Amish Shah Says Cost Relief Will Lead His Work in Congress

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Amish Shah says he plans to focus on the rising costs of gas, groceries and health care when he takes office representing Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. Shah, an emergency room doctor and former state legislator, said many people feel Washington does not care about them.

Shah said Republican opponent Jay Feely called Wednesday evening to concede. Shah described the call as gracious and said he hoped to meet Feely for coffee and hear what voters told him during the campaign.

The district covers areas such as Fountain Hills, northeast Phoenix, Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Paradise Valley. Both sides in the race drew millions of dollars in outside spending. Ads from Shah’s opponents called him a socialist; Shah rejected the label and said name-calling can replace honest disagreements over policy.

He pledged to work with both parties, pointing to his record in the Arizona Legislature, where he said more of his bills were signed into law than for any Democrat in more than a decade. He also said he would keep Social Security benefits as they are and seek long-term answers to Arizona’s water challenges, including conservation and new approaches to supply.

Asked about the war in Iran and whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should be fired, Shah criticized the administration’s handling of the war but did not directly answer the question about Hegseth. Shah said he planned to meet this week with outgoing Rep. David Schweikert, who is leaving office in January after not seeking re-election.

Shah Puts Family Costs and Accountability at Center of His Win

Arizona voters have elected Dr. Amish Shah to Congress, and he says his first concern is the pressure families face from rising costs. The emergency room doctor and former state legislator named gas, groceries and health care as priorities, saying many people feel Washington does not care about them.

Shah also pledged to keep Social Security benefits as they are and pursue long-term solutions to Arizona’s water supply challenges. His emphasis is on practical needs that affect households, not the campaign’s personal attacks: he rejected opponents’ ads calling him a socialist and said name-calling can take the place of honest policy differences.

He promised to work across party lines, citing his record in the Arizona Legislature, where he said more of his bills became law than for any Democrat in more than a decade. Shah’s approach will now be tested in Congress, where he says he wants to deliver results for constituents.

On the war in Iran, Shah said the administration had bungled its conduct. He was asked whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should be fired but did not give a direct answer. Shah said he planned to meet this week with Rep. David Schweikert, who will leave office in January after declining to run again.

Shah Pledges Bipartisan Results and Lower Costs for Arizona District

Newly elected Rep. Amish Shah says he intends to focus on practical concerns for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District: gas, groceries, health care and water costs. The former Arizona legislator pledged to work across party lines, an approach he says helped him see a greater share of his bills enacted than any other Democrat in the state House in more than a decade.

That promise of cooperation will be central to Shah’s move from the state Legislature to Congress. He said he wants to keep Social Security benefits as they are and find long-term solutions to Arizona’s water supply challenges, including conservation and new ideas to secure each drop.

Shah’s Republican opponent, Jay Feely, called to concede Wednesday evening. Shah said he hoped to meet him for coffee and hear about voters’ concerns. The race drew millions of dollars in outside spending, and ads from Shah’s opponents labeled him a socialist. Shah denied the label and said campaigns should focus on genuine policy differences rather than name-calling.

Shah also sharply criticized the administration’s conduct of the war in Iran. Asked whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should be fired, he did not answer directly. Shah said he planned to meet this week with outgoing Rep. David Schweikert, who is leaving office in January.