Trump-Backed Candidates Steamroll AZ Primaries, Setting Up November Showdown

Posted July 29, 2026

President Donald Trump’s endorsed slate powered through Arizona’s Republican primaries Tuesday, delivering decisive wins that underscored the president’s enduring grip on the GOP.

The primary wins also position conservatives for a strong push to reclaim the governor’s mansion and hold key congressional seats in the November midterms.

Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs cruised to the Republican nomination for governor, defeating fellow Rep. David Schweikert and other challengers by a wide margin.

The victory sets up a high-stakes rematch against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who won her party’s nomination unopposed and narrowly defeated former Trump-backed candidate Kari Lake in 2022.

“Two fantastic candidates, two terrific people, two wonderful champions, and it is therefore my Great Honor TO GIVE MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT TO BOTH,” Trump said earlier when backing both Biggs and another contender before Biggs entered the race.

At a Phoenix rally, Trump added, “I hate to lose him from Congress… but he’ll be a great governor.”

Biggs, a longtime America First conservative and former Freedom Caucus chairman, ran on cutting taxes, securing the border, and restoring law and order.

His decisive primary triumph reinforces Trump’s perfect record backing statewide Republican primary winners in Arizona.

In the open 1st Congressional District race vacated by Schweikert, former Arizona Cardinals kicker and sports analyst Jay Feely captured the GOP nomination with Trump’s support.

Feely, positioned as a true America First conservative, will face Democrat Amish Shah in the general election in the competitive suburban district that includes parts of Scottsdale and northeastern Maricopa County.

Trump praised Feely and another candidate in a Truth Social post as “Two Highly Respected America First Patriots” and gave both his “Complete and Total Endorsement,” stating “JAY OR GINA WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Feely has emphasized fighting for border security, economic growth, and putting Arizona families first.

Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, another Trump favorite, won the Republican primary in the 5th Congressional District, the deep-red seat Biggs is leaving.

Trump called Lamb a “MAGA Warrior” and declared, “It is my Great Honor to endorse MAGA Warrior Mark Lamb… Mark Lamb has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Congressman from Arizona’s 5th Congressional District — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Lamb, known for his tough-on-crime stance and support for law enforcement, military, and veterans, ran on keeping the border secure, cutting taxes and regulations, and championing American energy dominance.

In Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, Trump-endorsed incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani advanced unopposed, locking in a strong conservative voice for the competitive seat.

Trump also backed other Arizona Republicans, including Reps. Eli Crane, Paul Gosar, and Abe Hamadeh, signaling broad party alignment behind candidates who prioritize his agenda of border security, economic strength, and election integrity.

On the Democratic side, Hobbs sailed to renomination while some progressive challengers tested incumbents in House races.

Rep. Greg Stanton held off a far-left challenger in the 4th District, avoiding a major upset and keeping the focus on general election dynamics.

The primary results show Republican unity behind Trump-aligned candidates who focus on core conservative priorities: securing the southern border in a state at the center of the migrant crisis, reducing government overreach, and delivering results for working families.

Biggs and the congressional nominees have pledged to work closely with the Trump administration on these fronts.

These victories come as Republicans eye gains in the 2026 midterms.

Arizona remains a key battleground, and a Biggs win would return the governor’s office to GOP hands after Hobbs’ narrow 2022 victory.

The results serve as an early indicator of party strength in the Sun Belt battleground, with the midterms roughly 100 days away.

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CBS Host LOSES IT After Sen. Kennedy FACT CHECKS Her Trump LIES… THIS GOT BAD!...

CBS Host PRESSES John Kennedy on Trump’s Spending — His Answer Takes an Unexpected Turn

The interview began with some of the biggest questions facing Washington: the conflict with Iran, rising fuel costs, and the approaching midterm elections. But when Republican Senator John Kennedy appeared on Face the Nation with CBS host Margaret Brennan, the conversation quickly moved toward an issue that could shape the political debate for months to come: how the government spends taxpayers’ money.

Kennedy did not pretend that the economic pressure facing American families was insignificant. He argued that voters were far more concerned about the cost of living than the daily battles playing out on television. With oil prices affected by disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, he said, the consequences of foreign policy were reaching directly into household budgets.

