Trump-Backed Ex-NFL Kicker Jay Feely Wins Arizona House Primary
Jay Feely won the Republican primary for Arizona's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, positioning him as the GOP nominee in a key Phoenix-area battleground for November.[1]
Feely defeated state Reps. Joseph Chaplik and John Trobough to win the GOP nomination to replace Rep. David Schweikert, who lost a GOP gubernatorial primary the same night.[1] President Donald Trump had given Feely a "complete and total endorsement" days before the primary and called him a "true America First conservative" in a campaign video.[1]
Feely, a former NFL kicker, drew national attention and was placed in the National Republican Congressional Committee's "MAGA Majority" program aimed at supporting America First candidates in battleground districts.[1] The race turned heated late when Chaplik accused Feely of "importing Haitians," an allegation Feely rejected as racist and linked to his humanitarian work in Haiti.[1]
Arizona's 1st District, which includes parts of Scottsdale and northeast Maricopa County, is widely seen as one of the most competitive House seats in November.[1] Feely's primary win hands Republicans a Trump-backed nominee whose national profile could bring both resources and scrutiny as the fall campaign unfolds.
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📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Jay Feely won the Republican primary for Arizona's 1st Congressional District.
- Feely defeated Joseph Chaplik and John Trobough for the nomination to replace Rep. David Schweikert, who lost a GOP gubernatorial primary the same night.
- President Donald Trump gave Feely a 'complete and total endorsement' days before the primary and called him a 'true America First conservative' in a video.
- Arizona's 1st District, a Phoenix-area battleground including parts of Scottsdale and northeast Maricopa County, is considered one of the most competitive House seats in November.
- The NRCC placed Feely in its 'MAGA Majority' program aimed at supporting America First candidates in battleground districts.
- The race featured a late dispute in which Chaplik accused Feely of 'importing Haitians,' which Feely rejected as racist and linked to his Haiti relief work.
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