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By Daniela Altimari and Mary Ellen McIntire

After a three-week break, the midterm primary schedule resumes Tuesday with several pivotal showdowns in Arizona, including for an open House battleground district and the Republican nomination to challenge Gov. Katie Hobbs.

The fiercest fight is unfolding in the 1st District, which Republican David Schweikert is vacating to run for governor. 

Three Republicans are vying to succeed Schweikert in this swing seat northeast of Phoenix: retired NFL kicker and sports commentator Jay Feely, who has President Donald Trump’s endorsement; former state Rep. Joseph Chaplik; and technology executive John Trobough. On the Democratic side, the primary field consists of former state Rep. Amish Shah, former broadcast journalist Marlene Galán-Woods, businessman Rick McCartney and entrepreneur Jonathan Treble. 

Both Galán-Woods and Shah are making repeat runs: Shah won the Democratic primary in 2024 and went on to lose the general election to Schweikert.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is backing Galán-Woods, a former Republican, and is running ads supporting her. Shah called the committee’s decision to back his opponent “meddling from D.C.,” and the move has also drawn criticism from other Arizona Democrats, including Rep. Adelita Grijalva. 

Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race a Toss-up. 

Control of the House could come down to two other Arizona races, where the major-party candidates are running unopposed in Tuesday’s primaries. 

In the 6th District in the state’s southeastern corner, Rep. Juan Ciscomani, one of the chamber’s most vulnerable Republicans, will face Democratic Marine veteran JoAnna Mendoza in a race also rated a Toss-up by Inside Elections. 

In the sprawling 2nd District, which covers northeastern and central Arizona and the exurbs of Phoenix and Tucson, Republican Rep. Eli Crane faces a rematch with Democrat Jonathan Nez, the former Navajo Nation president whom he defeated by 9 points in 2024.

Inside Elections rates the contest Likely Republican. 

Other races

Schweikert enters Tuesday as a decided underdog in the Republican gubernatorial primary against Rep. Andy Biggs, who has Trump’s coveted endorsement. Schweikert has warned that the hard-line approach of the former House Freedom Caucus chair won’t succeed against Hobbs, but polls have shown Biggs comfortably ahead in the four-way primary. Hobbs is unopposed for the Democratic nomination as she bids for a second term. 

Biggs is leaving behind the solidly red 5th District in suburban Phoenix, where Trump-backed former Sheriff Mark Lamb is facing off against homebuilder Daniel Keenan in the GOP primary. In recent weeks, Lamb has been embroiled in scandal — an Arizona Republic investigation found that he used threats to suppress allegations of sexting and shared homophobic and racist texts. Lamb has called the allegations “lies.” 

Another Phoenix-area race to watch is the 4th District, where Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton faces a primary challenge from progressive activist Kai Newkirk.

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