Trump ally Gina Swoboda runs for Arizona congressional seat

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(The Center Square) – Gina Swoboda, the former Arizona Republican Party chair who's running for Congress, announced she has President Donald Trump's endorsement.

Swoboda worked on Trump's unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign and is seen as an ally of the president.

Besides being the former state party chair, Swoboda chairs the Committee on Election Integrity, which is affiliated with the Republican National Committee. Swoboda worked from 2018 to 2020 in the Arizona Secretary of State's Office, which oversees elections. She served under two secretaries of state – Republican Michele Reagan and Democrat Katie Hobbs, who's now Arizona governor. In July, Swoboda became a senior policy adviser for the Arizona House Federalism, Military Affairs and Elections Committee.

The 1st Congressional District seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, a Republican and fiscal hawk who decided against seeking reelection so he could run for governor. Earlier this month, The Center Square interviewed Schweikert, who’s running in the 2026 primary against two Republicans endorsed by Trump, Karrin Taylor Robson and U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert. Schweikert did not receive the endorsement. The winner will likely run against Hobbs, who recently announced her reelection bid. No other Democrats have announced their candidacy. 

To focus on her campaign for Schweikert's seat, Swoboda submitted her resignation Friday as the state party chair, the Arizona Republican Party announced in its newsletter. 

The party said there’s no rule against the state chair running for Congress, but noted some Republicans have expressed concern about a conflict of interest if a party chair ran.

“Few could match Gina’s energy, dedication and strategic leadership,” the party said in its newsletter. It noted Trump previously endorsed Swoboda as party chair.

“Her efforts to strengthen the grassroots, support candidates and expand Republican voter engagement have left a lasting mark on the party," the Arizona Republican Party said.

Swoboda announced her candidacy last week on X.

“Over the last week, I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of encouragement I have received from supporters across this district to run for this seat and keep it in Republican hands,” Swoboda said. “I am deeply honored to have the endorsement of President Trump as we embark on a campaign that will be centered around the common-sense conservative principles of economic growth and prosperity, strong and secure borders, and protecting taxpayers.”

Swoboda’s campaign noted she graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University. 

Republicans, who control the White House and Senate, have a narrow majority in the U.S. House with 219 seats, according to the House website's party breakdown.

Democrats have 213 seats and are awaiting for an Arizona representative in the 214th seat to be sworn in. Adelita Grijalva was elected in September to the 7th Congressional District seat held by her father, U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died in March from complications from cancer treatments. Once Adelita Grijalva is seated, that will leave two vacancies: a seat formerly held by U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Tennessee, who resigned in July, and another held by U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, who died in March. But even if Democrats secure all three seats, Republicans would maintain control.

All of the House's 435 seats will be up for election in 2026. It takes a simple majority of 218 seats to control the chamber.

Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress and the White House. Historically, the party in power in the White House loses control of one chamber of Congress during the first midterm election. But there's additional uncertainty because of congressional redistricting efforts throughout the country. Already new maps have been adopted in Texas and Missouri to favor Republicans, and California will hold a special election, in which voters on Nov. 4 will decide whether to draw new boundaries favoring Democrats.