2026 Election: Who is running for Congress in Arizona? Complete guide to the 2026 House races

PHOENIX - Besides statewide offices and ballot measures, Arizona voters will also be choosing a person this November to represent them in the upcoming Congress.

While 33 Senate seats will be up for reelection this November, none of those seats are in Arizona. Therefore, Arizona voters will only be voting for new representatives. An overview of the state's nine races outlines the candidates and issues on the ballot.

Congressional District 1

There are three candidates on the ballot: Libertarian Monica Alponte, Republican Thomas "Jay" Feely IV, and Democrat Amish Shah.

The incumbent for this district, Republican David Schweikert, opted to run for governor instead. Schweikert was defeated in the GOP primary by Andy Biggs.

Monica Alponte

On her campaign website, Alponte says she is a retired business owner who has lived in the state for the past 25 years. She said she has worked in "HOA reform, leading homeowner advocacy, road safety and animal rescue" for the past 10 years. On the issues, Alponte says she supports term limits for members of Congress, and opposes military action or funding of such actions without a formal war declaration from Congress.

Jay Feely

Prior to his time in politics, Feely played NFL football for 14 seasons, including four with the Arizona Cardinals. Feely won the Republican primary for this district following an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

As for the issues, Feely states he will fight to finish the border wall, expand the Trump tax cuts, and fight against antisemitism domestically.

Amish Shah 

Dr. Shah is an emergency medicine and sports medicine physician who served five years in the Arizona House of Representatives. In the state legislature, Shah had more bills signed into law than any Arizona Democrat in the last decade, focusing on teacher pay, public health and small business support.

On his campaign website, Dr. Shah says he will work to protect Social Security and Medicare, and fight for lower costs by rolling back tariffs.

Other candidates

There are also two write-in candidates on the ballot: Dev Gupta and Gage Dylan Thunder.

Congressional District 2

There are three candidates on the ballot: Republican incumbent Eli Crane, Libertarian Curtis Goodwin, and Democrat Jonathan Nez.

Eli Crane

Crane, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, is a Tucson native and former Navy SEAL who completed five wartime deployments before building a nationally known veteran-owned manufacturing business. Crane has made border enforcement a central pillar of his platform, calling to codify Trump-era border security policies, finish the border wall and deploy advanced detection technology to stop the flow of illicit fentanyl, while resisting federal green energy projects that he argues drive up rural utility bills.

Curtis Goodwin

Goodwin is a 42-year-old KOA maintenance technician and Mesa native. He says he emphasizes a governance philosophy anchored in human dignity, accountability and constitutional balance. While Goodwin advocates against unnecessary federal intervention in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and opposes federalizing election laws, he supports strictly enforced legal pathways at the southern border, aggressive penalties for human and drug trafficking networks, expanded school choice, and measured federal protections against discrimination that respect personal freedoms.

Jonathan Nez

This is not the first time Nez has run for a federal office: he ran in the same district against Crane in 2024.

Born in Tuba City and raised in Shonto, Nez once served as president of the Navajo Nation. Nez has highlighted his executive background negotiating water rights with the Trump administration and breaking with party lines to protect local energy jobs as evidence of his pragmatic approach. He is pledging to lower household costs for healthcare, housing and utilities, protect Arizona’s water and agricultural supplies, direct federal funds into long-overdue rural roads and bridges, and strengthen ethics laws in Washington while preserving tribal sovereignty.

Congressional District 3

There are three candidates on the ballot: Democratic incumbent Yassamin Ansari, Alan Aversa with the No Labels Party, and David Redkey, who is listed as a Green Party candidate.

It should be noted that on the Arizona Green Party's website, Redkey's candidacy is listed as "actively opposed" under the Endorsement Rating column.

Yassamin Ansari

A former Phoenix City Council member and the daughter of Iranian immigrants, Ansari was elected to the seat in 2024, when she defeated Republican Jeff Zink. Months before, Ansari narrowly won the Democratic primary in a race that triggered an automatic recount.

On the various political issues, Ansari has stated that she wants to put an end to "failed trickle-down policies and [focus] on strengthening the middle-class and expanding economic opportunity" as a way to promote an economy that works for all, as well as pushing for meaningful immigration and push to secure the border.

Alan Aversa

This is not the first time Aversa has run for an elected office: in 2024, he ran in the same district as a Green Party candidate. Similar to Redkey this year, Aversa's candidacy in 2024 was listed by the Green Party as "actively opposed."

For this election, Aversa was not endorsed by the No Labels Party of Arizona, nor did the party endorse any congressional candidates in Arizona.

On the issues page of his campaign website, Aversa expressed anti-abortion positions, as well as expressing his opposition to U.S. involvement in wars overseas.

David Redley

Redkey has an educational background and has worked as a school teacher. He was arrested for allegedly threatening a judge and an attorney in September.

