PHOENIX — Former NFL kicker Jay Feely won the Republican nomination in an Arizona swing congressional district, ushering the political newcomer into a high-stakes November election.
Feely is running for the House seat being vacated by Rep. David Schweikert, R-Arizona. He's endorsed by President Donald Trump.
He will face off against Democratic nominee Amish Shah, a former state lawmaker, in the general election.
The two men have an unlikely connection: Shah, a physician by trade, was a team doctor for the New York Jets at the same time Feely played for the NFL team.
Here's what to know about Feely.
Who is Jay Feely?
Feely spent years as a professional football player and a sports commentator before he launched his congressional campaign in 2025.
People are also reading…
He played 14 years in the National Football League, including several seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He was the subject of a "Saturday Night Live" skit in 2005, his first year with the New York Giants, after he missed three crucial field goals. After retiring from the NFL, he worked as a sideline analyst and color commentator with CBS' sports network.
Feely floated the idea of entering politics for years. In a 2009 television news hit, he criticized then-President Barack Obama and said he was considering a political career but wanted to prioritize his family.
More recently, Feely found his way into Trump's orbit. He joined the president for golf at Trump's clubs in Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster, New Jersey, in 2020 and 2023, praising Trump's "earnest desires for our great country."
He launched his campaign in Arizona's 5th Congressional District, a conservative stronghold where he lives with his family. His plans changed when Mark Lamb, the former sheriff of Pinal County, joined the race with an early advantage. Trump encouraged Feely to run in a different district. He switched his campaign soon after to the 1st Congressional District, which covers much of the Scottsdale and north Phoenix area.
He has received thousands of dollars in campaign donations from NFL team owners, former players and coaches.
What is Feely's campaign platform?
Launching his campaign in 2025, he laid out a political identity and vision best defined by his enthusiastic support of Trump.
Feely has described himself as fiscally conservative, socially conservative and “pro-business.” He's stuck with the president on policy, arguing Trump deserves credit for attempting to radically restructure the country’s trade relationships through sweeping tariffs, which roiled financial markets and raised fears of an economic slowdown.
Jay Feely celebrates his victory in the 1st Congressional District GOP primary on July 21.
He has allies in Washington, D.C., who hail from the right wing of the Republican Party. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the Trump-linked firebrand and founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, "enthusiastically introduced" Feely to conservative members of Congress when the candidate visited D.C. in March, according to his political adviser.
Feely defeated two other candidates for the GOP nomination, fending off challenges from a self-funded businessman and a hard-right former state lawmaker.
During the primary, he distinguished himself by having the president's endorsement and taking a supportive stance toward artificial intelligence and data centers.
Trump praised Feely on social media as an "America First Patriot."
"I know Jay well, and he is a TOTAL WINNER, on and off the field! A multiple-time winner of National Football League 'Man of the Year' honors, Jay’s career was 'loaded up' with Accolades and WINS," Trump said on Truth Social.
Who is Feely's opponent, Amish Shah?
Shah, a Phoenix Democrat, is an emergency room physician who served five years in the Arizona House of Representatives.
He has described his approach to policymaking as pragmatic and "not ideological." Sometimes that strategy put him at odds with other Democrats, who accused him of undermining the caucus. He was known for diligent campaign door-knocking and one-on-one conversations with constituents.
Republicans quickly began attacking Shah after he won the nomination, labeling him a socialist. Shah said that “as a physician” he was enthusiastic about independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' focus on the topic during his presidential bids. He called for single-payer health care, though he said more recently that he would be open to a single- or multi-payer model.
He stepped down from his seat in 2024 to run for Congress. He won a six-way Democratic primary that year, but ultimately lost to Schweikert by a 52-48% margin.
Where is Arizona’s 1st Congressional District?
Arizona's 1st Congressional District covers most of northeastern Maricopa County.
The district includes a big part of north Phoenix plus Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek and Fountain Hills in Maricopa County, along with Salt River and Fort McDowell Yavapai National tribal reservations.
