Dr. Amish Shah, a former Democratic member of the Arizona House of Representatives and an emergency-room physician, has declared his candidacy for the U.S. Congress from Arizona’s First Congressional District. This seat represents a potential gain for the Democratic Party in the upcoming 2026 general election.
This marks Dr. Shah’s second run for Capitol Hill after narrowly losing the 2024 election. In that contest, he secured 48.1 percent of the vote, falling just short to incumbent Republican David Schweikert, who garnered 51.9 percent. The upcoming election on November 3, 2026, will see Shah competing against four other Democrats in the primary race for the same seat.
As of March 31, 2025, Shah faces significant financial challenges. According to data from the Federal Elections Commission shared on Ballotpedia.com, Schweikert’s campaign had a sizable $694,863 cash on hand. In contrast, Shah’s campaign reported only $71,555. Among his Democratic competitors, Marlene Galan-Woods appears to be better funded, with $303,278 in campaign cash.
Despite the funding gap, the political landscape remains competitive. The Cook Political Report and Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rate Arizona’s District 1 as a “Toss-up,” while Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales considers it leaning slightly Republican with a “Tilt Republican” rating.
Dr. Shah has launched his campaign by highlighting his legislative record from his time in the Arizona State House, where he was elected three times in 2018, 2020, and 2022. During his tenure, he focused on key issues such as public health, education, and small business support.
As of May 14, 2025, Shah had secured 26 endorsements from both current and former Arizona elected officials. Among the notable names are former State House Minority Leader Lupe Contreras and State House Assistant Minority Leader Nancy Gutierrez. Additionally, the Indian American Impact Fund has endorsed Shah’s congressional bid.
Dr. Shah’s campaign biography, available at amishforarizona.com, outlines his five-year legislative focus on increasing teacher salaries, strengthening support for small businesses, and enhancing public health and safety. His campaign notes that he had more bills signed into law than any other Arizona Democrat in the past ten years.
One of Shah’s central campaign pledges is to reduce healthcare costs. According to his platform, he intends to take on the pharmaceutical industry to end what he describes as “price gouging” for essential medications like insulin. He also promises to protect reproductive rights, emphasizing that politicians should not interfere in personal medical decisions. As his platform states, Dr. Shah will work “tirelessly” to safeguard women’s freedom to make decisions about their own bodies.
Having already represented significant parts of Arizona’s First Congressional District in Maricopa County, Shah is positioning himself as a pragmatic and independent leader. His campaign bio emphasizes his reputation for working across party lines during his tenure in the State House.
If elected to Congress, Dr. Shah says he will focus on reducing costs for working families, protecting key social programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, advocating for abortion rights, and ensuring the safety of communities. In his own words, he pledges to “work to lower costs for hardworking Arizonans, protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, fight for abortion rights, and keep families safe.”
Outside of his political career, Dr. Shah has a wide range of personal interests. According to his campaign website, he enjoys playing basketball, flying small airplanes, and adventurous travel. He speaks Gujarati fluently and conversational Spanish. His campaign also mentions his three adopted cats: Hillary, Miss Meowerson, and Cousin Oliver.
Dr. Shah’s biography on Ballotpedia reveals his academic and professional background. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in economics from Northwestern University in 1997. He continued at the same university for his medical degree, which he obtained in 2001. He later received a Master’s in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2003.
Professionally, Shah has served in several medical institutions. He worked at the Mayo Clinic, Dignity Health, and IASIS Healthcare as an attending physician. He was also the Chief Medical Officer at Urgent Consult and held a position as an airway management physician with the New York Jets, blending his medical expertise with professional sports.
During his time in the Arizona State House, Dr. Shah was involved in a wide range of legislative efforts. He sponsored bills on critical topics such as tuition, family services, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the repeal of abortion bans. His legislative portfolio also included work on medical licensure, malpractice reform, veterinary malpractice, and drinking water pollutants.
Dr. Shah’s contributions have not gone unnoticed. Over the years, he has received more than a dozen awards recognizing his legislative work. In 2022, he was honored as a “Women’s Health Champion” and “Legislator of the Year” for his work in supporting healthcare and women’s rights. In May 2024, he received the Jacob K. Javits Public Service Award from the American Psychiatric Association for his efforts in mental health advocacy. In September 2023, he was awarded the Pamela P. Bensen Trailblazer Award for his work in emergency medicine.
While his campaign still faces significant financial and political challenges, Dr. Shah is hoping that his strong record in the Arizona State Legislature, his healthcare background, and his community ties will resonate with voters in Arizona’s First Congressional District. With a race considered highly competitive by most analysts, and endorsements continuing to roll in, Shah is positioning himself as a serious contender in a district that may help determine control of Congress.
By highlighting both his personal story and professional accomplishments, Shah hopes to distinguish himself in a crowded Democratic field. Whether he can overcome the funding disadvantage and unseat an incumbent Republican remains to be seen, but his campaign remains committed to the issues he believes matter most to Arizona voters.