By admin PHOENIX (AZFamily) — While the primary election does not get the same attention as the general, there is still plenty of drama and important choices Arizona voters need to make.
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Independent or unaffiliated voters can participate in the primary election; they just have to choose which party’s primary ballot they want to cast. For more information, click or tap here.
The primary was moved up to July 21 thanks to a bill signed earlier this year. Click or tap here for election deadlines to know about.
Here are the top eight races to watch in this primary election:
Governor — Republican primary
With Gov. Katie Hobbs uncontested on the Democratic side, one of the biggest races on the ballot is the battle for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, but it might be over before it starts.
Rep. Andy Biggs is the front-runner, with the latest poll showing he has 60% support among Republicans. He is endorsed by President Donald Trump. A former House Freedom Caucus chair, Biggs wants to lower costs by cutting taxes and reducing government.
The other big name is Rep. David Schweikert, who gave up his congressional seat in District 1 to run for governor. He had 10% in the poll. The eight-term congressman is known as a numbers guy who wants to make Arizona the best state for business by cutting regulations and recruiting companies.
Polling at 1% are businessmen Scott Neely and Ken Miceli. To watch last month’s debate featuring the four candidates, click or tap here.
Attorney general — Republican primary
One of the most heated races is the battle between State Senate President Warren Petersen and military attorney Rodney Glassman to face Democratic incumbent Kris Mayes in the general election.
The attacks have become ugly, with both going after the other’s experience. Glassman said Petersen does not have the legal experience for the job, pointing to Glassman’s 17 years of experience.
Petersen has had a law license for less than three years and said his experience as the current state Senate president counts.
The primary debate in May turned into a barrage of insults and name-calling.
Superintendent of Public Instruction — Republican primary
Incumbent Tom Horne is facing a primary challenge from state Treasurer Kimberly Yee, the central fight being over the Empowerment Scholarship Account, or ESA, school voucher program, and DEI.
Horne said he supports the ESA program and is working on using AI to prevent fraud while blaming the state Legislature for not giving him enough staffing to conduct audits.
Yee said Horne’s management of the school voucher program has been chaotic. She has promised to upgrade or replace the ESA vendor, ClassWallet, and to use AI to flag illegal purchases. She would like the program to remain universal.
An attack ad called Yee the “Empress of DEI,” and while Horne denied being involved in the ad, his campaign website links Yee to DEI policies, echoing the message in the ad. Yee called the ad false.
To watch their May 14 debate, click or tap here.
Superintendent of Public Instruction — Democratic primary
On the Democratic side, it’s two newcomers. Brett Newby is a behavior therapist who works with children with autism. Teresa Leyba Ruiz is a 35-year educator and ex-president of Glendale Community College.
Both call for more ESA oversight, with Newby saying he wants taxpayer money redirected back to public schools and a renewed focus on helping students with special needs with ESAs.
Ruiz wants to end the $2,000 auto-approval system and provide more transparency with an ESA dashboard to track spending.
Newby’s signature issue is rural schools, where he wants to convert closed school buildings into teacher housing to attract teachers.
Ruiz wants to take down Horne’s Teacher Empowerment Hotline and create a dedicated Office for Rural Schools within the department.
To watch their May 13 debate, click or tap here.
Secretary of state — Republican primary
Two Republicans with two different philosophies face off in the Republican primary in hopes of being the state’s top election official.
State Rep. Alexander Kolodin led multiple lawsuits trying to challenge the 2020 and 2022 election results, including the so-called “Kraken lawsuit.”
Former Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda, also a former Democrat, maintains the elections were not stolen. She worked at the secretary of state’s office under GOP Secretary Michele Reagan and Democratic Secretary Katie Hobbs.
In a May 14 debate, Kolodin called Swoboda a liberal in disguise and said confidence in elections is at an all-time low.
Swoboda argued Kolodin has no chance of beating Fontes in the general due to being part of the far-right Freedom Caucus and being sanctioned by the State Bar of Arizona in 2023 for his 2020 election lawsuits.
