President Donald Trump celebrated a string of victories by his endorsed candidates in Arizona’s Republican primary Tuesday, declaring the results a sign that the battleground state is continuing its shift toward the GOP.
In a post on Truth Social Wednesday, Trump wrote: “MAGA CANDIDATES WON EVERYTHING LAST NIGHT IN ARIZONA, A COMPLETE SWEEP!!! I WON ARIZONA 18 MONTHS AGO. THE DEMOCRATS ARE DUMBFOUNDED. AFTER DECADES, ARIZONA IS BECOMING A REPUBLICAN STATE. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!”
The president also singled out Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who won the Republican nomination for governor. Trump wrote: “Congratulations to Congressman Andy Biggs, who will be a GREAT Governor. Must now defeat a Radical Left Democrat, one of the worst governors in the Country, Katie Hobbs, who is weak on Crime but strong on Raising Taxes. Go Andy, Go!!!”
Biggs, a longtime Trump ally and former chair of the House Freedom Caucus, defeated fellow Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) in the GOP primary. He will face Governor-elect Katie Hobbs in November in what is expected to be one of the nation’s most closely watched governor’s races.
Trump also secured victories in Arizona’s congressional primaries. Former NFL kicker Jay Feely won the Republican nomination for Arizona’s competitive 1st Congressional District, defeating former state Rep. Joseph Chaplik. Feely built his campaign around his relationship with Trump and support for the president’s “America First” agenda, telling voters he could provide direct access to the White House.
Feely will face the winner of a closely contested Democratic primary between emergency physician Amish Shah and party-backed candidate Marlene Galán-Woods. Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, another Trump-backed candidate, also won his Republican U.S. House primary Tuesday.
Arizona remains one of the country’s premier political battlegrounds, with Republicans hoping to build on recent gains in statewide races while Democrats seek to maintain their hold on the governor’s office and compete for key congressional seats.
