Amish Shah

Arizona's closing midterm campaign has been marked by heavy negative advertising, particularly in the governor's race between Katie Hobbs and Andy Biggs and the 1st Congressional District contest between Amish Shah and Jay Feely. Ads in the House race label Shah a socialist and Feely a Trump loyalist, yet the candidates' lone debate this cycle was notably civil, with both agreeing on issues like water policy despite sharp disagreement on immigration and affordability. The governor's race, by contrast, has featured no debate and has drawn criticism from political observers for its harsher tone.

Political consultant Stan Barnes notes much of the nastiest material comes from outside groups rather than the campaigns themselves, and says candidates who stay authentic rather than reactive tend to connect better with voters. Arizona State University political scientist Kim Fridkin says irrelevant, uncivil ads can suppress turnout by discouraging engagement. Experts advise voters to weigh candidates' actual statements and debate performances over one-sided ad messaging as Election Day approaches.