Trump snubs most MAGA candidate in Arizona congressional primary

A second Donald Trump endorsement has hit the Republican primary in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, a competitive Northeast Valley seat centered geographically and culturally on Scottsdale. Rep. David Schweikert, who is running for governor, currently represents the district.

On Tuesday, the president wrote on Truth Social (perhaps unironically) that he was giving his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to both Gina Swoboda, the Arizona Republican Party chair whom he endorsed in October, and Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker who played for the Arizona Cardinals for three seasons.

“Jay and Gina have been with us from the very beginning,” Trump wrote, “and either one would be an incredible Representative who would work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”

Trump seems to like making double endorsements in Arizona. Two years ago, he endorsed both Abe Hamadeh and Blake Masters in the GOP primary for the 8th Congressional District, which Hamadeh won. He also endorsed both MAGA lapdog Rep. Andy Biggs and wealthy businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson in this year’s GOP race for governor.

The CD1 race projects to be one of the most closely contested in Arizona and across the country, with Democrats hoping to flip the seat as Schweikert, who has held office since 2011, sets his sights on the governorship. Swoboda was the first big name to jump into the race, earning Trump’s endorsement last year. Feely initially submitted to run for Congress in Congressional District 5 — Biggs’ current district — but switched it up on Trump’s advice after former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb entered that race.

“We wish Gilbert resident Jay Feely well in his latest campaign for Congress, but nothing has changed, Gina Swoboda will be the Republican nominee for AZ01,” Swoboda campaign consultant Chris Baker told Phoenix New Times in a written statement.

Notably absent among the Trump endorsements was the most MAGA candidate in the race: state Rep. Joseph Chaplik.

Left out

If the announcement was at all sour for both Feely and Swoboda, the lack of invitation to the Cool Kids Club might have been crushing for Chaplik, who is the most far-right candidate in the race and has actually represented part of the district since 2021.

Chaplik, a clean-cut real estate investor reminiscent of Patrick Bateman, is a member of the Arizona Freedom Caucus at the state legislature, which is led by far-right state Sen. Jake Hoffman. Chaplik announced just a few weeks ago that he would also run for the seat Schweikert is abandoning.

Since then, he has been doing his darndest to earn his far-right bona fides. In the fall, he became obsessed with retweeting bigoted anti-Muslim content. When New Times reported on the posts in October, Chaplik did not respond to New Times’ questions about the posts. He did, however, return a call by accident. 

“Oh shoot, I think I dialed the wrong number. I’m sorry,” he said, adding that his communications adviser Ross Trumble was “supposed to be” contacting New Times. New Times did not hear from Trumble by publication.

Chaplik did not respond to a call or text from New Times — purposefully or accidentally — for this piece.

Though Chaplik’s politics most closely align with Trump’s, if there’s logic to be found in the state lawmaker’s lack of endorsement, it might have to do with his chances in the district. Trump narrowly won the district in 2024, but Democrat Ruben Gallego carried it in his Senate race against Kari Lake. Schweikert has held onto his seat by slim margins in each of the last two election cycles, winning by less than a percentage point in 2020. Chaplik might just be two far-right to win the seat.

The team of at least one other candidate in that primary is pissed off about the double endorsement. John Trobough, a technology CEO, joined the crowded field in November. His campaign strategist, Alfredo Rodriguez, ripped into Trump, albeit obsequiously.

“It is SAD to see that our great president has made the decision to hand out participation ribbons in the most competitive open congressional seat in the country,” Rodriguez said in a written statement provided to New Times. “John Trobough is not deterred, and more determined than ever to win.”