Amish Shah Stumbling Out Of Disastrous Democrat Primary: What They Are Saying

One week after the primary, the contrast in AZ-01 couldn’t be starker:

Arizonans rallied behind Jay Feely, who “cruised to victory” and earned praise as “one of the best Republican candidates in the state.”

Democrats got stuck with socialist Amish Shah who “had already proven he could lose,” “underperformed” other Democrats and is too far-left.

What they are saying…

Amish Shah: A proven loser who ran further left

• Exits “bloody” primary “broke and battered”
• “Had already proven he could lose” (Democrat strategist to Puck)
• “Underperformed both Kamala Harris and Ruben Gallego”
• “DCCC says polling, research factored into decisions […] National Democrats say their decision was informed by concrete evidence about who would fare best against a Republican in the district.”
• “Some party operatives clashed with Shah over his campaign strategy in 2024.”
• “Going to end up in second place” (Pundit Stan Barnes to FOX 10)
• “Run even farther to the left”
• “Open history of support for socialist policies” and “deep progressive roots”
• “The National Republican Congressional Committee quickly released a digital ad Wednesday attacking Shah, labeling him a socialist and tying him to progressives in Congress.”
• “National Democratic groups spent millions of dollars warning Phoenix and Scottsdale residents that Amish Shah “‘can’t be trusted.’”
• “…who Democrats in Washington point out got fewer votes in the district than Kamala Harris did in 2024”
• “Amish Shah is the only candidate in the country who lost his race, underperformed Kamala Harris and is now running for re-election”

Jay Feely: A leader ready to win AZ-01

• “Jay Feely…I think is one of the best Republican candidates in the state right now” (Pollster Mike Noble)
• “He’s handled it great” and “The GOP got really lucky with him coming out of that primary” (Pollster Mike Noble)
• “A dynamic and attractive candidate with resources in a district that tilts Republican” (Pundit Stan Barnes to FOX 10)
• “The lead horse”
• “Cruised to victory”
• “Receiving strong praise from pundits”

Democrats in complete disarray

• “They’ve spent party money to […] bash Shah […] They picked Marlene Galan-Woods… They put a lot of money into her, attacking Amish Shah so now they’re in the uncomfortable position of Amish Shah advancing”
• “Democrats fume at party leaders as swing-district gambit fails”
• “Dems want changes at DCCC after Arizona blunder”
• “Democrats Want a DCCC Reset After Three High-Profile Losses”
• “People are mad”
• “Democratic primary race had been one of the most negative that she could recall”
• “The DCCC guessed wrong again in Arizona, with Amish Shah beating the party’s handpicked moderate Marlene Galan-Woods”
• “Could be yet another embarrassment”
• “A big black eye for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee”
• “Several million dollars down the drain”
• “Egg on your face”
• “Shah spent the primary night begging the DCCC for support”