Former NFL kicker Jay Feely won the Republican primary for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, giving the GOP a Trump-backed nominee in a competitive open-seat race that will help determine which party controls the House. Feely, who received President Donald Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” in the final stretch of the race, defeated former state lawmaker Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough in the GOP contest to replace Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., who is running for governor but lost in his primary Tuesday night.
Arizona’s 1st Congressional District is a Phoenix-area battleground that both parties see as competitive heading into November. The district includes northeastern Maricopa County and large parts of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills, according to Arizona PBS’ candidate forum. Trump endorsed Feely in a video message days before the primary, calling him a “true America First conservative” and urging voters to support him in the July 21 election. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) also placed Feely in its “MAGA Majority” program, which the committee says is aimed at supporting America First candidates in battleground districts.
The GOP primary became increasingly personal in its final weeks when Chaplik accused Feely on X of having “imported Haitians,” a remark Feely described as racist and directed at Haitian men he considers family, according to Axios Phoenix. “This tweet had NOTHING to do with your two family members and everything to do with your history of bringing large numbers of Haitian migrants to NGOs in an attempt to get amnesty here,” Chaplik shot back on X. “You have a history of opposing Trump on TPS for Haiti.” Feely, who has spent years doing nonprofit relief work in Haiti after a devastating 2010 earthquake there, has defended his work as humanitarian, not political, telling Axios Phoenix that he helped two young Haitian men — a translator he worked with and the translator’s brother — come to the U.S. Feely said he considers them members of his family and has also tried to assist several of their relatives in relocating.
Feely will advance to a general election in one of the most closely watched House races in the country, as Republicans try to hold Schweikert’s seat and Democrats look to capitalize on an open race in a district that has remained competitive in recent cycles. The Democrat candidates for Arizona's 1st Congressional District include former state lawmaker Amish Shah and former television news anchor Marlene Galán-Woods, the two leading Democrats in the race, along with Rick McCartney and Jonathan Treble. The general election is expected to draw significant national attention and funding, as both parties view the district as a key pickup opportunity in the fight for House control.
Feely’s background as a former NFL player and his humanitarian work in Haiti have shaped his public profile, but also drawn scrutiny from opponents. His campaign has emphasized his commitment to conservative values and his alignment with Trump’s agenda, including border security and economic policies. The NRCC’s inclusion of Feely in its “MAGA Majority” program signals strong party support, and Trump’s endorsement is likely to galvanize Republican voters in the district. However, the general election will test whether Feely can appeal to a broader electorate in a district that has swung between parties in recent cycles.
The race in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District is part of a broader national battle for control of the House, with Republicans currently holding a slim majority. Democrats see the open seat as a prime opportunity to flip a district that has been represented by Schweikert since 2011, but which has become more competitive due to demographic shifts and redistricting. Feely’s victory in the primary sets the stage for a high-stakes campaign that will likely be one of the most expensive and closely watched in the country.