Redkey's campaign website states he is running on a number of principles, including:

• "A people-centered plan to rebuild the middle class and grow wages"
• "Tougher transparency and accountability for guardianship, probate, and fiduciary systems so families aren’t preyed upon"
• "Local first jobs and supports that keep work and prosperity in our communities."

Other candidates

There is one write-in candidate for this race: Jacob Parkman with the Republican Party.

Congressional District 4

There are three candidates in this race: No Labels' Tisha Benoit, Republican Zuhdi Jasser, and Democratic incumbent Greg Stanton.

Tisha Benoit

While her website did not contain a biography, Benoit listed what she called the "seven pillars of renewal" in the issues section of the website. They include, among other things:

• Cutting regulations deemed unnecessary
• Strengthen access to "preventive first healthcare."
• Fixing education by "realigning the entire system" and "reconnecting education to the real economy."

Zuhdi Jasser

Per his campaign biography, Jasser's parents were Syrian refugees who came to the U.S. to escape political instability. As for Jasser himself, he said he attended an accelerated medical school program via the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin, and served a stint in the U.S. Navy.

A section of his website lists the following political positions:

• Rein in spending considered to be wasteful and cutting "needless regulations.'
• Support for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. constitution as a way to control spending.
• Support for "educational freedom in education"

Greg Stanton

The former Phoenix mayor was first elected to Congress in the state's 9th Congressional District in 2018, defeating Republican Stephen L. Ferrara.

Stanton highlights a number of policy accomplishments he has made on his website, including: 

• Voting against President Donald Trump's proposed medicaid cuts in his budget bill.
• Securing millions of dollars in funding to reopen or modernize water reclamation facilities in Tempe and Chandler.
• Voting for the release of the Epstein files and demanding their full release.

Other Candidates

There is one write-in candidate for this race: Steven Sanders with the No Labels Party.

Congressional District 5

There are two candidates in this race: Republican Mark Lamb and Democrat Elizabeth Lee.

The incumbent for this district, Republican Andy Biggs, is running for governor.

Mark Lamb

Lamb was once the sheriff of Pinal County, and he is positioning himself as a constitutional conservative and non-career politician. This is not the first time Lamb is running for a federal office, having ran for Senate in 2024. That year, Lamb was defeated by Kari Lake in the primary.

"As Sheriff of Pinal County, Mark led an agency responsible for protecting a county larger than the state of Connecticut and worked alongside local, state, and federal partners to combat human trafficking, drug smuggling, cartel operations, and violent crime," his campaign website says.

If elected, he pledges to "restore order to the immigration system," enforce existing laws, support law enforcement, and defend the Constitution.

It should be noted that earlier in 2026, The Arizona Republic reported on accusations against Lamb involving text messages that reportedly contained racist, homophobic, and threatening content. The report was published before the July 21 primary, in which Lamb earned the GOP nomination.

Elizabeth Lee

Per her campaign website, Lee grew up in poverty, and eventually became a nurse. She said she has been battling a genetic connective tissue order known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome for years, and that the experience of "being invisible to a broken system" had a role in shaping her.

"She's watched too many patients ration their insulin because they can't afford it. She's held the hands of too many women who've been told their pregnancy complications don't matter. She's seen too many families choose between paying for healthcare and paying for groceries," read a portion of her website. "She's done seeing her patients betrayed by politicians who've never had to fight for a diagnosis, never had to choose between treatment and bankruptcy, never had to explain to their parent that the only medicine available to keep them alive is unaffordable."

On the issues, Lee said she will co-sponsor and actively fight to pass Medicare for All, oppose political interference in clinical decision-making, support universal background checks for weapons purchases, and secure the border by investing in modern technology and infrastructure, and combat drug trafficking and human smuggling.

Congressional District 6

There are four candidates on the ballot: Republican incumbent Juan Ciscomani, Democrat JoAnna Mendoza, Libertarian Jereme Lance Peters, and Gary Swing with the Green Party.

Juan Ciscomani

Per his biography on his Congressional website, Ciscomani was first elected to the post in 2022, and he claims to be the first naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico in Arizona history to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his time in Congress, Ciscomani worked for the University of Arizona and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, as well as serving as Senior Advisor of the Arizona-Mexico Commission.

Ciscomani lists some of his political positions on his congressional website. He says he supports reinstating "commonsense policies that prioritize security, like Remain in Mexico, dismantle cartels and other criminal organizations, empower our Customs and Border Protection agents and officers to do their job, and enforce our immigration laws strongly and consistently."

On his Congressional website, Ciscomani also listed his work on water-related issues as a congressman.

JoAnna Mendoza

According to her campaign website, Mendoza enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of 17 before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. During her 20-year military career, Mendoza said she was a drill instructor, and was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.

On the issues, Mendoza said she will work to stop what she called "unfair price disparities in rural communities" and strengthen consumer protections as a way to lower costs. She also said she will bring back town hall events within her first 100 days as a congresswoman, and work to strengthen border security.

