by Matthew Holloway | Oct 24, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
President Donald Trump’s glowing endorsement of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ09) for a safe CD-9 re-election is raising eyebrows in the 2026 Arizona primaries. The president’s move casts a spotlight on the unconfirmed Trump endorsement of AZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda’s jump into the toss-up CD-1 race.
“Dr. Paul Gosar has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, hailing the eight-term Congressman as a “fearless Warrior” who’s ridden with him “from the very beginning.”
In full, President Trump wrote:
“Congressman Paul Gosar, D.D.S., is an America First Patriot, who is doing a fantastic job representing Arizona’s 9th Congressional District!
A MAGA Warrior, who has been with us from the very beginning, Paul is working hard to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Support our Brave Military/Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment.
Dr. Paul Gosar has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
The blast on Truth Social, posted on October 21st, lands amid murmurs that Gosar is likely to run unchallenged in his primary, with a recent 2024 margin of 22 points. No real competition has materialized for the incumbent Congressman as of this report. Still, President Trump has rewarded Gosar’s long-term loyalty, creating a solid fundraising basis for him and boosting the congressman’s campaign early on.
Contrast the President’s thunderous endorsement of Dr. Gosar, however, with his apparent radio silence around AZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda, despite her announcement of his backing at the launch of her candidacy.
As AZ Free News reported, the Arizona GOP leader vaulted into the open CD-1 race, controversially opting to chase Rep. David Schweikert’s seat in a district that was narrowly won by 3.8 points last cycle, while stating she is not stepping down as AZGOP chair until January. Swoboda publicly announced an endorsement from President Trump upon launching her campaign. However, it has yet to materialize on any of the President’s social media feeds or official campaign statements.
Swoboda shared a quote from the President stating, “Gina will be a tremendous champion… She will never let you down!” Outlets from AZCentral to The Hill ran with the endorsement as gospel.
In full, the quote attributed to President Trump reads, “Gina Swoboda has my complete and total endorsement for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District! Gina will be a tremendous champion for Arizona in Congress. She will never let you down!”
The last post on President Trump’s Truth Social account about Swoboda dates to January 26, 2024, in which he endorsed her for AZGOP Chair.
With no original post or official statement and no proxy quote from a campaign surrogate, online commenters are casting doubt on the validity of the endorsement.
The situation has not been lost on Arizona’s political movers. Tyler Bowyer, COO of Turning Point Action, posted a suggestion on Wednesday that former NFL player Jay Feely, already a declared candidate for Congressional District 5 since April, would be “great to run in CD-1 in Arizona.” Bowyer added, “He’s a great Christian, well-known name in AZ sports & supported by a ton in the business community. President Trump loves him and I think would really like to have both him AND Sheriff Lamb in Congress!”
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.
by Matthew Holloway | Oct 21, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Gina Swoboda is looking to fill the vacuum that will be left by Rep. David Schweikert in the state’s First Congressional District after the congressman entered the 2026 gubernatorial race. Swoboda’s announcement included an endorsement from President Trump, though that endorsement has not been confirmed by the President’s Truth Social as of filing.
Swoboda dropped the news on X with a statement touting her credentials as a mother of two, magna cum laude ASU grad, and national election integrity advisor. She stressed in her statement that her campaign will be centered around “commonsense conservative principles of economic growth and prosperity, strong and secure borders, and protecting taxpayers.”
Axios Phoenix called her entry the “first major GOP candidate” in a race that could test the power of President Trump’s endorsement in loosely held suburbs. Speaking to Axios, Swoboda said she is the “most viable candidate for the district” and emphasized a commitment to “low regulation, low taxes and equality of opportunity.”
Schweikert’s decision to engage in a gubernatorial run has left the northeast Valley district a ‘Toss-Up’ according to the Cook Political Report. Arizona’s First Congressional District, spanning Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills and parts of Phoenix, is a GOP-leaning but swing-prone suburban district classed as an R+1 toss-up despite the Schweikert’s 3.8 point victory in 2024 over Democrat Amish Shah.
