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 general election, where he is expected to face Republican Zuhdi Jasser.
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.
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.
Subcontractor Shuts Down After Obama Presidential Center Losses
The financial problems surrounding the Obama Presidential Center continue to grow as another contractor says the high-profile project has forced his company to shut down operations and lay off dozens of employees.
The latest dispute adds to a series of payment and construction-related complaints from subcontractors who worked on the development, several of whom say they suffered significant financial losses.
Mike Owen, owner of Chicago-based Adamson Plumbing Contractors, said his company has suspended operations after losing millions of dollars while working on the Obama Presidential Center.
According to Owen, the financial strain forced him to lay off 25 union workers, abandon multiple construction projects and begin operating the business from his home while pursuing legal action.
“Laying off close to 30 people is something that no owner in our industry wants to do,” Owen told Fox News.
“It’s a hard thing to do, especially when you know you can finish them and the company can still make money. But we were put in a pretty bad corner.”
Adamson performed plumbing work on the project under the name Marsh-Adamson.
The company has now filed a $1.72 million mechanic’s lien against the Obama Presidential Center, alleging it has not been fully paid for completed work.
A mechanic’s lien is a legal claim contractors can file against a property when they believe they have not received payment for work they performed.
Owen said the lien represents only the portion of his losses that he believes is supported by the strongest documentation, including unpaid invoices, approved change orders and labor costs.
He estimates his company’s total losses from the project are approximately $3.9 million.
“It doesn’t mean that I’m not going to pursue the $3.9 million in change that we lost overall,” Owen said.
“I’m still working with my legal team on that $3.9 million figure because I feel that it’s only right that we still hold ownership at the presidential center accountable.”
According to Owen, months of negotiations with Lakeside Alliance, the construction manager for the project, failed to resolve the dispute.
He said the situation reached a breaking point shortly before the Obama Presidential Center officially opened on June 19.
Owen said his company agreed to provide two journeyman plumbers for last-minute overnight work after Lakeside Alliance agreed to release part of the money it allegedly owed Adamson.
An email reviewed by Fox News Digital reportedly indicated that a $100,000 payment would be released through the company’s May payment application.
Owen said his workers completed the requested work, but the payment did not arrive before the center’s opening ceremony.
“We negotiated it in good faith,” Owen said.
“Against my better judgment, I agreed to do the work.”
He said the delayed payment deprived the company of the cash it needed to continue operating.
“Not getting that large sum of money just kind of pulled the brakes on the train. It was just the final death blow to the company,” Owen said.
Rather than continue operating while facing mounting debts, Owen said he decided to suspend business operations on June 25.
The promised payment, along with approximately $35,000 for approved change orders, eventually arrived more than two weeks later.
Owen said the money allowed him to pay one supplier but did little to improve the company’s overall financial condition.
“It’s almost like too little, too late,” he said.
Lakeside Alliance, a joint venture led by Turner Construction along with UJAMAA Construction, Powers & Sons Construction, Brown & Momen and Safeway Construction, served as construction manager for the Obama Presidential Center.
In a statement, the alliance said contractual closeout work often continues well after large construction projects officially open.
“Lakeside Alliance remains committed to working through all outstanding matters to successfully close out the project,” a spokesperson said, Fox News reported.
The company did not directly respond to Owen’s specific allegations regarding the layoffs or the mechanic’s lien.
