Amish Shah, an emergency physician, won the Democratic primary in Arizona’s 1st congressional district on Wednesday, handing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) another loss after it backed a rival candidate. Shah will face Republican Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker endorsed by Donald Trump, in the general election. Before their political rivalry, Shah and Feely were part of the same New York Jets team - Shah as a sideline doctor and Feely as the kicker.

The DCCC had endorsed Marlene Galán-Woods, a former Republican and TV journalist, despite little ideological difference between her and Shah - both are moderates. The race was not a progressive-versus-centrist proxy fight, but voters still rejected the party’s pick. “Our victory was a grassroots victory where Arizona voters made their voices heard,” Shah said, diplomatically not mentioning the DCCC snub.

Suzan DelBene, DCCC chair, called Feely an “extremist” and said Shah “will always put his community first,” but avoided addressing the endorsement controversy. Meanwhile, the National Republican Congressional Committee quickly labeled Shah a socialist in a digital ad.

The district, covering affluent Phoenix suburbs, is a key battleground for control of the House after Republican Representative David Schweikert ran for governor and lost. Trump narrowly won the district in 2024, but Joe Biden carried it in 2020. Shah, who narrowly lost a crowded 2024 primary that included Galán-Woods, now faces a tough general election against Feely, who defeated grassroots favorite Joseph Chaplik in the GOP primary.

Antiestablishment fervor is rattling Democratic leaders, who worry swing voters may see insurgent candidates as too extreme. Similar upsets occurred in California and Maine, where DCCC-backed candidates lost. “The Democratic party needs to grow up and wake up,” said Maria Liong, a 24-year-old medical student who volunteered for Shah. “They need to realize that they want candidates who listen to their people.”