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The Democrat Amish Shah takes the lead early on, ahead of David Schweikert

Posted on by Vanessa
The Democrat Amish Shah takes the lead early on, ahead of David Schweikert

Former Rep. Amish Shah, a Democrat, has taken an early lead in the 1st Congressional District in Arizona's Scottsdale region, but the race remained too close to make a decision after the first round of results on Tuesday.

The Republican incumbent, U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, follows close behind.

Political insiders assumed Arizona's early return would favor Republicans and subsequent election losses would be more likely to lead to a Democratic swing. That's different than in 2020 and 2022, when GOP-led skepticism about mail-in voting caused early results to lean toward the blue.

Tuesday's first round of results includes many of the early ballots that voters cast leading up to Election Day.

The outcome of the election may not be known for days or weeks as ballots are counted in Arizona.

Schweikert, the embattled lawmaker who has represented Arizona in D.C. since 2011, is widely considered one of the most vulnerable sitting members of Congress.

In 2022, he beat a relatively unknown Democratic challenger by less than a percentage point.

Of the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, Schweikert's candidacy is one of the few seen as viable by both parties this year. This means it will help decide which party will control the lower house of the federal government from 2025 and by what margin.

Schweikert kept a relatively low profile during the race. He declined invitations to televised Shah debates and kept his distance from former President Donald Trump's campaign. His messages instead focused on the economy and the need to reduce the size of the federal deficit.

Shah, a former state lawmaker, beat a crowded field of Democrats for the nomination. His campaign focused on the issue of immigration at a time when polls suggest it is a top concern for many voters, although he has been dogged by accusations that he is inflating his record on the issue.

Shah has also emphasized traditionally liberal issues such as abortion and funding for public education.

The district's fundamentals are believed to give Republicans an advantage. About 39% of active voters in the district are Republicans, while just 27% are Democrats and 33% are not affiliated with a political party, according to the Arizona Secretary of State.

On the other hand, Trump's place at the top of the list and the abortion issue are expected to benefit Democrats.

Leading up to Election Day, the race was considered too close to predict.

Polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, but it could be days before the winner is announced. During the July 30 primary, a new state law intended to expedite full unofficial results actually delayed the release of election night results.

Election 2024: See Arizona election results | Live coverage on election day

This story will be updated as election results are announced.

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