ELECTION CALLED — Socialist Suffers Humiliating Defeat
Stanton Defeats Democratic Socialist Challenger In Arizona Primary
One of the Democratic Party’s most closely watched primary battles has ended with a decisive victory for an incumbent congressman, despite an aggressive challenge from the party’s progressive wing.
The race had drawn national attention as another test of whether candidates running on an anti-Israel platform could unseat more established Democrats.
Rep. Greg Stanton easily defeated democratic socialist challenger Kai Newkirk in Arizona’s Democratic primary Tuesday, securing the nomination for another term in Congress with a commanding margin.
With nearly all votes counted, Stanton received about 68.1% of the vote compared with Newkirk’s 31.9%, according to multiple media outlets.
The victory sends Stanton, a former Phoenix mayor first elected to Congress in 2018, into November’s
Following the race, Stanton described the outcome as a choice about the future direction of the Democratic Party.
“This campaign presented voters with a real choice about how Democrats should lead,” Stanton said in a statement posted to his campaign page.
“Tonight, the voters chose proven leadership that fights back, delivers real results, and brings our party together.”
Throughout the campaign, Newkirk attempted to make U.S. support for Israel the defining issue in the race.
He repeatedly criticized Stanton for receiving support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, commonly known as AIPAC, and accused the organization of wielding too much influence in American politics.
Newkirk also pointed to a multimillion-dollar public messaging campaign promoting Israel as evidence of what he characterized as outside influence in U.S. elections.
𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘’𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 “𝐏𝐑𝐎-𝐈𝐒𝐑𝐀𝐄𝐋” 𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝟔𝟓-𝟑𝟓
Arizona Democrats just sent their own socialist wing a message. Rep. 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧 beat back a primary challenge from… pic.twitter.com/txzEqK4zaC
— M.A. Rothman (@MichaelARothman) July 22, 2026
Among his policy positions, Newkirk called for ending U.S. military aid to Israel and imposing an arms embargo on the country.
He also sharply criticized Stanton after the congressman voted against an amendment offered by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that would have reduced military assistance to Israel.
“Greg Stanton has taken over $300K from AIPAC,” Newkirk wrote during the campaign.
Stanton defended his vote, arguing that reducing military assistance would weaken America’s ability to counter threats from Iran while also acknowledging that changes in Israeli leadership and policy would be necessary as the current U.S.-Israel security agreement approaches its 2028 expiration.
Although Stanton has supported continued military assistance to Israel, he has also publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on multiple occasions.
Newkirk received endorsements from several progressive organizations, including Our Revolution, Progressive Democrats of America and Track AIPAC.
He was also endorsed by The Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur.
However, his campaign faced setbacks in its closing weeks.
Earlier this month, the Young Democrats of Arizona withdrew their endorsement, saying they had become aware of “concerning patterns of behavior.”
The organization did not publicly provide additional details.
Newkirk denied any wrongdoing and argued the move was part of a political smear campaign.
Despite his sharp criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Newkirk also condemned antisemitism and spoke out after two Israeli Embassy employees were killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington last year.
“I stand always with my beloved Jewish siblings against the scourge of antisemitism just as I will never stop in the nonviolent struggle to end the genocide in Gaza, release all hostages, and open the way to just, lasting peace,” he said at the time.
The Arizona contest was closely watched because it reflected broader debates inside the Democratic Party over Israel, foreign policy and the growing influence of democratic socialist candidates.
While several progressive candidates have won Democratic primaries around the country in recent years, Stanton’s decisive victory suggests that message did not resonate with enough Democratic primary voters in Arizona’s 4th Congressional District, Trending Politics reported.
With the primary now decided, Stanton will turn his attention to the general election as Democrats seek to defend the seat in November, while Republicans hope to capitalize on continued ideological divisions within the Democratic Party.
VIDEO: Chaos At Obama's Home – Secret Service Calls For Back-Up As Fight Breaks Out
VIDEO: Chaos at Obama’s Home As Secret Service Agents Brawl Outside
A video of a confrontation between two Secret Service officers has surfaced a week after a report said there had been a scuffle among agents outside of former President Barack Obama’s Washington, D.C., residence.
The video was obtained by RealClearPolitics national correspondent Susan Crabtree, who broke the original story of the fight between the two female agents.
Crabtree noted on the X platform that she had “obtained video of the fight between two women Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers outside former President Obama’s residence last week after one officer called a supervisor to come before ‘I whoop this girl’s ass.'”
“The skirmish is raising new questions about whether DEI is still plaguing the USSS despite Trump’s directive to abolish it. The Secret Service has not responded to my inquiries on whether these two officers are being disciplined and/or are still on the job,” she added.
“I need a supervisor out here… immediately before I whoop this girl’s ass,” one of the women said into the radio last week.
FRACAS OUTSIDE OBAMA RESIDENCE RAISES NEW QUESTIONS: Get a supervisor “immediately before I whoop this girl’s ass.”
Two female Secret Service Uniformed Division officers got into a physical fight outside former… pic.twitter.com/RmEDx6BWXD
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) May 22, 2025
The Secret Service confirmed the fight between the two agents to the New York Post.
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of an on-duty altercation that occurred between two Uniformed Division officers at approximately 2:30 a.m. on May 21,” the spokesman said.
“The individuals involved were suspended from duty and this matter is the subject of an internal investigation,” the spokesperson told the outlet. “The Secret Service has a very strict code of conduct for all employees and any behavior that violates that code is unacceptable. Given this is a personnel matter, we are not in a position to comment further.”
“The woman officer who made the call was upset that her shift replacement was late and assailed her verbally and physically when she finally did arrive to relieve her. Audio of the early a.m. call is now circulating among agents and officers and is attached to this X post,” Crabtree wrote last week in a lengthy X post when she first reported the incident.
“It’s unclear whether either woman was injured or whether they will be disciplined over the altercation. The fight did not wake anyone in the Obama residence or the surrounding neighborhood, the sources said,” she added.
“The incident is raising new concerns among fellow Secret Service agents and officers about the agency’s lowering of hiring standards during years of a major DEI push to add more minorities and women to the ranks under previous Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle,” Crabtree continued.
“Cheatle resigned under a cloud after the J13 assassination attempt against Donald Trump. The Secret Service for years has experienced low morale and a severe manpower shortage, which is also contributing to lower hiring standards as the agency works to increase its agents and officers,” she said, referencing the July 13 incident in Butler, Pa.
She added in another X post: “Numerous sources in the Secret Service community have questioned whether Sean Curran, who Trump tapped to lead the agency, is doing anything to roll back the agency’s DEI initiatives. For instance, they wonder if he has rescinded Cheatle’s previous commitment to a national 30×30 pledge that has a goal of hiring 30% women in law enforcement by 2030.”
