By Matthew Holloway |
Democratic infighting is escalating in Arizona’s First Congressional District race after former state lawmaker Amish Shah publicly criticized the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) over its involvement in the primary contest.
During a televised interview this week, Shah accused national Democratic leaders of interfering in the race despite prior assurances that the primary would remain open and competitive.
“We had been told multiple times there was not going to be any interference,” Shah told 12News’ Brahm Resnick on Sunday, criticizing what he described as “hubris” from national party officials.
The dispute follows the DCCC’s recent endorsement of Democrat Marlene Galán-Woods in Arizona’s First Congressional District, a seat currently held by Republican Congressman David Schweikert. The district is expected to be one of the nation’s top battlegrounds in the 2026 midterm elections.
Galán-Woods has already faced early controversy tied to her campaign’s use of Findraiser, an artificial intelligence-based fundraising company tied to embattled former California Congressman Eric Swalwell. The California Democrat resigned from Congress earlier this year and suspended his gubernatorial campaign following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault, which he has denied.
The endorsement was viewed by some Arizona Democrats as the national party “playing favorites” in a contested primary race. Shah previously won the Democratic nomination in the district in 2024 before losing to Schweikert in the general election.
Shah also criticized Galán-Woods directly during the interview, arguing that she had previously worked “to defeat Obama in two different elections,” a reference to her past political activity before becoming a Democratic candidate.
The DCCC endorsement has reportedly intensified tensions among Democratic activists and consultants in Arizona. Following the endorsement, Democratic consultant Stacey Pearson of Lumen Strategies compared the move to the “Sports Illustrated cover curse,” suggesting the backing could politically damage Galán-Woods rather than strengthen her candidacy.
Shah additionally acknowledged broader dissatisfaction among Democratic voters with national party leadership.
“Democratic voters right now, when they’re talking to me, aren’t exactly happy with the Democratic establishment,” Shah said during the interview.
The endorsement of Galán-Woods is part of the DCCC’s broader national effort to shape competitive House races through its “Red to Blue” program, which provides select candidates with fundraising and organizational support. The committee identified Galán-Woods as one of its preferred candidates in its effort to reclaim control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The controversy in Arizona mirrors broader tensions within Democratic politics nationwide, as progressive groups and some party activists increasingly criticize the DCCC’s involvement in contested primaries. According to Axios, some progressive-aligned Democrats and Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC leaders have argued that primary voters, rather than national party organizations, should determine Democratic nominees in competitive races.
Supporters of Galán-Woods have argued that she enters the race with significant institutional support, including backing from the Arizona AFL-CIO and national Democratic organizations. Polling circulated by CHC BOLD PAC showed Galán-Woods leading in a hypothetical matchup with Republican candidate Gina Swoboda.
Swoboda, however, reportedly abandoned her congressional race and filed a statement of interest for the Secretary of State’s race in February. The polling from CHC BOLD PAC did not address former Arizona Rep. Joseph Chaplik or Trump-endorsed candidate Jay Feely, who led District 1 primary polling from NextGen Polling in April with 24 percent and 15 percent, respectively.
Shah’s campaign, meanwhile, has pointed to a February local independent poll from HighGround Public Affairs Consultants showing him leading in the race with 32.6 percent support, while Galán-Woods trailed by more than twenty-one points.
In a statement released following Shah’s comments, National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesman Ben Petersen criticized Democratic leadership for intervening in the Arizona race.
“D.C. Democrat elites’ ham-fisted interference blew up spectacularly,” Petersen said. “When Democrats are this busy destroying each other, they’re proving they’re far too liberal and too chaotic to represent Arizonans.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
