Trump Rallies support for Longtime golf Buddy Jay Feely in pivotal Arizona House race

Personal loyalty shapes late-stage campaign strategy for battleground seat

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time3 min

President Donald Trump and his allies have mounted a multimillion-dollar, last-minute campaign blitz for his personal friend and golf partner Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker running for a competitive House seat in Arizona. The race, which pits Feely against Democrat Amish Shah in a wealthy Phoenix suburban district, is seen by both parties as a potential tipping point for control of the House and a rare instance of personal friendship directly shaping national political strategy.

President Donald Trump and his allies have poured significant resources into the campaign of Jay Feely, a personal friend and golf partner of two decades. GOP groups have spent more than $22 million on the race, with much of the spending concentrated in the final weeks. The effort marks a distinct departure from the Trump team's generally transactional approach to political spending.

Feely is navigating a delicate path. Democratic opponent Amish Shah has worked to tie him to Trump in a district where the president's approval rating sits at roughly negative 13 points, according to Democratic internal polling. Feely has publicly pledged independence, posting on social media this week: "I will stand up to anyone including the president if it is not in the best interest of this district and this state." Along with fellow Arizona Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, Feely did not attend a Trump rally in the state on October 14. His consultant, Brian Seitchik, said Feely "regrettably could not attend."

The personal nature of the support is unusual. Trump initially backed Feely and a primary opponent, former state party chair Gina Swoboda, but soon moved to clear a path for his friend. Feely originally ran for a safer seat but switched to the 1st District after the incumbent announced he would run for governor, a move encouraged by Trump. "I know Jay well, and he is a TOTAL WINNER, on and off the field!" Trump wrote.

Feely has acknowledged the high stakes of the race. He told Politico in September he expects the contest to be "probably the most expensive race in the country" and one of three to five that will determine the House majority. Trump-aligned super PACs have dropped over $9 million on his behalf, while the Congressional Leadership Fund has spent nearly $7 million and the National Republican Congressional Committee has spent $2.6 million.

Feely also attended a summer meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has since donated $20 million to the top House GOP super PAC. Internal polling reportedly shows a toss-up. Feely noted the importance of winning independent voters in a district where the economy and the war in Iran are major issues. "In a race that's going to come down to potentially hundreds of votes, Jay is doing the hard work required to win this battleground seat," Seitchik said.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The outcome of this race could directly determine which party controls the House of Representatives, making it a national bellwether.
The personal friendship between Trump and Feely tests whether political pragmatism or personal loyalty is the stronger force in modern campaigning.
Record spending in this single district highlights the intense competition for a shrinking pool of true swing seats.

Background

Jay Feely, a former All-Pro NFL kicker for the Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets, entered politics as a Republican candidate. Trump personally convinced him to switch from a safer district to the open 1st District in Arizona, which includes parts of Scottsdale and the Phoenix suburbs. The district is highly competitive, with Trump winning it narrowly in the last presidential cycle. Feely's personal brand as a sports figure is a key asset in a race defined by national political headwinds.

Key Perspectives

Trump and Feely Alliance: The investment is driven by a decades-long personal bond. Both see the race as winnable, and the Trump team has given Feely strategic room to distance himself from the president to appeal to suburban swing voters. Democrats and Amish Shah: Shah's campaign is built on tying Feely to President Trump's record and unpopularity in the district. They see the race as one of their best opportunities to flip a seat. Arizona Swing Voters: The ultimate decision rests with independent voters in the affluent suburbs, who must weigh Feely's local appeal and independence against the national brand of his party.

What to Watch

Whether Trump holds another rally in Arizona before election day and whether Feely appears.
The tone of late advertising: will the race focus on local issues or national loyalty tests?
Final independent polling in the district, particularly among suburban women.
How turnout is affected by the top of the ticket, including races for governor and Senate in Arizona.

Sources

How Trump is trying to save his longtime golf buddy in battleground Arizona · Politics

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedTrump is rallying support for Jay Feely in a pivotal Arizona House race.Politics: “President Donald Trump and his allies are mounting a last-minute mission to shore up his longtime personal friend in a battleground Arizona district.”
Partly supportedPersonal loyalty shapes the late-stage campaign strategy.Politics: “The ferocious support for Feely appears to mark a rare instance of personal friendship and loyalty shaping political strategy in the close of the midterm campaign”
SupportedTrump and his allies have mounted a last-minute campaign effort for Feely, who is his personal friend and golf partner.Politics: “President Donald Trump and his allies are mounting a last-minute mission to shore up his longtime personal friend in a battleground Arizona district.”
SupportedGOP groups have spent more than $22 million on the race, much of it in the final weeks.Politics: “GOP groups have spent more than $22 million to boost Jay Feely against Democrat Amish Shah, with much of that spending coming in the final weeks of the race.”
SupportedThe race is in a wealthy Phoenix suburban district and is important to control of the House.Politics: “He’s running in a wealthy GOP-held district that includes Scottsdale and part of the Phoenix suburbs that the president only narrowly won in 2024 and Democrats are eager to flip.”
SupportedThe president’s approval rating in the district is around negative 13 points, according to Democratic internal polling.Politics: “in the district where the president has an approval rating around negative 13 points, according to Democratic internal polling viewed by POLITICO.”
SupportedFeely posted, “I will stand up to anyone including the president if it is not in the best interest of this district and this state.”Politics: “Feely posted on social media this week: “I will stand up to anyone including the president if it is not in the best interest of this district and this state.””
SupportedFeely and Juan Ciscomani did not attend Trump’s Arizona rally on October 14, and Feely’s consultant said he “regrettably could not attend.”Politics: “He and another battleground Arizona Republican, Rep. Juan Ciscomani, didn’t attend a rally Trump held in their state Oct. 14. Brian Seitchik, Feely’s general consultant and a former 2016 and 2020 Trump campaign staffer, would only say Feely "regrettably could not attend” the event.”
SupportedFeely says the race will probably be the country’s most expensive and one of three to five that determine the House majority.Politics: ““It'll be one of three to five seats in the country that'll determine who wins the House,” he said, predicting it would “probably be the most expensive race in the country.””
Partly supportedMusk has since donated $20 million to the top House GOP super PAC.Politics: “Feely, a star GOP recruit, also attended a meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson and tech billionaire Elon Musk in Texas this August as top Republicans worked to secure Musk’s help in defending the House GOP majority alongside the Senate, according to two people with direct knowledge of the meeting, granted anonymity to share private details. Musk has donated $20 million to the top House GOP super PAC”
Partly supportedThe economy and the war in Iran are major issues in the district.Politics: “Feely noted the importance of winning over independent voters in the district. That’s an even harder task now given the growing unpopularity of the war in Iran and high fuel prices hitting voters.”
Partly supportedThe National Republican Congressional Committee has spent $2.6 million on the race.Politics: “And the National Republican Congressional Campaign has spent $2.6 million on coordinated ad buys with Feely’s campaign.”

Correction

23 October 2026An earlier version of this story said Feely switched to the 1st District after its incumbent retired to run for governor. He switched after the incumbent announced he would run for governor.