David Schweikert

David Sheridan Schweikert (born March 3, 1962) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative from Arizona's 1st congressional district since 2023.

He graduated from Saguaro High School in 1980, then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and real estate in 1985 and an MBA from Arizona State University's W. P. Carey School of Business.

Schweikert was elected to the Arizona State House of Representatives for District 28 in 1990 and reelected in 1992.

He represented Fountain Hills and part of Scottsdale.

He arrived in the wake of the AzScam scandal, and was a committee chair as a freshman and majority whip in his second term.

Schweikert served two terms in the Arizona State House of Representatives (1991–1994), chaired the state Board of Equalization (1995–2004), and was the elected Maricopa County Treasurer (2004–2007).

He ran for the U.S. House of Representatives twice (losing the primary to J. D. Hayworth in 1994 and the general election to incumbent Harry Mitchell in 2008) before being elected in 2010.

Schweikert was born in Los Angeles, California, to an unwed teenage mother, Mary Lynn Sheridan.

According to Schweikert, Sheridan had considered an abortion but chose instead to place him for adoption.

He grew up in Scottsdale with his adoptive parents and two adopted siblings.

Schweikert was appointed chair of the Arizona State Board of Equalization, a full-time job, and served from 1995 to 2003.

As chair, he oversaw billions of dollars in valuations and tax protests from Arizona citizens and businesses.

There was speculation in 1999 that Arizona Governor Jane Dee Hull might appoint him to the Arizona Corporation Commission.

It resembled the 5th district formed after the 2000 census, but also included most of the northeastern part of the state, including Flagstaff and the Navajo reservation.

J.D. Hayworth defeated him, 45%–22%.

After that defeat, Schweikert took time to reconsider and left for a lengthy vacation, which included travel to Calcutta, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Serbia, among other places.

Schweikert won a six-way Republican primary election on September 2 with 30% of the vote, compared to 27% for his nearest rival, Susan Bitter Smith.

Several organizations endorsed Schweikert in the election, including the primary: Club for Growth, the Arizona Police Association, Arizona Right to Life, and the Arizona Medical Association.

He received more than $500,000 from the Club for Growth.

Schweikert lost to freshman incumbent Democrat Harry Mitchell, 53%–44%.

He later blamed his defeat on the very bitter primary fight that preceded it.

Schweikert was appointed Chief Deputy Treasurer of Maricopa County in 2004 and elected treasurer the same year.

He resigned in 2007 to run for Congress again.

Professionally, he worked in real estate.

Schweikert ran in the September Republican primary in Arizona's 6th congressional district.

Schweikert sought a rematch with Mitchell in 2010, with Libertarian Nick Coons also running.

Schweikert won the Republican primary on August 24 with 37% of the vote.

The Club for Growth again endorsed Schweikert after having sat out the competitive primary.

On November 2, Schweikert defeated Mitchell, 52%–43%.

After redistricting, the bulk of Schweikert's former territory became the 9th district, while his home in Fountain Hills was drawn into the newly created 4th district.

But as soon as the maps were released, Schweikert announced he would run in the 6th district.

That district had previously been the 3rd, represented by fellow Republican freshman Ben Quayle.

In a statement announcing his reelection plans, Schweikert pointed out that he had grown up in Scottsdale—most of which had been drawn into the 6th as well—had represented it in both the state house and in Congress, and owned a second home there.

A revised map, however, placed Schweikert's Fountain Hills home in the reconfigured 6th.

Quayle, whose home in Phoenix had been drawn into the 9th but was just outside the boundaries of the 6th, opted to seek reelection in the 6th as well.

During the bitter primary, Schweikert was widely criticized for a mailer that accused Quayle of "going both ways", suggesting that he was bisexual.

On the reverse, the mailer listed issues on which it claimed Quayle had taken both liberal and conservative positions.

A member of the Republican Party, he first entered Congress in 2011, representing Arizona's 5th congressional district until redistricting.

His district includes most of northern Phoenix as well as Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Cave Creek.

He previously served as the U.S. representative for Arizona's 6th congressional district from 2013 to 2023.