Republican David Schweikert wins reelection in affluent Arizona congressional district

PHOENIX (AP) — Republican David Schweikert has won an eighth term in an affluent congressional district in the Phoenix area by fending off a challenge from a Democratic former state lawmaker.

Schweikert defeated Amish Shah, an emergency room doctor, Sunday in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District that includes north Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and Paradise Valley.

While Republicans hold a voter registration advantage in the district, it started to trend toward the center after Donald Trump’s 2016 victory as some voters who historically backed Republicans reluctantly voted for Democrats or left their ballots blank.

Redistricting ahead of the 2022 midterms accelerated the trend, fueling hopes among Democrats that Schweikert could be defeated and the district flipped. Schweikert is known for railing against government debt.

“Congressman Schweikert is pleased to have the support from the voters of Arizona’s 1st Congressional district,” said Chris Baker, a spokesperson for Schweikert, in a statement late Sunday. He said voters showed they want a representative committed to the economy, lower taxes and border security.

Shah’s campaign did not respond to an emailed request for comment Sunday.

Schweikert has been in close races before. He won reelection in 2022 by just 3,200 votes against a relatively unknown Democrat who received minimal support from national Democrats.

Schweikert’s reputation has been tarnished in recent years by ethics scandals. In 2022, he received a $125,000 fine by the Federal Election Commission for misappropriating campaign funds. Two years prior, he agreed to pay a $50,000 fine and accept 11 campaign finance violations after an investigation by the U.S. House Committee on Ethics.

Shah, who had emerged as the primary winner among a field of six Democrats, had campaigned on reducing the prices for housing and health care.

Earlier Sunday, Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton won reelection against Republican Kelly Cooper in the 4th District, which includes the cities of Tempe, Mesa and Chandler outside of Phoenix. Stanton, a former Phoenix mayor, has served in Congress since 2019.

In the 6th Congressional District, Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani remained locked in a tight race with Democrat Kirsten Engel, whom he narrowly beat two years ago. The district runs from Tucson east to New Mexico and includes a stretch of the Arizona-Mexico border.

The U.S. Senate race between Republican Kari Lake, a well-known former television news anchor and staunch Trump ally, and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, an Iraq War veteran, also hasn't been decided.