Kennedy Brings the Conversation Back to Affordability

Kennedy’s message to the White House was unusually direct. He predicted that the midterm elections would be close and argued that Republicans needed to keep their attention on the financial concerns of ordinary Americans.

“When moms and dads lie down to sleep at night and can't,” Kennedy told Brennan, they are worried about the cost of living.

He also called for a nationwide address explaining why the United States entered the conflict with Iran, what the administration hoped to achieve, and how it intended to bring the situation to a conclusion.

His position was not a blanket rejection of the administration’s strategy. Kennedy defended continued pressure on Iran while acknowledging the economic consequences of the partially closed strait. He opposed sending American troops into the situation, warning that deploying them could create a new set of problems.

That combination—support for pressure abroad alongside concern about prices at home—set the tone for the rest of the interview.

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Nearly $1 Billion in Cuts Sparks a Constitutional Dispute

The conversation became more pointed when Brennan asked about the White House’s decision to cancel nearly $1 billion in previously approved federal funding without congressional consent.

Brennan raised concerns expressed by Senator Susan Collins, the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who argued that the move threatened Congress’s constitutional authority over federal spending.

Kennedy disagreed.

“I love Susan like a taco, but she's wrong,” he said before explaining his view that Congress often appropriates money in broad categories, leaving agencies with considerable discretion over how funds are ultimately used.

He then deployed the phrase that would become the interview’s most memorable sound bite: “Spending porn.”

Kennedy used the expression to criticize what he considers wasteful government expenditures, pointing to funding for circumcision programs in Zambia and electric buses in Rwanda. He also argued that Congress should take greater responsibility for identifying and eliminating spending it believes is unnecessary.

But the disagreement was about more than whether particular programs were worthwhile. It raised a larger question: when Congress approves funding, how much authority should the executive branch have to cancel or redirect it?

Kennedy defended the cuts, while Brennan’s question highlighted the legal and constitutional objections. The interview did not resolve that dispute, but it brought the competing arguments into sharp focus.

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Then Kennedy Turned the Standard on Trump

The most revealing moment came when Brennan shifted from the proposed cuts to taxpayer-funded advertising.

She asked Kennedy about a government-funded commercial prominently featuring President Donald Trump and praising his leadership. The question echoed earlier controversy surrounding former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department had spent $220 million on a border-security advertising campaign in which she appeared prominently.

Kennedy had previously criticized Noem’s campaign. Now, with Trump featured in another advertisement paid for by the federal government, Brennan asked whether that spending was appropriate.

Kennedy’s response was notable because he explicitly included his own political allies—and himself—in the principle he was defending.

“I don't think any public official, including President Trump or Kristi Noem or John Kennedy, should spend public money on private ads for themselves,” he said.

He acknowledged that the White House viewed the issue differently but argued that public funds should not be used to promote individual politicians. He also suggested that politicians should not have buildings named after them while they are still alive.

That answer complicated any attempt to portray his position as simply a defense of the administration. Kennedy supported the proposed spending cuts, but he also applied his criticism of taxpayer-funded self-promotion to Trump.

The Real Takeaway From the Interview

The exchange was not a shouting match, nor does the published transcript establish that Brennan lost her composure or that Kennedy fact-checked a series of false statements from her. What it does show is a pointed discussion about economic priorities, congressional spending authority, and whether public money should be used to enhance a politician’s image.

Kennedy’s argument was straightforward: families are worried about affordability, government spending deserves scrutiny, and the rules should apply regardless of party.

Whether viewers agree with his assessment of the proposed cuts is a separate question. The legal dispute over executive spending authority and the debate over taxpayer-funded political advertising deserve examination beyond a few memorable television lines.

The moment worth watching is when Brennan moves from criticizing government spending in general to asking Kennedy about an advertisement featuring Trump himself. That is where the discussion becomes more complicated—and where Kennedy’s stated principle is tested against his own party’s leadership.

Watch the full interview through the link below to hear the exchange in context and decide how convincing each side’s argument really was.