Amish Shah Emerges as Democratic Front-Runner in High-Stakes CD1 Showdown with David Schweikert

A tightly contested Democratic primary for Arizona’s First Congressional District remains unresolved as election night drew to a close, with former state Rep. Amish Shah holding a slim lead.

Shah, a physician by profession, garnered approximately 24% of the votes by Tuesday night, edging out his nearest rival, Andrei Cherny, by about three percentage points, and Marlene Galán-Woods by four points.

Andrei Cherny, who formerly served as an assistant Arizona attorney general and chaired the Arizona Democratic Party, received endorsements from notable figures such as ex-President Bill Clinton and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego.

Marlene Galán-Woods, a former broadcast journalist and widow of ex-Attorney General Grant Woods, had the backing of significant Democratic figures including Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and former Governor Janet Napolitano.

Conor O’Callaghan, a finance professional, secured around 18% of the votes as election night progressed, while orthodontist Andrew Horne and former Red Cross regional CEO Kurt Kroemer trailed with 12% and 3% of the votes, respectively.

The victor of this Democratic primary will challenge the sitting Republican Congressman David Schweikert, who easily triumphed over his primary opponents Kim George and Robert Backie.