急诊医生Amish Shah在亚利桑那州第1国会选区民主党初选中胜出[1]，战胜了民主党国会竞选委员会(DCCC)支持的前共和党人Marlene Galán-Woods[1]。这一结果反映出选民对华盛顿党派领导层偏好的直接抵触。
Shah在回应自己非党派领导层首选时表示："我不正是我党的选择。"[1] 一位24岁的医学生志愿者Maria Liong评价称："民主党需要成长，需要清醒。"[1]
该选区涵盖菲尼克斯东北部、斯科茨代尔、喷泉山和天堂谷[1]。在秋季大选中，Shah将对阵共和党候选人、前NFL踢球员Jay Feely[1]。Feely在共和党初选中战胜了Joseph Chaplik[1]，并获得特朗普的支持[1]。
有趣的是，Shah和Feely都曾效力于纽约喷气队，其中2008-2009赛季两人在队中重叠[1]。Feely在NFL效力长达14个赛季[1]，其中2010-2013年效力亚利桑那红雀队[1]。
Emergency room physician Amish Shah secured the Democratic nomination for Arizona's 1st Congressional District on Wednesday, defeating the candidate backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee [1]. His victory over Marlene Galán-Woods, a former Republican, signals voter resistance to Washington party leadership's preferred choices [1].
Shah will face Republican nominee Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker who won his party's primary with backing from Donald Trump [1]. Feely prevailed over Joseph Chaplik in the Republican race [1]. The 1st District encompasses northeastern Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and Paradise Valley [1].
Reflecting on his primary triumph, Shah stated, "I wasn't exactly my party's pick" [1]. One 24-year-old medical student volunteer supporting his campaign expressed broader frustration, saying, "The Democratic Party needs to grow up and wake up" [1].
An unusual connection links the two general election opponents: both Shah and Feely played for the New York Jets, with their tenures overlapping during the 2008-2009 season [1]. Feely spent 14 seasons in the NFL, including four years with the Arizona Cardinals from 2010 to 2013 [1].