Arizona Primary Results Set Stage for Competitive Midterm Election

July 24, 2026

Physician-endorsed Candidates Advance to General Election

Arizona's 2026 Primary Election, which brought voters to the polls on July 21, has set the stage for November's competitive midterm election.


The Arizona Medical Political Action Committee — the Arizona Medical Association's bipartisan political arm — endorsed several candidates for their commitment to supporting physicians, patients, and healthcare in Arizona. In a win for the physician community, several ArMPAC endorsees prevailed in their primaries.

We've summarized results from the most-watched races in the state, which determined who will be on voters' ballots in November.


Statewide Races & Results

  • Governor: One of the most closely watched contests was the Republican gubernatorial primary, where former state lawmaker and Rep. Andy Biggs emerged as the GOP nominee over fellow Rep. David Schweikert. Biggs will now face Gov. Katie Hobbs, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
  • Attorney General: State Senate President Warren Petersen prevailed over perennial candidate Rodney Glassman for the Republican nomination for Attorney General. Petersen will now face incumbent Attorney General Kris Mays, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
  • State Secretary: Scottsdale lawmaker Alex Kolodin defeated former Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda in the bid for the Republican nomination for Secretary of State. Kolodin will now face incumbent Secretary of State Adrien Fontes, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
  • Superintendent of Public Instruction: In an upset, Kim Yee defeated incumbent Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.


Congressional District 1

Arizona's Congressional District 1 race is one of the most closely watched across the country. ArMPAC-endorsed physician Dr. Amish Shah had a resounding win in his competitive primary race and will go on to face Republican Jay Feely in the general election. Feely, a former NFL kicker, prevailed over Scottsdale legislator Joe Chaplik.


Competitive Legislative Primaries

There were several competitive primaries at the Arizona State Legislature to note:

  • LD 2 Senate: ArMPAC-endorsed physician Dr. Amelia Gallitano prevailed over Daniel Toporek and will go on to face incumbent Sen. Shawna Bolick in the general election.
  • LD 3 House: George Khalaf and incumbent Rep. Cody Reim appear to have prevailed in a very tight four-way race.
  • LD 7 House: Incumbent Rep. Walt Blackman and former lawmaker David Cook have prevailed in a competitive four-way race.
  • LD 10 House: Justin Olson and James Rogers prevailed over Ciara Anderson.
  • LD 13 House: Kevin Hartke and Janet Weninger prevailed.
  • LD 20 Senate: Alma Hernandez prevailed over Rocque Perez in a heated race.
  • LD 21 House: Incumbent Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton appears to have lost in a three-way race to seatmate Rep. Consuelo Hernandez and newcomer Miranda Lopez.
  • LD 24 House: Newcomers Lisbeth Arescurenaga and Alberto Flores prevailed over incumbent Rep. Lydia Hernandez.
  • LD 27 Senate: Incumbent Sen. Kevin Payne appears to have narrowly prevailed over challenger Anthony Kern. Kern has previously served in the Legislature from 2015-2021 and 2023-2025.
  • LD 30 House: Newcomers Mike Gannuscio and David Rose prevailed in a crowded five-way primary.


Physician-endorsed Candidates Advance

In addition to Drs. Amish Shah and Amelia Gallitano, the following ArMPAC-endorsed candidates either advanced from the primary or faced no challengers and will be on the general election ballot:


  • CD 4: Dr. Zuhdi Jasser
  • LD 3 Senate: John Kavanagh
  • LD 5 Senate: Christine Marsh
  • LD 13 Senate: Julie Willoughby
  • LD 18 Senate: Priya Sundareshan
  • LD 23 Senate: Brian Fernandez
  • LD 1 House: Selina Bliss
  • LD 4 House: Matt Gress
  • LD 4 House: Tammy Caputi
  • LD 5 House: Aaron Márquez
  • LD 5 House: Sarah Liguori
  • LD 18 House: Nancy Gutierrez
  • LD 18 House: Chris Mathis
  • LD 28 House: Beverly Pingerelli


What's Next

With the official statewide canvass coming up on Aug. 6, attention now turns to the General Election on Nov. 3. The primary results have narrowed the field, but the state's most consequential races remain unsettled.

The months ahead will offer an opportunity to learn more about the candidates, engage in the policy conversation, and help shape the direction of Arizona's healthcare system.


Stay tuned for ArMPAC's 2026 General Election Voter Guide — the physician community's best

election resource.

Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital Launches Largest Expansion in Its History

By Admin User • August 7, 2026
Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital Launches Largest Expansion in Its History Investment Expands Inpatient and Procedural Capacity to Meet Rising Demand for Cardiovascular Care The Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital in Phoenix announced last week that it is undertaking the largest expansion in its history. The new construction will add inpatient and procedural capacity to serve more Arizonans in need of heart and vascular care. Meeting Arizona's Growing Demand for Heart Care Abrazo explained that the expansion is necessary to support Arizona's continued population growth, which is driving increased demand for cardiovascular services. The added capacity will allow the hospital to not only treat more patients requiring cardiac, vascular, and critical care, but also continue its participation in clinical research and innovation.  Part of a Multi-Year Investment Strategy In its press release, Abrazo describes the expansion as the latest phase of ongoing, multi-year investments intended to advance care and meet the evolving healthcare needs of communities across the state. The hospital did not report an anticipated completion date for the project. Source: Abrazo Health

Arizona Erases $1 Billion in Medical Debt for Nearly 671,000 Residents

By Admin User • August 7, 2026
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