U.S. House race · November 3, 2026
U.S. Representative, Arizona District 1
Represents the district in the U.S. House of Representatives, which writes federal laws, approves the federal budget and taxes, and oversees the executive branch.
2-year term. Open seat: no incumbent is running. The district lies in Maricopa County and includes northeast Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills and Cave Creek; Arizona is using the same congressional map in 2026 that it used in 2022 and 2024. The seat is open because Republican Rep. David Schweikert ran for governor instead of seeking reelection. In the July 21, 2026 primaries, Jay Feely won the Republican nomination with 49.8% of the vote, Amish Shah won the Democratic nomination with 39.4%, and Monica Alponte was unopposed for the Libertarian nomination. Dev Gupta (independent) and Gage Dylan Thunder (no party preference) are certified write-in candidates and do not appear on the printed ballot.
The candidates
Listed alphabetically by last name.
Monica Alponte
Retired business owner and writerMonica Alponte is a retired business owner and writer who won the Libertarian nomination without opposition. Her campaign centers on non-intervention in foreign conflicts, limited government and civil liberties, under the slogan "Not left, not right, just free."
Jay Feely
Former NFL placekicker and former CBS Sports NFL analystJay Feely is a former NFL placekicker, including four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, and a former CBS Sports NFL analyst who is running for public office for the first time. His campaign focuses on border security, the economy, energy production and keeping women's sports limited to female athletes.
Amish Shah
Emergency physician; former Arizona state representativeAmish Shah is an emergency physician who served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2019 to 2024 and was the Democratic nominee for this seat in 2024. His campaign focuses on costs and tariffs, Social Security and Medicare, health care, water and abortion rights, and he describes himself as an independent voice who works across party lines.
Compare on the issues
Summaries of each candidate's stated positions. See each profile for sources and details.
| Issue | Monica Alponte Libertarian | Jay Feely Republican | Amish Shah Democratic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy & Jobs | No public position found yet | Supports expanding the Trump-era tax cuts, cutting regulations, boosting domestic manufacturing and reducing the national debt. | Calls the Trump administration's tariffs "a tax on Arizona families" that raise grocery and gas prices, and says he would work to lower costs. |
| Elections & Democracy | Pledges to cosponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits Amendment (three House terms, two Senate terms), and supports overturning Citizens United. | No public position found yet | Says he would work to end partisan gerrymandering and dark money in politics and to bar officials from enriching themselves in office. |
| Energy & Environment | No public position found yet | Supports expanding U.S. oil, natural gas and coal production along with newer energy technologies, and opposes Green New Deal policies. | Says he would seek federal drought-resilience funding for Arizona communities and Tribes and fight for Arizona's share of Colorado River water, and opposes building data centers in the district. |
| Foreign Policy | Opposes all U.S. foreign aid, including aid to Israel, supports a non-interventionist foreign policy, and says she will not take money from AIPAC or foreign lobbies. | Says he would strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and combat antisemitism, including on college campuses. | No public position found yet |
| Immigration | Supports a secure border and ending incentives for illegal immigration. | Says he would finish the border wall, supports mass deportations of violent offenders, backs police, Border Patrol and ICE agents, and says he would work to stop fentanyl trafficking. | No public position found yet |
| Abortion | No public position found yet | No public position found yet | Supports abortion rights and says he would vote to codify Roe v. Wade. |
| Guns | Describes herself as pro-Second Amendment. | No public position found yet | No public position found yet |
| Social Security & Medicare | No public position found yet | No public position found yet | Says he would protect Social Security and Medicare, including opposing a higher Social Security retirement age, and would work to reverse Medicaid cuts and lower premiums. |
| Taxes | Supports abolishing the IRS and ending the Federal Reserve's monopoly on currency. | No public position found yet | No public position found yet |
| Women's Sports | No public position found yet | Opposes male athletes competing in girls' and women's sports and says he would back federal law to keep those competitions limited to female athletes. | No public position found yet |