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Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker, secured victory in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District Republican primary Tuesday, emerging as the GOP nominee in a high-stakes battleground race that could influence control of the House of Representatives. Feely defeated state legislator Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough in the contest, claiming the nomination to succeed Rep. David Schweikert, who abandoned the seat to pursue the governorship before losing his own primary race the same evening.
President Donald Trump delivered his “complete and total endorsement” of Feely in a video statement released days before the election, describing him as a “true America First conservative” and urging voters to support his candidacy on July 21. The National Republican Congressional Committee bolstered Feely’s campaign by including him in its “MAGA Majority” program, a recruitment initiative designed to elevate America First candidates in competitive districts.
The Phoenix-area district stretching across northeastern Maricopa County and encompassing Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills is viewed as genuinely competitive by both parties heading into November’s general election. Democrats have fielded former state representative Amish Shah and former television news anchor Marlene Galán-Woods as their leading candidates, with Rick McCartney and Jonathan Treble also competing.
The Republican primary descended into personal attacks during its final weeks when Chaplik accused Feely of importing Haitian migrants, language Feely characterized as racist and directed at Haitian men he considers family members. Chaplik responded that Feely’s humanitarian work in Haiti masked a pattern of facilitating large-scale migration and opposing Trump administration positions on Temporary Protected Status.
Feely has spent years conducting nonprofit relief efforts in Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake, maintaining he assisted two young Haitian men—a translator and his brother—who he considers family, along with attempts to help several of their relatives relocate to the United States. He has rejected characterizations of his work as politically motivated, framing his activities strictly as humanitarian outreach.
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