Arizona: who should earn your vote for Congress in 2026

Opinion · The paper’s scorecard

Arizona: every race for Congress on the 3 November 2026 ballot, and how the candidates measure up against our standards.

Sitting and former members are scored on the same key votes, read from the official House and Senate roll calls; each vote links to the record. Candidates who have never served in Congress have no votes to score, and outside the battlegrounds we have not researched them, so they are marked as not scored. Where only one candidate could be measured, the mark rates that record on its own; it is not a verdict on the opponent. How the marks work · All states

District 1 R+1

Closer to our standards: Jay Feely

David Schweikert (R): incumbent retiring to run for governor.

Closer to our standards

Jay Feely

Republican

No votes in Congress: scored on platform and record, promises at half weight · total +0.5

✓Smaller government
?Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
?No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
~Hard on violent crime

With us (4)

Campaign platform pledges to "slash red tape, expand Trump-era tax cuts" and "reduce our national debt," and to stop "out-of-control federal mandates"; it names no specific spending cuts. Source
At the June 24, 2026 GOP primary debate Feely said he "vehemently" supports data centers, while a rival argued district residents do not want them nearby. Source
The NRA Political Victory Fund endorses Feely for November 2026 and grades him "AQ", which it defines as "A pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate's responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues." Source

Against us (4)

In an April 2026 interview Feely said voters should trust Trump, who is "playing the long game," and that the Iran war, high gas prices and the added costs of tariffs "will all be worth it in the end" (station's paraphrase). Source
At a May 5, 2026 Arizona PBS candidate event Feely defended the U.S. war with Iran, saying Trump "took action that was in the best interest to protect our country, even though it wasn't in his own best interest short term." Source
A USA Today Network profile reports Feely has "stuck with the president on policy, arguing Trump deserves credit for attempting to radically restructure the country's trade relationships through sweeping tariffs." Source

Amish Shah

Democrat

No votes in Congress: scored on platform and record, promises at half weight · total -0.5

✗Smaller government
✗Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
✓Free speech
?No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (13)

Voted yes on HB2019 (2023), requiring cities and counties to spell out the criteria for granting licences and permits (final passage 49-7). Source
Campaign platform calls Trump's tariffs "a tax on Arizona families" that "hurt small businesses" and says he was "a champion of small business" in the legislature (no specifics given). Source
Voted yes on HB2772 (2021), legalising sports betting and fantasy sports in Arizona (passed 48-12). Source

Against us (14)

Voted no on SB1828 (2021), the omnibus tax bill that created Arizona's flat income tax; it passed the House 31-29 on party lines. Source
Voted no on HB2569 (2019), universal recognition of out-of-state occupational licenses for new residents (passed 36-24, five Democrats in favour), and no on HB2731 (2022), expanding the state regulatory sandbox (passed 39-20). Source
Voted no on SB1131 (2023), which bars cities and counties from taxing residential rents (passed 35-23; signed by Gov. Hobbs). Source

District 2 R+7

✓ Meets our standards: Eli Crane

Meets our standards

Eli Crane

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 21 key votes · total +6

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
~Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (16)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (5)

Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted against ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source
Voted against the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

Jonathan Nez

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 3 D+22

Leans our way: Yassamin Ansari

Leans our way

Yassamin Ansari

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 11 key votes · total +1

✗Smaller government
✗Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (6)

Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source
Voted against a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted for ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source

Against us (5)

Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source
Voted against the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source

District 4 D+4

No mark

Zuhdi Jasser

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Greg Stanton

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total +0

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (11)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source

Against us (15)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

District 5 R+10

No mark

Andy Biggs (R): incumbent retiring to run for governor.

Mark Lamb

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Elizabeth Lee

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 6 EVEN

✓ Our pick: Juan Ciscomani

Our pick

Juan Ciscomani

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 20 key votes · total +3

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (11)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (9)

Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source
Voted for reauthorizing FISA Section 702 without a warrant requirement. Source

JoAnna Mendoza

Democrat

No votes in Congress: scored on platform and record, promises at half weight · total +0.5

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
?Live and let live
?Light touch on tech
?Free speech
?No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
~Right to bear arms
~Hard on violent crime

With us (4)

Platform says she will "oppose reckless tariffs that drive up costs"; at the debate she attacked Ciscomani for voting "nine times for tariffs" and said the tariffs damage relations with Mexico. Source
Platform: "we must exhaust diplomatic options before putting American lives at risk" and she is committed to "ensuring we are not sending the next generation into endless conflicts"; also backs NATO and alliances. Source
At the debate she criticised the Iran war as lacking a plan and said any intelligence on Iran's nuclear programme should have gone to Congress for a war-powers vote (she agreed Iran must not get a nuclear weapon). Source

Against us (1)

At the Sept. 10, 2026 debate she said she would reverse HR 1's changes and cuts to Medicaid and SNAP; her platform also backs modernising the Child Tax Credit and exploring higher Social Security benefits. Source

District 7 D+13

No mark

Daniel Butierez

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

Adelita Grijalva

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 7 key votes · total -1

✗Smaller government
✗Small business over giants
?Live and let live
?Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
?Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (4)

Voted against a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted for ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source
Voted for the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

Against us (3)

Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source
Voted against the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source
Voted against the bill requiring pretrial detention, with no release on bail, for people charged with violent crimes in the District of Columbia. Source

District 8 R+8

Leans our way: Abraham Hamadeh

Leans our way

Abraham Hamadeh

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 11 key votes · total +1

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✗Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (6)

Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source
Voted for the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source

Against us (5)

Voted for a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted against ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source
Voted against the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

Bernadette Greene-Placentia

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 9 R+15

✓ Meets our standards: Paul Gosar

Meets our standards

Paul Gosar

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total +5

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✓Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (20)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (6)

Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted against ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source
Voted against the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

Dani Sterbinsky

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Photo credits. Official congressional portraits are works of the U.S. government and in the public domain. Others:

Jay Feely: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (file, licence)
Amish Shah: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (file, licence)
Adelita Grijalva: Damien Salas, Office of the Clerk U.S.House of Representatives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (file)