The Democrat who won the primary in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District ditched the party on Thursday and said he will seek election as an independent.

Congressman David Schweikert took an early lead in his battle with fellow incumbent Congressman Ben Quayle.

Schweikert had about 54 percent of the vote in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, according to early ballot results from Maricopa County. Quayle trailed with 46 percent.

The wife of U.S Rep. Ben Quayle of Arizona issued a statement saying she and her husband didn’t witness any inappropriate behavior when 20 lawmakers went into the Sea of Galilee for a swim while on a fact-finding trip in Israel.

U.S. Rep. Ben Quayle raised more and spent more than fellow incumbent Congressman David Schweikert in the last fundraising period for the 6th Congressional District primary between the two freshman Republicans.


Quayle raised $189,285 compared to just $80,645 for Schweikert in the pre-primary period, which ran from July 1 to Aug. 8. Quayle also outspent his rival, spending $797,766 to Schweikert’s $663,530.

U.S. Sen. John McCain said his endorsement of Congressman Ben Quayle isn’t too late to have an impact in the GOP freshman’s heated primary battle, even though early ballots are already being cast.

Two Republican incumbents are battling it out in a primary race in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, a situation the GOP desperately wanted to avoid in redistricting.

It has been 36 years since two of Arizona’s incumbent members of Congress squared off against each other, but the ultimate outcome of a similar match-up in 2012, regardless of how nasty it gets, is not likely to cost Republicans as dearly as it did in 1976.

Aside from a handful of key votes, U.S. Reps. Ben Quayle and David Schweikert sought to define themselves – without drawing stark contrasts with each other – in a debate Monday between the two up-and-coming Republican freshmen.

Congressman Ben Quayle had a commanding second quarter, raising nearly twice as much as fellow Republican incumbent David Schweikert.

U.S. Sen. John McCain is endorsing U.S. Rep. Ben Quayle in his campaign against fellow Republican Congressman David Schweikert, according to the Schweikert campaign.