Jay Feely, who spent 14 years as a kicker in the NFL, including 3 with the Arizona Cardinals, joined the increasingly crowded Republican primary for the open seat in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District. Feely has spent the last 10 years as a sports broadcaster.
Feely joins a number of other candidates including businessman Daniel Keenan and veteran and former lawmaker Travis Grantham. Arizona politicos believe the race may come down to Grantham versus Feely, with Feely’s star power helping to match up with Grantham’s military service and conservative record.
“I’m excited to announce my candidacy for U.S. Congress in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District. I look forward to earning your vote” tweeted Feely after making his announcement Tuesday afternoon in Gilbert.
I’m excited to announce my candidacy for U.S. Congress in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District.
I look forward to earning your vote 🇺🇸https://t.co/ghYLMzcHXF#TeamFeely pic.twitter.com/XayfhtGPkb
— Jay Feely (@jayfeely) April 22, 2025
Feely has been on the fringes of Arizona politics over the years, often campaigning alongside major GOP candidates like John McCain, Jeff Flake and Mitt Romney, but voting records indicate that he is not a regular voter, and his political giving appears limited to a long-ago donation to former NFL player Tony Bouie, who lost his race for State Representative more than 15 years ago.
Most expect Feely to strike a strong MAGA vibe in his campaign, in spite of his personal record.
“This is going to be another campaign makeover where all voters are going to hear about is conservative beliefs, a strong faith message, and a whole lot of Trump, but voters are getting better about not believing politicians when they just show up out of nowhere. And other than playing golf with Trump, Feely has no MAGA record at all.” shared one Republican operative, who also believes there are likely more candidates who will get into the race.