Jereme Lance Peters

Little information on this candidate is available, as Peters appears to not have his own campaign website.

Per his nomination paper, Peters lives in Tucson. According to azvoterguide.com, the 38-year-old supports the following:

• Expanding federal enforcement efforts to prevent illegal border crossings.
• Appointing federal judges who interpret the U.S. constitution according to its text and original meaning.
• Ban federal funds from directly or indirectly supporting organizations that perform, promote, or provide referrals for abortion.

The same website states that Peters opposes:

• Federalizing election law by removing state authority over elections.
• Banning the federal government from discriminating against organizations based on sincerely held religious beliefs.
• Adding sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression as protected classes in federal nondiscrimination laws.

Gary Swing

According to his campaign website, Swing is not spending money for his campaign, and he is not accepting campaign contributions.

"Candidates usually claim that they are ‘running to win,’" Swing wrote. "I am standing for what I believe in, regardless of the outcome."

On the various issues, Swing wrote that he supports ending U.S. foreign military interventions, eliminating the electoral college, abolish the U.S. Senate, and abolish ICE, among other things.

The Arizona Green Party has stated that they endorse Swing's candidacy.

Other Candidates

There is one write-in candidate for this election: Michael Dorland.

Congressional District 7

Two candidates are running in this district: incumbent Democrat Adelita Grijalva and Republican Daniel Francis Butierez, Sr.

Adelita Grijalva

The surname Grijalva is not an unfamiliar one in Arizona politics, as Adelita is the second person in her family to serve in Congress, having been sworn into Congress in November 2025, several weeks after winning a special election. The special election was held to replace Adelita's father, Raul Grijalva, who died in March 2025 after a decades-long congressional career.

On her campaign website, Adelita touted her decades-long work in Pima County at the teen court, as well as her time as a Pima County Supervisor.

Daniel Francis Butierez, Sr.

This is not the first time Butierez ran for the seat. According to state records, Butierez ran against Raul in the 2024 election, and against Adelita in the 2025 special election. In both elections, Butierez lost.

On Butierez's website, he mentioned tax cuts, tax code reforms, promoting job growth, and giving the U.S. Border Patrol the resources they need as some of his policies. He also called himself a "small business owner & third generation Arizonan" on his website.

Congressional District 8

There are two candidates running in this district: Democrat Bernadette Greene-Placentia and incumbent Republican Abraham "Abe" Hamadeh.

Bernadette Greene-Placentia

Greene-Placentia is a trucker and small-business owner who logged more than four million miles over 27 years, all while building a small trucking business.

Per her website, the Democratic candidate is "running to put Arizona's working families back in the driver's seat." She wants to prioritize affordability, protecting reproductive freedom, strengthening Social Security and Medicare, supporting workers and unions, and restoring accountability in Washington. 

In early October, Greene-Placentia reported a sexual assault that occurred in Sun City, as she was fixing her campaign signs.

Abe Hamadeh

On his campaign website, Hamadeh called himself an "America First Warrior," and says he is endorsed by President Trump. Prior to his time in Congress, Hamadeh said he was a U.S. Army Reserve Captain & Intelligence Officer and Maricopa County prosecutor.

On his Congressional website, Hamadeh said he is "working to preserve freedom, strengthen national security, and keep the American Dream alive for future generations." His site highlights his commitments to backing the blue, serving those who served, election security, fighting Chinese propaganda, and more. 

Congressional District 9

There are two candidates whose names will appear on the ballot in this district: incumbent Republican Paul Gosar and Democrat Danielle "Dani" Sterbinsky.

Paul Gosar

According to his website, Gosar is serving his 7th term in Congress.

"Dr. Gosar has been recognized by GovTrack as one of the most effective members of Congress," his website says. "Before being elected to Congress in 2010, Dr. Gosar owned his dental practice and was a small businessman in Flagstaff for 25 years."

His site highlights his efforts to support veterans' mental health programs and suicide prevention efforts, reducing claims and appeals backlog, and pushing for increased accountability with the VA. He also shares his support of Arizona's agriculture, American troops, returning education to the local level, expanding America's transportation system, and combatting dangerous wildfires before they start. 

Danielle Sterbinsky

According to her website, Sterbinsky is a working mom, a U.S. Navy veteran, and lives in Wittmann with her husband, who is also a Navy veteran. She said she is not a career politician, and that she is running for office to "give everyday people an independent voice."

Her site highlights her mission to keep families housed with rental assistance and down-payment support for first-time home buyers, lowering childcare costs, lowering healthcare costs, raising the federal minimum wage, breaking up corporate consolidation, and cracking down on algorithmic price fixing. She also prioritizes protecting rural communities, and looks to protect our water resources and invest in infrastructure. 

Other Candidates

There are two write-in candidates in this race: G. Seville Hatch and William Perry.

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