Rep. David Schweikert joins Trump-backed candidates in GOP primary for Arizona governor

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PHOENIX (AP) — Rep. David Schweikert jumped into the Republican primary for Arizona governor Tuesday, joining a field crowded by two candidates backed by President Donald Trump and raising Democratic hopes for flipping his seat in Congress.

“Congress is so dysfunctional that there is no value in the work,” Schweikert said as he confirmed his candidacy to The Associated Press in an interview.

"You work at a feverous pitch. You try to do high quality, intellectually robust work and you have to deal with the reality,” he said, pointing to the difficulty of getting co-sponsors for serious spending and budget legislation.

This frustration is partly why he's running for governor. He said Arizona, by contrast, has the potential for wage and job growth with new leadership in the state's highest office.

Schweikert plans to officially launch his campaign Wednesday and will finish his current congressional term, his consultant Chris Baker said, as he squares off against lobbyist and housing developer Karrin Taylor Robson and House Freedom Caucus member U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs. Both support Trump’s agenda, and the president has given both his endorsement.

Schweikert has been less vocal in his support for the administration but also hasn't publicly antagonized Trump. His 1st Congressional District, one of the wealthiest in the country, has become increasingly competitive during his 15 years in Congress. But Schweikert on Tuesday touted his ability to win tough races as a conservative.

Democrats are eying the seat representing suburban Phoenix as a top pickup target in next year’s midterms.

Though Republicans enjoy a registration advantage in the 1st District, Schweikert only narrowly staved off Democratic challengers. He won reelection in 2022 by less than one percentage point against a relatively unknown Democrat who received minimal support from national Democrats. In 2024, Schweikert defeated emergency room doctor and former state lawmaker Amish Shah by 3.8 percentage points.

Schweikert repeatedly has been dogged by violations of campaign finance laws, for which he was fined in 2020 and 2022.

Schweikert has focused his congressional career on sounding the alarm about the federal budget deficit and the ballooning U.S. debt, often in late-night speeches to a nearly empty House chamber and bleary-eyed C-SPAN viewers. Still, he voted for Trump’s budget bill that is projected to add trillions to the debt over the next decade, a vote that Democrats are criticizing.

Schweikert has praised Trump's 2017 tax cuts but has called for more spending cuts to reduce federal borrowing.

His gubernatorial bid complicates Republican efforts to hold onto their razor-thin House majority. Baker said the White House was aware of Schweikert's intentions to run for governor and wanted him to remain in Congress.

Schweikert expressed confidence Tuesday that if he's at the top of the GOP gubernatorial ticket, that will ensure Republicans can hang on to the House seat.

It also puts a squeeze on Taylor Robson. She narrowly lost the 2022 GOP primary to Kari Lake — who went on to lose the general election — and has generally been the pick of the same establishment Republicans whose support Schweikert will be chasing. Biggs, who represents a safely Republican district, is the former Freedom Caucus chairman and is seen as a favorite of the party's hard-right grassroots.

Whoever wins the GOP primary will likely face off against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who has no serious primary challengers.