Arizona is once again proving it cannot do anything politically without maximum drama. Voters hit the polls tonight for a primary election that will basically determine which Republicans get to fight Democrats in November across a bunch of races that were already decided by margins smaller than your average grocery receipt. As Conservative Brief reported, polls shut down at 7 p.m. local time, and results should start trickling in shortly afterward.
The headliner tonight is the GOP gubernatorial primary, where Congressman Andy Biggs is cruising like a man who already picked out his office furniture. The former Freedom Caucus chairman snagged an endorsement from President Donald Trump, which apparently scared off most of the competition. His only real challenger is fellow Rep. David Schweikert, but this contest has generated roughly as much suspense as a rerun of a show you already watched twice. On the other side, Governor Katie Hobbs is running completely unopposed for her party's nomination, because apparently nobody wanted to challenge the woman who won in 2022 by a margin so thin you could see through it.
Speaking of comically close elections, Republicans are also picking someone to face Attorney General Kris Mayes, who won her seat by fewer than 300 votes. That is not a typo. Three. Hundred. Votes. Senate President Warren Petersen is squaring off against attorney Rodney Glassman for the honor of trying to flip that office. Petersen has branded himself as the election integrity warrior, while Mayes has become a lightning rod for conservative frustration over her legal battles and opposition to Trump administration policies.
The Secretary of State race features Republicans Alexander Kolodin and Gina Swoboda competing over who can best convince voters their elections are secure. Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes is waiting on the other side. Meanwhile, the superintendent of public instruction primary is narrowing a crowded field in a state where education debates generate more heat than the Sonoran Desert in August.
Perhaps the spiciest contest is for the open 1st Congressional District, which Schweikert vacated to pursue his gubernatorial ambitions. This wealthy stretch of north Phoenix and Scottsdale is basically political catnip for both parties. Former NFL kicker Jay Feely, who apparently transitioned from booting field goals to booting opponents, has Trump's blessing and is facing off against former state Rep. Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough. Whoever survives tonight gets to compete for one of the most competitive House seats in America.
Arizona continues to be the swing state that refuses to let anyone sleep peacefully on election night. Strong performances by Trump's chosen candidates like Biggs and Feely would give Republicans serious momentum heading into fall. Flipping the governor's mansion and AG's office would hand the GOP control of crucial positions in a state that routinely decides national contests by margins that would make a coin flip look decisive. Tonight's results will reveal whether the Republican base is energized enough to carry that momentum through November or if independents have other plans entirely.
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