Congressional District 1 — Republican primary
With Schweikert running for governor, the Republican side is open for Congressional District 1 for a seat Schweikert won by 4 percentage points, making it a toss-up in the general election.
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Former Arizona Cardinals kicker and football analyst Jay Feely is the front-runner with a Trump endorsement and has more than $1.2 million cash on hand. He said Arizonans need to trust Trump, adding that the Iran war, the high price of gas and the added costs of Trump’s tariffs will all be worth it in the end. He is also pro–data center.
Joseph Chaplik served in the state House of Representatives for six years before resigning to run for Congress in March and pitches himself as a battle-tested conservative. He opposes data centers near communities and is open to revisiting DACA and immigration reform, but is still a hardliner on illegal immigration.
John Trobough is a managing partner at a tech consulting firm and served as a nonpartisan White House Presidential Innovation Fellow under Trump and Barack Obama. His main issue is AI and technology regulation, saying there needs to be light government regulation. Trobough also supports DACA and a merit-based reform.
Congressional District 1 — Democratic primary
On the Democratic side, all four agree that Trump is a problem but differ on what to do about it.
The two front-runners are Marlene Galán-Woods, a former TV anchor, and former state Rep. Amish Shah — a rematch of 2024 that Galán-Woods lost.
Galán-Woods is a former Republican who has the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Mayes, Sen. Mark Kelly and former Gov. Janet Napolitano.
Shah is an emergency room physician who said the DCCC endorsement of Galán-Woods was a backroom deal, and he had a 3-to-1 lead in a February poll.
Galán-Woods said she hopes Democrats flip the House to rein in Trump’s tariffs and calls for healthcare and immigration reform.
Shah wants to impeach Trump again if Democrats win the House and severely restrict ICE while protecting abortion and voting rights.
Rick McCartney, president and CEO of InMedia Company, wants to repeal the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and defund ICE before reforming its mission.
Jonathan Treble, founder of WithMe, calls for immigration reform, undoing the One Big Beautiful Bill, and wants Medicare for all.
To watch last month’s debate, click or tap here.
Congressional District 5 — Republican primary
Biggs’ old seat is a deeply red district, so whoever wins the primary will likely win the general. Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb continues to be the heavy favorite despite misconduct allegations that surfaced earlier this year.
Construction business owner Daniel Keenan has made the scandal a key part of his campaign and is saying he’s the scandal-free alternative.
Trump endorsed Lamb last November, and that has not changed despite the allegations. Lamb has the name recognition with a tough-on-the-border image. However, he hasn’t said much since the scandal broke in May.
Lamb said there was no fraud in the 2020 election, while Keenan has said Trump was “defrauded” of the election.
Honorable mentions
LD3 – Republican: Senate Majority Leader John Kavanagh is facing a challenge from ex-Turning Point Action staffer Robert Wallace, which has become personal, with a clash over paranormal beliefs.
LD6 – Democratic: Rep. Myron Tsosie is term-limited, so he’s running for the Senate seat against ex-state Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai. Peshlakai’s mother, Mae Peshlakai, and his aunt, Angela Maloney, are running for the House against Ian Teller.
LD7- Republican: Four Republicans are vying for the two House seats, including incumbent Rep. Walk Balckman, former Rep. David Cook, Andrew Costanzo and Barby Ingle.
LD2- Republican: Republican Sen. Shawnna Bolick, wife of Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick, is known for working with Democrats and faces a challenge from Timothy Ferrara, who has been criminally charged with nine felonies for his alleged role in the 2020 fake electors scheme.
LD20 – Democratic: Former Tucson City Councilwoman Rocque Perez is running for Senate against Rep. Alma Hernadez, who Perez tried to knock off the ballot through a lawsuit claiming Hernadez did not pay all her campaign finance fines.
LD28 – Republican: In a solid-red district, Heather Rooks, the recently ousted president of the Peoria Unified School District governing board, is running for the House against the two incumbents: Rep. David Livingston, the fundraising front-runner, and Rep. Beverly Pingerelli, who has received union endorsements.
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