Rep. David Schweikert discusses reelection in Arizona CD1, plans for 8th term
Nov 11, 2024, 9:10 AM | Updated: 9:41 am
PHOENIX – Freshly reelected U.S. Rep. David Schweikert said Monday he hopes to address unsustainable government spending during his eighth term in Congress.
Schweikert fended off a strong challenge from Democrat Amish Shah in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, which covers parts of north Phoenix, Scottsdale and other northeast Valley suburbs. The Associated Press didn’t call the race until Sunday night, five days after Election Day.
“The voters actually wanted people to talk about their prosperity,” Schweikert told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News. “They’re dealing with how expensive their lives have become, what the future looks like.”
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Schweikert won even though Shah, a former state lawmaker, significantly outraised and outspent him since the July primary elections.
“The perversity of how much money is spent in these races didn’t overcome just sort of basic common sense of what helps take care of people living in your community,” the Fountain Hills Republican said.
How David Schweikert is approaching next term
Schweikert’s victory moved the GOP a step closer to keeping control of the House after flipping the Senate and White House.
The conservative deficit hawk said he hopes to leverage his seniority to reel in spending and reduce the national debt.
“Can we use the fact that there’s unified government to stop making excuses and do really hard, difficult things? … Is the political class ready to tell the country the truth of for every dollar we … [collect] in tax receipts, we spend $1.39? That math can’t work much longer,” Schweikert said.
However, Schweikert acknowledged that reducing the deficit won’t be an easy task, even with Republicans in full control of the purse strings.
“We’re going to have the obligation to deliver, but you’re being asked to do a number of things at the same time that you’re borrowing $70,000 dollars a second,” he said.
