Arizona

Trump issues rare dual endorsement in Arizona swing district

Published

6 months ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Trump issues rare dual endorsement in Arizona swing district

The president praised both Jay Feely and Gina Swoboda as “Highly Respected America First Patriots.”
The president’s team had not publicly confirmed his endorsement of Swoboda before the Jan. 6 social media post.
The district, which includes wealthy pockets of Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and north Phoenix, has a hot-and-cold relationship with the president.

President Donald Trump endorsed not one but two Republicans in a highly watched Arizona congressional primary, boosting a new candidate after his first pick met resistance from some in the GOP.

In a Jan. 6 social media post, Trump said he was backing Jay Feely, a former Cardinals kicker and sports commentator who recently switched his campaign into Arizona’s Scottsdale-area 1st Congressional District, in addition to Gina Swoboda, the state GOP chair whose candidacy has divided Republicans despite her securing Trump’s support in October.

The president praised both Feely and Swoboda as “Highly Respected America First Patriots.”

“JAY OR GINA WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” he wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

The announcement is a blow to Swoboda, a polarizing figure among Arizona Republicans. Her longtime rivalry with Turning Point, the network of conservative advocacy groups founded by the late activist Charlie Kirk, has shadowed her candidacy, prompting attacks and infighting among Arizona Republicans.

The president’s team had not publicly confirmed his endorsement of Swoboda before the Jan. 6 social media post.

In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Feely said he thought the endorsement came back to his “friendship” and shared values with the president.

“I love what he’s doing. I believe in what he’s doing. I’m committed to the same principles that he and his administration have,” Feely said.

“We wish Gilbert resident Jay Feely well in his latest campaign for Congress, but nothing has changed,” Swoboda campaign consultant Chris Baker shot back in a written statement to The Republic. “Gina Swoboda will be the Republican nominee in AZ01.”

The endorsement will also set back two other high-profile GOP candidates in the race, the ultra-conservative state Rep. Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough, who both told The Republic they, too, had been in touch with the White House.

Though Trump’s endorsement will be a boon in the Republican primary, it could become a liability in the general election. The district, which includes wealthy pockets of Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and north Phoenix, has a hot-and-cold relationship with the president.

National GOP leaders encouraged him to run in Scottsdale, Feely says

Feely initially launched his campaign in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, which includes much of Chandler, Queen Creek and Gilbert, where he lives with his family. He billed himself as a home-grown candidate with a “heart to serve,” and a MAGA devotee who has a personal relationship with Trump.

His prospects in that district dimmed after the president endorsed one of his opponents, Mark Lamb, the well-known former sheriff of Pinal County. Early polling showed Lamb with a large advantage in the race.

But Trump took a liking to Feely, encouraging the former football player in a November social media post to “run in a different district, or for a different office.”

Feely followed the president’s advice. He switched his campaign into the Scottsdale district on Dec. 19. Trump’s endorsement followed about two weeks later.

In an interview Feely said national Republican leaders in D.C., and “grassroots leadership” in the Valley, encouraged him to pivot to the Scottsdale seat. He said he spoke several times with House Speaker Mike Johnson on the matter.

“I wanted to do what was best for the team,” he told The Arizona Republic.

“If they wanted me to run in CD1, and they felt like I was the best candidate, and the one that could hold that seat, then I was willing to do that.”

It’s rare but not unheard of for the president to endorse multiple candidates in a single race.

Last year Trump endorsed two congressional hopefuls in a West Valley-area Republican primary, including the eventual winner, U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh.

And in Missouri’s 2022 U.S. Senate race, Trump left election-watchers scratching their heads when he endorsed “Eric,” a first name shared by the race’s two front-runners. Both campaigns claimed the endorsement as their own.

For years the Scottsdale-area district has been considered one of the most competitive races in the country. Its incumbent, U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, announced last year he would not seek re-election in 2026, winding down his 15-year tenure on Capitol Hill and setting up a bitter contest for the rare open congressional seat.

Across the aisle, about half a dozen high-profile Democrats are fighting for their party’s nomination.

The candidates have already raised millions of dollars between them, with campaign spending only expected to escalate leading up to the Aug. 4, 2026 primaries. The Nov. 3, 2026, general election will bring millions more expensive television advertisements, mailers, and social media ads to the district, much of it financed by national Republican and Democratic groups wrestling for control over the U.S. House.

Feely has raised more than $1 million, about a third of which he has loaned himself, according to a report filed this fall. His personal financial disclosure shows he is worth at least $15 million, giving him a piggy bank that could help finance a campaign.

