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Arizona voters locked in their choices for the 2026 primary election on July 21, with Republicans choosing hard-line conservatives for statewide races and progressives appearing to oust a West Valley incumbent lawmaker.
Election officials kept counting votes into the early morning of July 22, but results for some close races might not be called for days. Ballots from early voting that began June 24 were counted first.
The final outcomes will set the stage for November's general election, settling whether Republicans can keep control of the House and Senate and take back statewide offices including governor and attorney general. Democrats, meanwhile, hope to tie or gain a majority in one or both legislative chambers.
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Here are seven takeaways you need to know about the primary election.
Andy Biggs already has sights set on November
The newly crowned Republican nominee for governor, Andy Biggs, wasn’t around to celebrate for much of his election night celebration.
Biggs, 67, has represented Arizona’s 5th Congressional District since 2017 and, before that, served in the state Legislature for more than a decade. Biggs had a substantial lead over Rep. David Schweikert, solidifying a showdown between Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and Biggs in November.
Biggs, endorsed by President Donald Trump and Turning Point USA, was nowhere to be seen at his Election Night party in Scottsdale when the race was called just after 8 p.m. His wife informed guests that Biggs was delayed by weather after flying to Colorado for a meeting with the Republican Governors Association that morning.
"He needs their support, Arizona needs their support," Cindy Biggs said. "Even though this is our primary, he knew you guys had his back and it was OK to go."
Biggs appealed to general election voters in a statement Tuesday night, saying he would work “day and night” to earn their votes.
"As we advance to the General Election, I want to make sure every Arizonan knows this: no matter what your political party is or your background, you deserve a better leader than Katie Hobbs," Biggs said.
Key battleground tees up uncomfortable pivot for D.C. Democrats
On Election Night, National Democrats found themselves on the losing side of one of Arizona's biggest toss-ups.
Party leaders in D.C. roundly supported newscaster Marlene Galán-Woods in the 1st Congressional District primary. But it was her rival, former state Rep. Amish Shah, who pulled ahead in early returns.
Shah, an emergency room doctor, was the Democratic nominee in 2024. He lost to the outgoing GOP Rep. David Schweikert.
The outcome could set up an uncomfortable pivot for national Democrats. Liberal groups spent millions of dollars attacking Shah and elevating Galán-Woods. Advertisements blared on television in the weeks leading up to the race, calling him untrustworthy and criticizing his record in the Arizona Legislature.
As unofficial results showed Shah with a sizable lead, he joked that he would try to win over the Democrats' campaign wing if his victory was confirmed.
"I hope that I can get their endorsement over Jay Feely," he said, referring to the Republican nominee endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Turning Point endorsements carry weight with GOP voters
Turning Point Action legislative candidates generally performed well in the Republican primary race, likely adding to its list of supportive lawmakers.
The hard-line conservative group remained intact following the assassination of its founder, Charlie Kirk, but was criticized when its efforts to support candidates in April’s Salt River Project board election resulted in a high turnout of opposing progressive voters.
For the legislative primary, Turning Point endorsed numerous Republican legislative candidates, including 15 who had contested primary elections. Of those, nine were winning after the release of initial election results on July 21 while five were trailing their challengers. One race in a West Valley district between an incumbent senator and a former lawmaker was too close to call.
Five of the nine who were winning on election night were incumbents, including two in a competitive Phoenix district who will face two Democrats in November. Four were new candidates in GOP-heavy districts who are likely to beat their Democratic competitors.
Challenger is getting close to incumbent Republican utility regulators
Two well-funded incumbents on the Arizona Corporation Commission were put on the defensive by challenger Ralph Heap in the Tuesday primary, as three Republicans battled for two slots on the regulatory board. The two winners will advance to the general election and face Democrats Clara Pratte and Jonathon Hill.
Although both Kevin Thompson and Nick Myers had significantly more in their war chests — incumbents often enjoy fundraising advantages — Heap is holding his own.
While Thompson, first elected in 2022, enjoyed a slightly larger lead over the other two candidates, Heap and Myers were within a hair of each other. Heap pulled ahead narrowly, with a strong performance in Navajo, Mojave and Apache counties.
The Turning Point Action-endorsed candidate has clashed online with the two incumbents, who ran together in 2022 as the “dynamic duo.” Heap cast himself as a more conservative option — but Thompson and Myers have rebuked his criticisms.
Local city election turnout indicates historic low participation
Voter turnout for city elections appears to be heading toward historically low participation, based on early mail-in ballot returns.
Various races across the Valley had remarkably competitive races with candidates who could reshape the tone of councils.
Bitterly contested races such as those in Scottsdale, Gilbert, Mesa, Fountain Hills and El Mirage could be decided by far fewer voters than four years ago.
Cities saw participation dip by nearly 20 points compared to four years ago, the early results showed.
Three Gilbert incumbents, who were elected in 2022, could be chased off council in favor of four political newcomers, on slim margins.
The Scottsdale council could potentially see a shakeup that ultimately weakens the conservative majority’s stronghold.
Fountain Hills voters typically come out in droves, but this cycle appeared to be down significantly.
The July 21 primary also took place two weeks earlier than in 2022.
Local city councils make decisions that have a direct bearing on day-to-day life. They can have long-term sway over how your community is shaped for decades to come.
No major problems on Election Day
Maricopa County pulled off a smooth election, after the lead-up to Primary Day was marked by a nasty legal fight over election administration between County Recorder Justin Heap and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
There were few issues reported at vote centers on July 21. Maricopa County had already tabulated more than a half-million early ballots by the time polls closed.
“Maricopa County Elections did an outstanding job,” said Gina Swoboda, an elections expert and former Arizona Republican Party chair who lost her bid for secretary of state. “I hope all losing candidates react the way I do.”
Maricopa County has been a hotbed for election fraud conspiracies since President Donald Trump’s loss in 2020, and tabulation problems and other issues have fueled tensions over the years. The county’s next test will be in November, when the electoral stakes are higher and more people turn out to vote.
Orlando appears to have insurmountable lead for Chandler mayor
What was expected to be a tight race turned into what appears to be a decisive victory for Matt Orlando.
Orlando's messaging about keeping partisanship out of City Hall could have landed with voters, as he faced Republican state Rep. Jeff Weninger. City Council and mayor races are purposely non-partisan. Orlando tied Weninger to organizations like Turning Point and argued that the Legislature's partisan nature molded Weninger's leadership.
Orlando has been on the City Council off and on since the 1990s and has never sought higher office, aside from running for mayor in 2006.
Orlando's wide margin of victory contrasted with tight council races across the Valley in Avondale, El Mirage, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Mesa District 5 and Scottsdale.
Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 480-276-3237. Follow him on X @raystern.
Helen Rummel covers state politics and higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What Arizona's primary election tells us about November
