Arizona congressional candidate Marlene Galán-Woods is facing criticism from the National Republican Congressional Committee over her campaign’s past payments to a fundraising company linked to former California Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
In a statement released Friday, NRCC spokesman Ben Petersen said Galán-Woods has remained silent about her campaign’s use of Findraiser, an artificial intelligence-based fundraising company tied to Swalwell.
Federal Election Commission records show Galán-Woods’ campaign committee reported multiple payments to Findraiser totaling at least $1,425 in disbursements during the 2025-2026 election cycle.
Swalwell has come under increasing scrutiny in recent days following allegations of sexual misconduct and assault made by multiple women. Swalwell has denied the allegations.
The controversy has also led to renewed attention on political figures and campaigns that maintained ties to Swalwell or companies connected to him.
In its statement, the NRCC argued Galán-Woods should sever ties with the company and explain why her campaign continued to use the service after the allegations against Swalwell became public.
“Democrat Marlene Woods owes voters an answer: Why hasn’t she dumped Eric Swalwell’s company?” Petersen said. “Her campaign’s close financial relationship with Swalwell is disgraceful.”
In another statement, Petersen described Swalwell’s reputation as a “creep” as an “open secret” in the Democratic Party, and criticized Galán-Woods for her response to the scandal, saying, “Democrat Marlene Woods bragged about Eric Swalwell’s support, then refused to say a word about the rape allegations against him for nearly a week. Shame on her protecting her fellow Democrat.”
Galán-Woods responded to criticism over her past ties to Swalwell in a post on X, calling the allegations against him “abhorrent and credible.”
“He, or anyone else who assaults women or abuses their position of power, has absolutely no place in Congress. Full stop,” Galán-Woods wrote.
Galán-Woods argued that Republican criticism centers on an endorsement she received from Swalwell during an earlier election cycle, before the allegations became public. She also accused Republican candidate Jay Feely of hypocrisy for previously accepting an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Findraiser was co-founded in early 2024 by Swalwell and Yardena Wolf, his former congressional chief of staff, as an AI-based fundraising platform aimed at Democratic candidates and committees.
Swalwell and Wolf personally promoted the company to fellow Democrats and lawmakers, according to NOTUS reports. A Democratic operative reportedly told the outlet, “He is relentless in pushing [Findraiser],” adding, “He’s peddling the shit out of that thing.”
Recent reporting from Politico indicated that several Democratic campaigns and committees have begun distancing themselves from Findraiser following the allegations against Swalwell and the resulting political fallout.
The payments to Findraiser are relatively small in dollar amounts, but the issue could become politically significant as Republicans seek to tie Democratic candidates to Swalwell amid the fallout surrounding the allegations against him.
Galán-Woods is running as a Democrat in Arizona’s First Congressional District and is facing nine other Democrats in the primary, including state Rep. Amish Shah, who led her by 21.5 points in a February HighGround poll. Shah lost to incumbent Republican Rep. David Schweikert by 16,572 votes, or 3.8 percentage points, in 2024.
Congressman Andy Biggs is projected to win the Republican nomination for Arizona governor. The Associated Press also called several of the state’s closely watched primary races, including the Republican secretary of state contest for Rep. Alexander Kolodin.
Biggs led Rep. David Schweikert and businessmen Ken Miceli and Scott Neely when the AP called the four-way Republican primary in his favor. He will face Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who ran unopposed for her party’s nomination, in the Nov. 3 general election.
The AP declares a winner when its decision team determines that trailing candidates no longer have a path to victory. The election results remain unofficial, pending the official statewide canvass on August 6.
Biggs has represented Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District since January 2017 and previously served as president of the Arizona Senate. He chaired the House Freedom Caucus from 2019 to 2022 and entered the gubernatorial primary with endorsements from Turning Point USA and President Donald Trump.
Schweikert has represented Arizona in Congress since 2011 and currently holds the First Congressional District seat. He remained in Washington during Tuesday’s election as the House considered a government funding bill.
In the secretary of state race, Republican state Rep. Alexander Kolodin defeated former Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda for the GOP nomination. Kolodin will face Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, who ran unopposed in his party’s primary, in the Nov. 3 general election. The secretary of state serves as Arizona’s chief election officer and oversees statewide election administration, business filings, and state records and archives.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alexander Kolodin wins Republican nomination for secretary of state in Arizona. #APRaceCall at 11:17 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/TS3eIpQI5W
The AP also called the Republican primary for Schweikert’s open First Congressional District seat for former Arizona Cardinals kicker and sportscaster Thomas “Jay” Feely IV.
Feely defeated former state Rep. Joseph Chaplik and technology and telecommunications executive John Trobough. President Trump endorsed Feely after he moved from the Fifth District race into the contest to succeed Schweikert.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Thomas Feely wins Republican nomination for U.S. House in Arizona's 1st Congressional District. #APRaceCall at 11:13 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/TS3eIpQI5W
The First District includes northeast Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and Paradise Valley. Republicans hold a voter-registration advantage in the district, although the seat has become increasingly competitive in recent elections. Schweikert defeated Democratic nominee Amish Shah with 51.9 percent of the vote in 2024.
Former television journalist Marlene Galán-Woods led the initial Democratic First District results against Shah, publisher Rick McCartney, and entrepreneur Jonathan Treble. The Associated Press had not called the Democratic contest Tuesday night.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee supported Galán-Woods in the primary. Shah won the party’s nomination for the district in 2024 before narrowly losing the general election to Schweikert.
Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb won the Republican nomination to succeed Biggs in the Fifth Congressional District. Lamb defeated construction company owner Daniel Keenan.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Lamb wins Republican nomination for U.S. House in Arizona's 5th Congressional District. #APRaceCall at 11:11 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/TS3eIpQI5W
President Trump endorsed Lamb, who previously sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2024. The Associated Press described the Fifth District as a safely Republican seat.
The Democratic Fifth District primary included Elizabeth Lee, Chris James and Brian Hualde. The Associated Press had not called that contest at the time of publication.
Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani and Democratic challenger JoAnna Mendoza advanced without primary opposition in the Sixth Congressional District, establishing the general-election matchup in one of Arizona’s most competitive congressional seats.
The results remain unofficial while Arizona counties continue processing ballots and complete their required canvasses. County boards of supervisors face an Aug. 3 deadline to canvass the primary results, followed by the official statewide canvass on Aug. 6.
Several races, including the GOP nominations for Attorney General, Treasurer, Corporation Commission, and Superintendent of Public Instruction, remained too close to call as of 10 PM Tuesday.
Congressional candidate Amish Shah vowed to represent a further left faction of the Democratic Party should he be elected.
Shah made the promise during a recent candidate forum hosted by LD3 Democrats. His shift represented a reflection on his 2024 loss against Rep. David Schweikert (R-01), who is running for governor. Shah served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2019 to 2024.
Per Shah, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) told him that he was too much of a “nice guy” to win the 2024 election. The DCCC refused to endorse Shah this time around, instead endorsing his primary opponent, Marlene Galan-Woods, earlier this month.
Elites in Washington should not be meddling in this race. This election will be decided by Arizona voters, not by establishment insiders in back rooms. Here is my full statement. pic.twitter.com/ajE9J9nSIP
It appears Shah’s response was to move aggressively to the left on policy.
“I am not hesitating one bit to use my platform to be able to prosecute [President Donald Trump and Republicans] as vigorously as I can, sometimes with expletives or whatever it takes,” said Shah during the LD3 virtual forum.
Shah also promised to repeal Trump’s tax cuts for working families. He called them “abominable.”
National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ben Peteresen told The Yellow Sheet, which first reported on this virtual forum, that Shah’s statements were “radical.”
“Democrat Amish Shah said he lost because Biden and Harris were toxic, then ran even further left by calling for massive tax increases, socialism and open borders,” said Petersen.
The version of his candidacy that Shah presented on that virtual forum diverges slightly from the public version of his candidacy.
Shah has publicly claimed that he doesn’t recognize party differences and would work across the aisle to solve problems.
“When I served in the Arizona House, I didn’t see ‘Democrats’ and ‘Republicans.’ I saw problems that needed to be solved,” said Shah. “I’m running for Congress to bring that same mindset to Washington; focus on solutions, find common ground where we can, and actually deliver results that improve people’s lives.”
When I served in the Arizona House, I didn’t see “Democrats” and “Republicans.” I saw problems that needed to be solved.
That’s how we got things done; working across the aisle to pass commonsense legislation on healthcare access, public safety, and lowering costs for everyday… pic.twitter.com/xXgSu00ri1
Shah’s platform on his campaign website focuses on expanding federal healthcare, codifying abortion, ending tariffs, and increasing public school funding and teacher pay. On his “resources” page targeting primary opponent Galan-Woods, Shah promised to pass a ban on stock trading by members of Congress.
Similarly, in his failed 2024 challenge to incumbent Schweikert, Shah styled himself as an “independent” candidate — despite his consistently progressive actions in the state legislature and a past admission to his alliance with socialists.