Merissa Hamilton, founder and chairwoman of Strong Communities Action/EZAZ.org, has launched an effort to request Swoboda’s resignation as AZGOP chair following her announcement, according to a post to X on Monday. Hamilton stated, “She (Swoboda) pledged to God on @GarretLewis’ radio show she wouldn’t run for office while serving as Chair. She needs to resign, and the body needs to hold a new election.”
Axios Phoenix reported that Swoboda said she will not vacate the AZGOP Chair until January to allow the state committee to elect a successor and added that she’s establishing a “firewall” for fundraising activities, to separate her campaign from the party treasury. Swoboda has, however, resigned from her role as policy adviser for the Arizona House Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs and Elections.
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.
by Matthew Holloway | Oct 3, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ01) announced his candidacy for Governor of Arizona on Tuesday and will face fellow Republicans Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ05) and Karrin Taylor Robson in the 2026 Primary.
In a statement to The Hill, Schweikert said, “Arizona is at a crossroads that will be decided by the outcome of next year’s race for governor. Arizonans will have the opportunity to decide if our future is one of economic growth and prosperity for all Arizonans, or a future where we become another California.”
“I’ve spent my career fighting for conservative pro-growth policies that strengthen the economy, promote job growth, and protect taxpayers, and that’s exactly what I intend to do as Arizona’s next governor,” he added.
Speaking to James T. Harris on 550 KFYI on Wednesday, Schweikert said, “Washington, D.C., particularly Congress, is unredeemable,” adding, “Congress is unsavable. I think Arizona, though, is savable.”
The congressman’s decision to join the race has generated mixed responses within the Arizona Republican Party and among top conservative figures. Tyler Bowyer and key figures in Turning Point Action and Turning Point USA have thrown their endorsement behind Biggs. Both Biggs and Taylor Robson were endorsed by President Donald Trump in April, but he has not yet commented on Schweikert’s bid as of this report.
Robson campaign advisor Jeff Glassburner said in a statement, “Our campaign welcomes Congressman Schweikert to the campaign trail. He is a career politician with a well-documented history of opposing President Trump, including abandoning his district at a critical time when President Trump and House Republicans relied on his presence to secure re-election and maintain our House majority. This comes after earlier this year, when he ‘slept’ through and didn’t vote for the President’s marquee piece of legislation, the Big Beautiful Bill,” according to the Arizona Daily Independent.
The Biggs campaign reacted by stating, “No matter what the field looks like, polls have been clear: Arizona Republican primary voters are supporting our campaign. We’ll keep working and building on our lead over the coming months.” He also linked to a recent poll that shows Biggs in a commanding lead over both Robson and Schweikert.
Schweikert’s decision to challenge Arizona’s incumbent Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs will require him to vacate his District 1 Congressional seat, rated by Cook Political as an R+1 ‘Toss-up.’ By comparison, the district 5 seat opened by Rep. Andy Biggs’ run for Governor is far more secure at R+10. This state of affairs was commented upon by Arizona State Senator Jake Hoffman, who openly criticized Schweikert for his decision and accused AZGOP Chairwoman Gina Swoboda of influencing him to do so in a post on X on Tuesday.
Hoffman wrote, “Well, this tweet aged well. The AZGOP Chair worked behind the scenes to push Schweikert to run for Governor. Now one of America’s most important House swing districts is in jeopardy. And she’s put the congressional majority for @realDonaldTrump at risk. Very stupid.”
Swoboda denied the accusations, stating officially that she follows the AZGOP bylaws, which prohibit her from endorsing candidates in the primary.
The Arizona Freedom Caucus also criticized the retiring congressman, writing, “David Schweikert is losing his own congressional district to Biggs in the Governor’s race polling TRUE STORY: David was over being in Congress, but his ego, and the ego+bank acct of his consultant, refused to let him just gracefully retire They chose to divide the GOP instead.”
A recent Pulse Decision Science poll showed Biggs as the clear frontrunner in the Arizona Republican gubernatorial primary.
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.
by Matthew Holloway | May 24, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Democrat Rick McCartney, the founder of Phoenix-based advertising company InMedia, has become the fifth Democrat candidate to challenge incumbent Congressional District 1 Republican Rep. David Schweikert. McCartney, 58, joins fellow Democrats Amish Shah, Brian Del Vecchio, Marlene Galán-Woods, and Jonathan Treble in the upcoming Democratic primary to determine who will challenge the seven-term incumbent Republican budget hawk.
