Arizona holds key primary elections for governor, US congressional seats leading up to midterms

The state of Arizona held key primary elections on Tuesday for governor and several US congressional seats.

The most watched race was the Republican primary for governor, in which US Rep. Andy Biggs, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, easily won the nomination over fellow US Rep. David Schweikert by a margin of 71.6% to 15.6% with 65% of precincts counted.

Biggs, who was endorsed by the president, will face incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who ran uncontested. Hobbs is seeking her second term in office, in what is expected to be a close race in the November midterms.

The race to fill Schweikert’s seat in the 1st Congressional District will be a battle between Republican nominee Jay Feely, a former professional football player in the US National Football League (NFL), and Democratic nominee Amish Shah, who won her party’s nomination two years ago but narrowly lost to Schweikert in the general election.

Feely won the Republican nomination with 49.4% of the vote with 69% of the ballots counted over his next closest challenger, state Rep. Joseph Chaplik, who received 35.2%. Shah received 42.0% with 76% of precincts counted over the next closest challenger, Marlene Galan-Woods, who received 32.3%.

Biggs’ vacant seat in the 5th Congressional District will be contested in November between Republican Mark Lamb, a former sheriff, and Democrat Elizabeth Lee.

Lamb, who was also endorsed by Trump, defeated challenger Daniel Keenan 58.7% to 41.3% with 68% of precincts counted. Lee easily beat her two opponents with 64.5% of the vote with 72% of the ballots counted.