President Trump’s preferred candidates won big in Arizona on Tuesday, adding to his long list of primary victories this election cycle.
Rep. Andy Biggs secured the GOP nomination for governor in a race that also included Rep. David Schweikert.
Mr. Biggs cruised to a comfortable victory and now heads into a November matchup against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who’s widely seen as vulnerable.
In the 1st Congressional District, former NFL kicker Jay Feely won the Republican primary for the open seat — one of the most competitive House races in the country. He defeated former state lawmaker Joseph Chaplik by double digits. On the Democratic side, Amish Shah held a narrow lead, though the race remained too close to call Wednesday morning.
Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, meanwhile, came out on top in the GOP primary for the 5th Congressional District.
And Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani easily secured renomination after running unopposed in the 6th Congressional District, another swing district.
Mr. Trump had bestowed his blessing on both candidates.
“MAGA candidates won everything last night in Arizona, a complete sweep!!!” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I won Arizona 18 months ago. The dumocrats are dumbfounded.”
He added: “After decades, Arizona is becoming a Republican state.”
Mr. Trump’s endorsement has proved to be the golden ticket in most GOP primary races across the country, including Texas, where Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated veteran Sen. John Cornyn in the Senate primary.
Mr. Trump lost Arizona in 2020 to President Biden but refused to accept the results. Several Arizona Republicans echoed his stance, including Mr. Biggs, who voted against certifying the results, and state Rep. Alexander Kolodin, who won the GOP primary for secretary of state on Tuesday, putting him a step away from overseeing elections.
Mr. Kolodin, an attorney who participated in lawsuits against the 2020 election results, is set to face off against Adrian Fontes, the Democratic incumbent.
Mr. Trump easily carried Arizona over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
The Cook Political Report gives Democrats a slight edge in the governor’s race, pointing to a political climate that’s thought to favor Democrats and Mr. Biggs’ polarizing record — including his refusal to accept the 2020 results.
The Democratic Governors Association greeted Mr. Biggs’ nomination by accusing him of pushing “extreme policies” and siding with “powerful insiders first” over “everyday Arizonans.” DGA Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper said, “Even his own party is warning he’s too extreme for Arizona, and we’re going to ensure he’s rejected at the ballot box in November.”
The Republican Governors Association offered a starkly different view, saying Mr. Biggs has spent his career fighting “to lower costs, grow Arizona’s economy, unleash American energy and secure the border.”
The RGA chairman, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, said, “As governor, Andy will continue to put Arizona families first while Katie Hobbs focuses on serving special interests instead of addressing affordability, increasing the supply of housing and creating more good-paying jobs.”
Arizona’s 1st Congressional District — covering northeastern Maricopa County — and Arizona’s 6th Congressional District — in the southeast corner of the state — remain toss-ups.
