Arizona Republican Ponders Leaving Swing District for Governor’s Race

Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., is weighing jumping into the GOP primary in Arizona’s governor race in 2026, potentially leaving his swing district seat vulnerable to a Democrat pickup.

Schweikert, 63, who was first elected in 2010 as part of the Republican wave election, comes from a battleground district where he was narrowly reelected in 2024. The eight-term lawmaker drew 51.9% of the vote compared with Democrat Amish Shah’s 48.1%. The Republican congressman won by fewer than 18,000 votes and out of 434,504 votes cast.

Republicans would likely prefer not to give up Schweikert’s incumbency advantage in a close district should he opt not to run for reelection and instead pursue the governor’s race.

“Congressman Schweikert has been asked to run for governor by several prominent Arizona Republicans who are concerned with the current field of candidates. He is considering it, but has not made a final decision,” Chris Baker, campaign consultant to the congressman, said in a statement reported by Punchbowl. Schweikert is expected to decide definitively by the end of the week. 

Two prominent Republicans have already announced their candidacies for the GOP primary to take on Arizona Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs. They are Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who has served in Congress since 2017, and Karrin Taylor Robson, a lawyer who is a former member of the Arizona Board of Regents. The president has endorsed both the candidacies of both Biggs and Robson. A former social worker, Hobbs beat Republican nominee former TV newscaster Kari Lake in 2022 in what ended up being a race decided by less than a percentage point.

The Arizona congressman has served in the House since 2011 and currently chairs the Joint Economic Committee. Schweikert represents the competitive 1st Congressional District, which encompasses northeastern Maricopa County and is the wealthiest district in the state by income. 

Prior to joining Congress, Schweikert was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from 1991 to 1995 and held several financial management positions in local and state government. He was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, but left the organization in 2023 in part because of confusion with a state organization over the same name.

Schweikert has spoken candidly about how he was born to a pregnant teenage mother and was nearly aborted. 

Schweikert’s office didn’t immediately respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment.