Arizona’s primary elections: Which US races to watch and why they matter

What the report says

Al Jazeera, with reporting from The Associated Press, says Arizona voters are choosing party nominees on Tuesday in primaries that will shape races for governor, Congress and statewide offices in a closely divided US battleground. Polls are scheduled from 6am to 7pm local time, with voters in line at closing still allowed to cast ballots. Results cannot be released until 8pm local time, and more than 755,000 ballots had been submitted before election day.

The highest-profile contest is the Republican primary for governor, where four candidates are seeking the nomination to face Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs in November. The race is centered on two members of Congress: Andy Biggs, a Trump-aligned conservative and former House Freedom Caucus chair, and David Schweikert, who is presenting himself as a more pragmatic Republican. Hobbs is seeking a second term in a state Donald Trump carried in 2024.

Several US House races are also being closely watched because they could affect control of the chamber. In the open 1st Congressional District, Republicans include state Representative Joseph Chaplik, Trump-endorsed former NFL kicker Jay Feely and technology executive John Trobough. Democrats include former state Representative Amish Shah and former news anchor Marlene Galan-Woods. In the 6th District, Republican Representative Juan Ciscomani and Democrat JoAnna Mendoza are unopposed in their primaries and are expected to meet in November.

Al Jazeera also highlights Democratic divisions over Israel and Gaza. Representative Greg Stanton faces progressive Kai Newkirk in the 4th District, while Representative Yassamin Ansari’s shifting stance on Israel-related support is drawing attention in the 3rd District. The primaries matter because Arizona has recently swung between parties and remains central to national electoral strategy.