Arizona CD1 Opponents Jay Feely and Amish Shah Knew Each Other in a Prior Life

On Tuesday, Trump-endorsed former NFL kicker Jay Feely won the Arizona Republican primary for Congressional District 1, and emergency physician and former state rep. Dr. Amish Shah won the Democrat primary for the district, beating the DCCC-endorsed candidate, journalist Marlene Galán-Woods. After longtime Republican Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-01) decided to run for governor rather than seek reelection, District 1 is ripe for the taking. State and national Democrats are thirsty to flip this seat, which pollsters and prognosticators now deem a toss-up, in order to secure the House majority.

In an interesting political twist, Feely and Shah had a connection in their former careers. When Feely played for the New York Jets, Dr. Shah was the emergency team doctor for the Jets.

An unexpected twist is taking center stage in an Arizona congressional race.

Republican Jay Feely, the former NFL kicker, is advancing to November's election and is now on track to face Democrat Amish Shah in one of the country's most closely watched House races.

The surprising… pic.twitter.com/ppsSEBZChI
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 22, 2026

An unexpected twist is taking center stage in an Arizona congressional race.
Republican Jay Feely, the former NFL kicker, is advancing to November's election and is now on track to face Democrat Amish Shah in one of the country's most closely watched House races.
The surprising connection? Shah was Feely's team doctor when he played for the New York Jets.
Now, the former kicker and his former team doctor appear headed for a congressional showdown in Arizona's 1st District — one of the nation's most competitive House battlegrounds and one of the wealthiest districts in the state, spanning much of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills and north Phoenix.

Feely made it known before the primary that it is not a plot twist he plans to capitalize upon. Feely said he wants to keep that prior relationship respectful.

Democratic candidate Amish Shah once roamed the same sidelines with the New York Jets. He was an emergency doctor for New York when Feely was there from 2008-09, before the kicker’s stint with the Arizona Cardinals in 2010-13.
"If it ends up being Amish Shah, he and I were both with the Jets at one time together. I was playing, he was a doctor,” Feely said late Tuesday. “It’s an old relationship. But whoever (the general election opponent) is, I want to do this the right way. I want to run this the right way.
“I want to make sure that I give them respect, I listen to them and give them the respect that they’re due, but still continue to stand up for my beliefs and what I believe is best for my district and my country.”

Dems in Disarray Again As DCCC’s Primary Meddling Blows Up in Its Face

Schweikert represents District 1, one of the state's wealthiest, covering a suburban stretch of northeast Maricopa County. This includes some parts of Phoenix, as well as all of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, and Fountain Hills. In the 2024 election, President Donald Trump won Maricopa County by 1,051,531 votes (51.2 percent). So, with this long-held Republican district, and if Feely runs a strong campaign, with or without this prior connection with Shah, it appears to be Feely's race to lose.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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