Amish Shah, an Indian American emergency medicine physician and former Arizona state legislator, is seeking election to the US House of Representatives from Arizona’s 1st Congressional District in the 2026 midterm elections. Running as a Democrat, Shah faces Republican candidate Jay Feely and Libertarian Monica Alponte in the November 3 contest.
Shah’s campaign has identified the district as a major opportunity for Democrats to gain a seat in Congress. With a background spanning medicine, public health and state politics, he is presenting himself as a candidate focused on healthcare affordability, economic pressures on families and access to essential services.
Born and raised in Chicago, Shah is the son of Indian immigrants who arrived in the United States during the 1960s as engineering students. His father follows Jainism, while his mother is Hindu. Shah attended Catholic schools throughout his childhood, completing his education there through Grade 12.
He graduated cum laude from Northwestern University with a degree in economics before pursuing medicine through the university’s Honors Program in Medical Education. His academic interests also extended to business and public health. Shah briefly worked at international consulting firm LEK Consulting before earning a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley, on a full merit scholarship.
His combination of medical, economic and public health training later became a central part of his professional background and political profile.
Shah trained in emergency medicine at a Level I trauma centre in New York City, where he developed expertise in treating critically ill and seriously injured patients. During his residency, he won the American Academy of Emergency Medicine’s National Resident Research Competition for developing a new method of caring for critically ill patients.
He subsequently joined Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York as a full-time faculty member and researcher, teaching medical students and residents while contributing to peer-reviewed medical research.
His work also extended into professional sports medicine. Shah led the New York Jets’ Airway Management Team and worked on emergency response procedures for potentially catastrophic injuries in American football. He presented his research to the NFL Physicians’ Society as part of efforts to improve emergency medical preparedness.
Shah later completed a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Arizona. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and sports medicine and practises in Arizona, treating both adults and children.
His campaign highlights this clinical experience as a key qualification for addressing healthcare policy and the challenges faced by patients navigating the American healthcare system.
Shah entered electoral politics in Arizona and won three consecutive elections to the state House of Representatives in 2018, 2020 and 2022. During his tenure, he represented communities in Maricopa County, including areas associated with the state’s 1st Congressional District.
According to his campaign, his legislative priorities included improving teacher pay, supporting small businesses and strengthening public health and safety. His campaign also claims that he secured the passage of more bills than any other Arizona Democrat over the preceding decade.
Shah has portrayed his legislative record as evidence of his ability to work across party lines and pursue practical solutions. His experience in state government forms a central part of his argument that he is prepared to serve at the federal level.
Healthcare affordability is among the leading issues in Shah’s congressional campaign. He has pledged to push for lower medical costs and challenge pharmaceutical companies over what he describes as excessive pricing of essential medicines, including insulin.