Swoboda has raised “quite a bit” of money, said campaign consultant Chris Baker, though her fundraising receipts aren’t yet public.

Rivals slam Feely’s out-of-district residence

Feely’s rivals have slammed him for running in a district where he doesn’t live.

“If Jay Feely wants to travel 50 minutes every day to run in Arizona’s 1st Ccongressional District, where he’s never lived, we will pay for his Uber,” Alfredo Rodriguez, a strategist with the Trobough campaign, wrote in a news release. “Tell him to send us the bill.”

“If Gilbert carpetbagger Jay Feely foolishly thinks he can win in AZ01, then more power to him I guess. But the outcome won’t change – Gina Swoboda will win the Republican primary,” Baker wrote in a statement to The Republic.

Feely said in an interview he has connections to the Scottsdale district, even though he doesn’t actually live there. The district is “about economics” and “represents the entrepreneurial spirit,” he said.

“I’ve invested in companies in this district. My friends and family live in this district. And I want to be an asset to all of them,” Feely said.

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Arizona

Padres host Arizona Diamondbacks, look to stop home slide

Published

8 minutes ago

July 7, 2026

Press Room

Padres host Arizona Diamondbacks, look to stop home slide

Arizona Diamondbacks (45-45, second in the NL West) vs. San Diego Padres (44-46, third in the NL West)

San Diego; Tuesday, 9:40 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (0-0); Padres: TBD

LINE: Padres -131, Diamondbacks +108; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres are looking to end their three-game home slide with a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

San Diego has a 44-46 record overall and a 23-22 record at home. The Padres have a 26-13 record in games when they record at least eight hits.

Arizona is 45-45 overall and 18-25 on the road. The Diamondbacks have gone 16-4 in games when they hit two or more home runs.

The teams match up Tuesday for the fourth time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Manny Machado has 16 doubles and 18 home runs for the Padres. Fernando Tatis Jr. is 11 for 43 with three doubles, two home runs and five RBIs over the last 10 games.

Ketel Marte has 18 doubles, three triples and 17 home runs for the Diamondbacks. Geraldo Perdomo is 13 for 39 with three doubles and two home runs over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Padres: 1-9, .255 batting average, 8.02 ERA, outscored by 51 runs

Diamondbacks: 4-6, .222 batting average, 3.84 ERA, outscored by one run

INJURIES: Padres: Jason Adam: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Randy Vasquez: 15-Day IL (ankle), Freddy Fermin: 10-Day IL (head), Matt Waldron: 15-Day IL (arm), David Morgan: 15-Day IL (knee), Jeremiah Estrada: 15-Day IL (knee), Lucas Giolito: 15-Day IL (elbow), Nick Pivetta: 60-Day IL (elbow), Joe Musgrove: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ramon Laureano: 60-Day IL (hip), Bryan Hoeing: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Diamondbacks: James McCann: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Blake Walston: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jordan Lawlar: 10-Day IL (hamstring), A.J. Puk: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ryne Nelson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Mike Soroka: 15-Day IL (lower body), Corbin Burnes: 60-Day IL (elbow), Cristian Mena: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Andrew Saalfrank: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Martinez: 60-Day IL (elbow)

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Arizona

WATCH: Mesa teen builds free scam detection tool to protect seniors from fraud

Published

10 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Press Room

WATCH: Mesa teen builds free scam detection tool to protect seniors from fraud

MESA, AZ — For many seniors, scam texts and phone calls can be confusing, intimidating, and costly.

One Mesa teenager believes getting help shouldn’t be.

BASIS Mesa student Shilo Karakkattu created ScamSafe after watching older family members struggle to sort through suspicious messages.

The goal is straightforward: help people avoid becoming the next victim of fraud.

For many seniors, scam texts and phone calls can be confusing, intimidating, and costly. Karakkattu saw that the problem was affecting people he loves and decided to create a solution.

Now, organizations that work with seniors are taking notice of his invention, which could soon help thousands of people across Arizona stay one step ahead of scammers.

Watch in the player above to see the remarkable student whose latest project is protecting some of Arizona’s most vulnerable residents.

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Arizona

Where to watch Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Diego Padres: TV channel, start time, streaming for July 6

Published

20 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Diego Padres: TV channel, start time, streaming for July 6

The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.

Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.

The MLB action continues on Monday as the Arizona Diamondbacks visit the San Diego Padres.

Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.

See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.