Amish Shah, an Indian American physician and former Arizona state representative, is a Democratic candidate running for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District in the November 2026 US midterm elections . Shah won the Democratic primary in July 2026, defeating Marlene Galán-Woods who had the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He is set to face Republican Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker and sports broadcaster.
He entered the Arizona House of Representatives in 2019 and served till 2024. In 2023, he even served as an emergency physician at the Mayo Clinic Arizona. His active involvement in local issues played an important role in his political career as he ran for the Arizona House of Representatives in 2018. In 2022, he was the only Democrat in the Arizona House to vote for a bill targeting fentanyl trafficking.
During his time in the state legislature, he worked on issues including public health, education and animal cruelty . Shah’s work focused on emergency care, treating critically ill patients and managing serious injuries. Shah founded the Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival While working in the medical sector. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Shah was born to Indian immigrant parents who migrated in the 1960s. His father follows Jainism while his mother is a Hindu. Shah attended Northwestern University in Illinois where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine through its Honors Program in Medical Education. He later achieved a Master of Public Health degree at the University of California, Berkeley, on a full merit scholarship. He also completed his residency in emergency medicine at a Level I trauma center in New York City. In his official campaign, Shah focused heavily on improving healthcare and reproductive rights. He supports expanding access to affordable healthcare, lowering prescription drug prices and codifying abortion rights. On public safety, Shah has highlighted efforts to reduce gun violence, support law enforcement and address fentanyl trafficking.
As Shah campaigns for a seat in the US House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections, his background in medicine and experience in the Arizona state legislature remain central to his campaign. He is challenging Republican candidate Jay Feely in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, with healthcare, education, immigration and water conservation among his key issues.
Shah has backed stronger border security measures while urging to address larger issues revolving around fentanyl trafficking. He stands for providing a legal pathway for young immigrants to gain citizenship under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. He even wishes to expand guest-worker programs that will allow businesses to hire seasonal workers. He has called for faster processing of work permits and changes to the asylum system to address backlogs and prevent system abuse.
