Dr. Amish Shah wins US House Democratic Primary in Arizona

Dr. Amish Shah, a 47-year-old Indian American practicing emergency room physician and former State Representative, has won the competitive Democratic primary for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District.

In the November 5 general election, Shah will face seven-term Republican incumbent, Rep. David Schweikert, who held onto the seat by only about 3,200 votes or less than a 1% margin in 2022.

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all of the support we have received throughout this district. We have always run a campaign that is grassroots, positive and substantive,” Shah stated. “We prioritize engaging voters and building a community, and we look forward to making a tangible difference in the lives of the people we serve.”

READ: Amish Shah quits Arizona House to focus on Congress-run (February 9, 2024)

“As an emergency room physician and a bipartisan legislator, I have fought to make health care and reproductive care more accessible, and housing more affordable,” Shah said vowing to “continue working across the aisle to protect our communities, secure our border, and reduce the cost of living for middle-class families.”

“With this focus in mind, and with your support, we will defeat the incumbent David Schweikert this November,” he wrote. “Throughout this primary campaign, we have focused on positive, community-driven solutions, and I am proud that we have stayed true to our values, Shah stated.

Thanking the other Democratic candidates “who ran passionate campaigns,” Shah said he looked forward to working with them all to deliver a victory in November.

Indian American Impact Fund, a leading community political advocacy organization, congratulated Shah on his “hard-fought victory” in the July 30 primary.

READ: Amish Shah raises $530,000 for Congressional run from Arizona (July 17, 2023)

“This milestone achievement positions Amish to potentially become the first South Asian to represent Arizona in the US Congress,” the Impact stated noting, in a highly competitive district, the race is expected to be one of the highest-profile races in the general election, as it is key to Democrats flipping the US House.

Leading up to the primary, Impact invested $200,000 in support of Shah, including a mail campaign targeting 36,000 voters. The campaign’s strategic focus on Shah’s service as a doctor and former state representative, along with his commitments to protecting abortion rights and defending democracy, played a pivotal role in his victory, it stated.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Dr. Amish Shah’s victory in the Arizona congressional primary. Amish is ready to take on MAGA extremism, protect abortion rights, and defend our democracy,” Chintan Patel, Indian American Impact Fund’s Executive Director, stated.

“His tireless door-knocking and community organizing efforts have shown his deep connection to the people he serves. Amish’s background as a doctor and former state representative uniquely equips him to understand and address the needs of his constituents,” he said.

“We are excited to see a South Asian play such a crucial role in deciding majority control of the US House,” Patel stated. “Arizona’s first district is a critical linchpin for Democrats in their bid to flip the US House and we look forward to supporting Amish through the general election and beyond.”

“We are confident he will continue to be a tireless advocate for all Arizonans in Congress, and his presence will be a significant step forward for representation and progressive values in our government,” he added.