In a town hall with the Phoenix Democratic Socialists of America and the Progressive Democrats of America in 2019, Shaw encouraged the adoption of government-run universal healthcare. Months prior to that town hall, Shah proposed replacing capitalism with socialism.
Shah received national recognition by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for successfully defending the abortion drug mifepristone against attempts to outlaw it.
Shah was also behind legislation to expand anti-discrimination laws to afford protections to gender identity and sexual orientation, and to redefine marriage within the state constitution.
Shah has funneled over $230,000 of his own money into his congressional campaign according to Federal Election Commission records. So far, Shah has raised nearly $1.9 million.
Top donors include the D.C. organizations IA Victory Fund and 314 Action Impact Slate; Illinois entrepreneur Purav Kapadia; and Chandler doctor Snehal Bhoola.
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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.
Chaplik Holds Early Lead in AZ-CD1 GOP Primary
BALLOT TEST Chaplik 24% Feely 15% Trobough 6% Undecided 54%
Joseph Chaplik holds the highest net approval rating at +20% while Jay Feely follows at a +8% net approval rating and John Trobough has a net approval rating of +3%
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.”
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego (D) invested campaign funds into an AI startup launched by Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat and gubernatorial candidate.
Gallego paid Swalwell’s startup FindRaiser over $13,000 between April and July of last summer from two campaign committees: Gallego for Arizona and Juntos PAC, as first reported by NOTUS. About $10,500 came from Gallego for Arizona and over $2,600 came from Juntos PAC. Both issued identical disbursements of $2,613.75 for subscriptions to the startup, per Federal Election Commission (FEC) records.
First congressional district candidate Marlene Galan-Woods also got in on the action. Galan-Woods, a former Fox News and CBS News anchor and key member of Gov. Katie Hobbs’ gubernatorial transition team in 2023, paid almost $1,000 to Swalwell’s startup between October and November of last year.
Swalwell and Gallego have described one another as “best friends” in various media interviews over the years. In a more recent interview with CNN last November, Swalwell likened himself and Gallego to “the Avengers,” describing them as the standard-bearers of the Democratic Party.
The startup, FindRaiser, uses AI to search and provide advice to candidates about their donor databases. Swalwell’s former chief of staff, Yardena Wolf, cofounded the startup and serves as its CEO. NOTUS reported that Wolf sent promotional emails for FindRaiser prior to stepping down as chief of staff last December.
Wolf joined Swalwell’s office in 2021, making the transition from the vice presidency of a fundraising company where she’d raised funds for Swalwell. Listed on Wolf’s LinkedIn under her chief of staff employment is a link to a 2024 Elle article, “The Group Chat That Secretly Runs Congress.” Members of that group chat, all females, included chiefs of staff for Democratic representatives that gave campaign funds to FindRaiser.
Swalwell invested over $7,000 of his own campaign funds into the startup as well. In his annual financial disclosure report, Swalwell estimated FindRaiser’s value to be between $250,000 and $500,000.
Others to give money to the startup out of their campaign coffers were:
Alabama Rep. Shomari Figures, over $1,000 from Committee to Elect Shomari Figures For Congress through payments made last June and July;
California Rep. Jimmy Gomez, $3,000 from Jimmy Gomez For Congress through payments made from last July through November;
California Sen. Adam Schiff, about $2,000 from Schiff For Senate through payments made last November and December;
Michigan U.S. House candidate Matt Maasdam, $500 from Matt Maasdam For Congress through a payment made last August;
Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens, over $3,600 from Hayley Stevens For Senate through payments made from last June through October;
Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, $2,300 from Angie Craig For Minnesota through payments made from last September through December;
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, over $4,500 from Ilhan For Congress, through payments made from last March through October;
Nevada Rep. Steven Horsford, $500 from Nevadans For Steven Horsford in a payment made last October;
New York Rep. Dan Goldman, over $7,400 from Dan Goldman For New York, through payments made from last April through December;
New York Rep. Joe Morelle, over $6,500 from Joe Morelle For Congress, through payments made from last April through December;
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, $4,500 from Jasmine For Us and $1,000 from Jasmine For Texas, through payments made from last March through this February;
Texas Rep. Tom Suozzi, $5,000 from Suozzi for Congress in a payment made last July; and
South Carolina U.S. Senate candidate Annie Andrews, over $4,200 from Dr. Annie Andrews For Senate, through payments made from last July through November
FEC records show FindRaiser raised nearly $67,500.
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