approach helped him survive multiple tough races in a competitive district, which he says proves he can appeal to swing voters and defeat the incumbent Democratic governor. However, it has also left him with limited support among Trump’s core base.
Democrats have concentrated their criticism on the first congressman, planning to frame him as an extremist more interested in advancing the president’s agenda than serving Arizona residents.
The second congressman’s district, anchored in Scottsdale, is a key battleground in the broader fight for control of Congress. It is home to a large share of white, college-educated, and higher-income voters who have grown increasingly skeptical of the Republican Party under Trump.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee made the controversial decision to back a former television news anchor in that race who previously identified as a Republican. Her late husband served as the state’s Republican attorney general in the 1990s and later became a prominent critic of Trump.
Her main Democratic rival is an emergency medicine physician and former state legislator who ran in the same district in 2024 and came close to winning before narrowly losing to the incumbent.
On the Republican side, a former professional football kicker has Trump’s endorsement, but has faced scrutiny over the fact that he lives outside the district. He originally entered the race in the other congressman’s district before switching after Trump endorsed a different candidate there.
He is competing against a former state legislator who has strong support among Republican grassroots activists, as well as a local businessperson.
In Tucson, a retired Marine drill instructor is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination to take on a second-term Republican congressman, who also faces no primary challenge. That seat is consistently competitive and ranks as one of Democrats’ top targets for a pickup in November.
Elsewhere, the Republican primary for the safe GOP seat being left open has taken a controversial turn. A former county sheriff endorsed by Trump came under scrutiny for alleged sexual misconduct and abuse of power. The county attorney declined to pursue criminal charges, and Trump reaffirmed his endorsement this month. The former sheriff called the allegations “slander and lies.” He faces a challenger who owns a construction company.
