Former NFL kicker Jay Feely won the Republican nomination for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District Tuesday, advancing to a closely watched general election that could help determine control of the U.S. House.
Fox News reported Feely defeated former state lawmaker Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough. President Donald Trump reinforced his backing in the closing days, calling Feely a “true America First conservative,” while the National Republican Congressional Committee included him in its MAGA Majority program for candidates in competitive districts.
Feely, a former Arizona Cardinals kicker, has never held elected office. He briefly sought the Republican nomination in Arizona’s 5th District before moving to the open 1st District race after Republican Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona launched an unsuccessful campaign for governor.
The Phoenix-area district includes Scottsdale, north Phoenix, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills. Reuters described the seat as important to Republicans’ effort to preserve their House majority. The district has remained competitive: Schweikert won reelection in 2024, while voters backed Trump for president and Ruben Gallego for Senate, KJZZ reported.
Feely said he would not distance himself from Trump but argued that a representative must put district interests first. “I am who I am. I’m not going to shy away from the things that I believe in,” Feely told supporters at his election-night gathering.
Feely’s Democratic opponent had not been determined as of publication. Former state lawmaker and emergency-room physician Amish Shah led former television journalist Marlene Galán-Woods, but local outlets said the contest remained too close to call. Shah was the party’s 2024 nominee and lost to Schweikert by nearly four percentage points.