According to the Cook Political Report, Schweikert’s District is an R+1, classified in 2026 as a toss-up district despite the Republican’s 3.8 point victory in 2024 over Shah.
McCartney is an LGBTQ activist and has chaired the board of one-n-ten, “the largest organization supporting LGBTQ+ youth in Arizona,” according to his campaign website. In his bio he describes the campaign as “personal,” with his campaign stating, “As gay men, Rick and his husband stand in the crosshairs of Donald Trump’s assault on vulnerable communities.” He also chaired the Maricopa County Workforce Development Board, and is likely familiar to local Democrats.
But this was where the specifics from McCartney’s campaign ended. The site, appearing to be an early build, is bereft of policy planks or campaign goals other than to “stand up to Trump and end his lawless assault on vulnerable communities,” or claiming to know “what Arizona workers and businesses need to succeed,” and touting “lower prices, a growing economy, and jobs with good benefits.”
Speaking with AZCentral McCartney said, “What we’re seeing with Donald Trump right now is just very destructive to a lot of the great things that we’ve been working on here in this district.” As noted by the outlet, he is in quite deep with the Democrat powerbrokers of the state, joining elected officials on international trips with Governor Katie Hobbs and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego according to his LinkedIn.
Reporter Laura Gersony noted that McCartney also boasts “relationships with well-connected political donors and philanthropists.”
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.
by Staff Reporter | May 15, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Former state lawmaker Amish Shah, a Democrat, announced his intent to again challenge Congressman David Schweikert in 2026.
Shah failed to defeat Schweikert in last November’s general election, despite attempts to style himself as an independent to Maricopa County voters.
The former state lawmaker spread the news of his intent to run to The Arizona Republic. Shah said the voters must have regrets for electing Schweikert.
“I see a country that is in chaos,” said Shah. “I don’t think this is what people voted for.”
Shah indicated he may take a more openly progressive approach to his second run against Schweikert. Shah emphasized his defense of abortion access, specifically to the abortion drug mifepristone, and a desire for “actually getting stuff done for the people” rather than his view of Schweikert’s approach to office “just talking about stuff.”
“Instead of fighting for Arizonans, too many of our leaders are standing by and choosing to do nothing as we are confronted with some really serious challenges,” said Shah.
Shah also criticized Schweikert’s continued support for President Donald Trump’s economic policies. Schweikert, vice chair of the Joint Economic Committee and member of the Ways and Means Committee, has indicated some reservations about the president’s tariffs and the ongoing trade war.
“[W]e see uncertainty injected into the environment, where businesses are afraid to invest,” said Shah. “[Schweikert] should have been out there saying, full-throatedly, that for the people of CD1, this is going to cause them massive disruption. It’s going to cause economic harm.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists named Shah “Legislator of the Year” for his successful defense of the abortion pill, mifepristone, during the 2022 legislative session.
That year, Shah also cosponsored a bill to expand anti-discrimination laws to cover gender identity and sexual orientation advanced by former House Speaker Rusty Bowers, a Republican. Shah also put forth bills to redefine marriage within the state constitution.
Prior to his run last year, Shah openly situated himself within the socialist camp of the Democratic Party.
Shah headlined a 2019 town hall for then-presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, organized by the Phoenix Democratic Socialists of America and Progressive Democrats of America, where he advocated for government-run universal healthcare.
The year before that, Shah proposed ending capitalism and, in its place, implementing socialist policies.
Schweikert defeated Shah with 52 percent of the vote: a lead of about 16,600 votes. That lead made theirs one of the narrowest federal races — second only to the contest between incumbent Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani and another repeat Democratic challenger, Kirsten Engel (in that race, Ciscomani led Engel by just over 10,800 votes).
Shah lost despite having outspent Schweikert by several million, per Federal Election Commission (FEC) data. Shah’s campaign spent over $6.2 million on his race, while Schweikert’s campaign spent over $4.2 million.
There are other Democrats vying to challenge Schweikert: Tammi Medlin, Marlene Galan-Woods, Brandon Donnelly, and Brian Del Vecchio.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
