Abe Hamadeh Takes Commanding Early Lead in West Valley Congressional Race

Trump-endorsed Abe Hamadeh is narrowly leading his opponents in the race for the Republican nomination to represent Arizona’s Congressional District 8 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Initial reports indicate Hamadeh has a lead of over four percentage points and is ahead of venture capitalist Blake Masters by about 4,700 votes.

This race follows U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko’s surprise announcement in October 2023 that she wouldn’t seek reelection, leading to a crowded field of candidates. Congressional District 8, which covers the northwest part of Phoenix and surrounding suburbs, is considered a GOP stronghold, making the Republican primary a decisive contest for the November general election.

Hamadeh, from Scottsdale, received an early endorsement from former President Donald Trump. However, in a surprising turn, Trump also endorsed Masters just two days before the election.

Both Hamadeh and Masters had received Trump’s support during the 2022 midterms. Masters aimed to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, while Hamadeh ran for attorney general. Both were unsuccessful, with Hamadeh repeatedly — but unsuccessfully — contesting his 280-vote loss to Kris Mayes in court.

Other candidates include businessman and former Congressman Trent Franks, who resigned in 2017 amid a scandal involving an inappropriate proposition to a staffer. Lesko was appointed to replace him and has represented the district for nearly a decade.

Also in the race is Ben Toma, a seasoned state legislator and speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives. A Republican from Glendale, Toma has a legislative record focused on culture-war issues and strict immigration proposals, including extreme income tax cuts and universal private school vouchers.

Toma was also instrumental in drafting a ballot measure for November that would give police officers the authority to detain migrants and penalize undocumented Arizonans for false documentation to secure jobs or benefits.

Currently, Toma is in third place in the CD8 election, trailing Hamadeh by about 5,500 votes.