Democratic congressional candidate Amish Shah is touting an endorsement from the “Arizona Independent Party.” But, legally speaking, there is no such party in the state.
Shah is running against Republican Jay Feely in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, one of the most competitive seats in the country.
“I’m proud to earn the endorsement of the Independent Party of Arizona, which supports Democrats, Republicans and Independents who are willing to work across political divides,” Shah posted on social media. “This endorsement isn’t about the letter next to my name. It reflects how I’ve always served: listening to people who may disagree with me, finding common ground and putting practical solutions ahead of partisan politics.”
His campaign spokesperson confirmed he’s referring to the No Labels Party, a third party actively trying to change its name to the “Arizona Independent Party.”
No Labels Party chair Paul Johnson said he doesn’t think Shah is misleading voters by calling the party by another name.
“No, not at all. I think, to be honest with you, I think — and we’ve said this during the whole trial — most people see us as being the party that represents independents anyway,” Johnson said.
The No Labels Party tried to rename itself last year, but that effort was blocked in court after both Democrats and Republicans sued. Because the word “independent” is used colloquially to refer to voters with no party affiliation, the major parties said it’s confusing for voters who could mistakenly register with the wrong party.
Ultimately, the court determined Secretary of State Adrian Fontes didn’t have the authority to approve the name change.
Johnson said he’ll continue the appeals process after the midterms.
"Shah is trying to trick voters with a scam a judge already shut down. Shah talks a big game about democracy but the second he has an opportunity, he attempts to defraud voters about who supports him on the ballot," RNC Spokesman Nick Poche said in an email.
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