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Amish Shah
Credit: X/@DrAmishShah
Washington: Indian-origin physician Amish Shah has won the Democratic Party's crowded primary for a district in the US state of Arizona, setting the stage for a tough election in November where he will face a Republican rival.
Shah, 47, won the election in Arizona’s First Congressional District after his main opponent Andrei Cherny, conceded on Thursday.
Shah, an ex-state representative, led by 1,629 votes and held a 23.9 per cent – 21.4 per cent lead when Cherny conceded.
Shah won in a crowded Democratic field that included Cherny, ex-local news anchor Marlene Galan-Woods, orthodontist Andrew Horne, ex-regional American Red Cross CEO Kurt Kroemer and investment banker Conor O’Callaghan.
Shah will face even-term incumbent Republican David Schweikert, who is in his seventh term and easily won his primary election on Tuesday.
The district is a competitive one in Arizona, with Schweikert defeating Democrat Jevin Hodge by less than a percentage point in 2022.
Outside of his medical practice, Shah founded the first Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival as a philanthropic endeavour to promote healthy eating and eliminate preventable diseases.
Since 2019, he has been a member of the Arizona House of Representatives, serving Central Phoenix, Sunnyslope and South Scottsdale.