Washington, Aug 2 (PTI) Indian-origin physician Amish Shah has won the Democratic Party's crowded primary for a district in the US state of Arizona, setting the stage for a tough election in November where he will face a Republican rival.

Shah, 47, won the election in Arizona's First Congressional District after his main opponent Andrei Cherny, conceded on Thursday.

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Shah, an ex-state representative, led by 1,629 votes and held a 23.9 per cent – 21.4 per cent lead when Cherny conceded.

Shah won in a crowded Democratic field that included Cherny, ex-local news anchor Marlene Galan-Woods, orthodontist Andrew Horne, ex-regional American Red Cross CEO Kurt Kroemer and investment banker Conor O'Callaghan.

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Shah will face even-term incumbent Republican David Schweikert, who is in his seventh term and easily won his primary election on Tuesday.

The district is a competitive one in Arizona, with Schweikert defeating Democrat Jevin Hodge by less than a percentage point in 2022.

Outside of his medical practice, Shah founded the first Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival as a philanthropic endeavour to promote healthy eating and eliminate preventable diseases.

Since 2019, he has been a member of the Arizona House of Representatives, serving Central Phoenix, Sunnyslope and South Scottsdale. PTI

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)