WATCH: Debate for candidates vying for Arizona's CD-1 seat

People in Tucson who want to hear directly from the candidates competing for Arizona’s Congressional District 1 seat will have an opportunity to watch a televised debate before the November 3 election. ABC15 is presenting the event with Amish Shah and Thomas “Jay” Feely IV, the two candidates identified for the debate. The program is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, at 6 p.m., giving voters a chance to compare the candidates’ positions and approaches during the closing stretch of the campaign.

The debate is part of a broader effort to give Arizona voters direct access to candidates in major races. ABC15 is working with the Arizona Clean Elections Commission and the Arizona Media Association to present key primary race debates live. Their partnership places the CD 1 event within a statewide election information initiative, rather than treating the contest as a campaign event limited to one candidate or one local appearance.

Shah and Feely will be the participants in the CD 1 debate. The announcement does not identify their party affiliations, list the issues that will be discussed, or describe the questions they will receive. It also does not provide details about the debate’s length, moderator, rules, or whether the candidates will take questions from viewers. Those details were not included in the event notice, but the central purpose is clear: to allow the candidates to speak for themselves directly to voters ahead of the election.

For Tucson residents and others following Arizona politics, the event offers a way to evaluate the candidates without relying only on campaign advertisements, written statements, or reports about their campaigns. A debate places the participants in the same setting and gives viewers the opportunity to hear how each responds to the same campaign moment. It can also help voters distinguish between the candidates’ priorities, communication styles, and answers to questions that matter in the congressional race.

The timing is significant because the debate is set for October 7, ahead of the November 3 election. That places the program in the final period when voters are weighing their choices. People who have not yet settled on a candidate will be able to use the debate as part of their decision making, while those already following the race can hear Shah and Feely address the contest directly. The announcement frames the event specifically as a chance to hear from the candidates before Election Day.

The event also reflects the role that media organizations and the Clean Elections Commission play in making campaign information available to the public. By partnering with the Arizona Media Association, ABC15 and the commission are connecting the debate to a wider network of Arizona news outlets and election coverage. The goal described in the announcement is to bring important primary race debates to viewers live, giving voters a shared opportunity to follow the campaign as it unfolds.

The CD 1 contest is being covered as part of ABC15’s broader 2026 election coverage. That coverage includes key primary debate streams and the latest developments in Arizona election races. The debate announcement therefore serves both as an invitation to watch one specific event and as part of a larger election information effort. Residents tracking more than one race can look to the same coverage for additional debate streams and campaign updates.

Viewers who plan to watch should note the scheduled time, 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7. The available announcement identifies ABC15 as the outlet providing the opportunity to hear the candidates and names the Arizona Clean Elections Commission and Arizona Media Association as partners. It does not include further viewing instructions, so residents will need to follow ABC15’s election coverage for access details and any later information about the broadcast.

The debate will give Shah and Feely a public platform before the November 3 vote and give Arizona voters another source of information as they consider the CD 1 race. For people in Tucson who want to follow the contest closely, the program offers a chance to hear both candidates in the same event, rather than piecing together their positions from separate campaign appearances. It is one of the scheduled debates being presented through the partnership between ABC15, the Arizona Clean Elections Commission, and the Arizona Media Association.