Republican groups have spent more than $22 million to boost Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker and longtime golf partner of President Donald Trump, in his bid for Arizona's 1st Congressional District, even as the candidate publicly distances himself from the White House and skipped the president's rally in the state, according to a report by Politico.

Feely, who is running against Democrat Amish Shah, has drawn the bulk of that funding just weeks before the midterm elections, at what the outlet described as a frantic pace. Yet the Trump-endorsed candidate was absent from Trump's October 14 rally in Bullhead City, Arizona. His campaign consultant, Brian Seitchik, told The Arizona Republic that Feely "regrettably could not attend" the event, offering no further explanation.

The absence underscores Feely's effort to separate himself from Trump despite years of friendship forged on the golf course. "I will stand up to anyone, including the president," Feely wrote on social media this week, adding that protecting his district and his state was his priority.

According to the Politico report, which cites two Trump officials and two other people familiar with the situation, the president's team is giving Feely political room to distance himself from the administration as Republicans fight to retain their House majority. The stakes extend beyond this one contest: whichever party holds the House majority after November will set the chamber's agenda, which is why competitive districts like Arizona's 1st draw national money and attention. The race is unfolding in a district Trump carried by just three percentage points in 2024, and Democrats view the seat as up for grabs.

Feely previously leaned into his Trump connection, promoting the president's endorsement during the Republican primary and speaking at the party's September midterm convention in Dallas. At Trump's urging, he also shifted his campaign to Arizona's 1st Congressional District after launching it in the state's 5th.

As the general election approached, however, Feely told Axios Phoenix that he would be "nobody's rubber stamp," a remark that was perceived as signaling his willingness to oppose Trump on issues affecting local voters. His opponent has sought to exploit Feely's ties to Trump, criticizing the administration's economic policies and casting himself as the candidate who would act independently of the president.

For his part, Feely defended the president's tariffs and the war with Iran during a televised debate earlier this month, even as he moves politically away from Trump.

With control of the House at stake, Trump's allies are investing heavily in a candidate working to convince voters that he is not aligned with the historically unpopular president on every issue. Polls suggest the race could hinge on whether the district's large number of independent voters turns out. Despite the district's Republican advantage in voter registrations, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the contest "lean Democratic," a designation used for competitive races tilted toward one party. That gap between the district's numbers and outside assessments helps explain why outside groups have invested so heavily here. Whether Feely's balancing act holds through Election Day, and how the district's independents ultimately turn out, will help decide not only this seat but the arithmetic of the next House majority.