PHOENIX (Diya TV) — Republican Rep. David Schweikert has won re-election in Arizona’s wealthy 1st Congressional District by a thin margin, defeating Democratic challenger Amish Shah. Schweikert, who has represented Arizona in the U.S. House since 2011, has won his eighth term in a district where the political landscape is shifting.
Traditionally Republican, the district encompasses affluent areas like Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, and portions of Phoenix. After redistricting and shifting voter dynamics, however, the contest has tightened considerably. Schweikert is facing a fiercely competitive challenge from Shah, a former state legislator and doctor. He campaigned on issues such as healthcare reform and climate change, which resonate with quite a few voters in the district who have become disillusioned with those traditional Republican candidates.
Schweikert is known for fiscal conservatism and strict opposition to government debt. This has been blunted by ethics scandals. In 2022, the Federal Election Commission fined him $125,000 over mishandled campaign funds. Despite the controversies surrounding him, his appeal to his constituents, as well as the strong Republican leanings of the district, stayed his seat.
The victory comes also at a time of churn for Arizona politics, with moderates from both the Republican and Democratic parties making more noise. For that reason, some consider Schweikert’s victory a small part in the larger contest of the two parties, given the shifting demographics of the state and that voters of one generation are less in control now.
While Schweikert’s own re-election is far from a Republican victory, the race did tell the world that Democratic candidates have grown more and more influential, even in the most conservative congressional districts of America. The contest also redefined the political landscape of America’s suburbs and clarified that that’s where Arizona still continues to divide on national issues.
