Trump-Endorsed Candidate Dominates CD8 GOP Primary Showdown

In early ballot returns for Congressional District 8, Abraham Hamadeh leads with 29.77% of the vote. Trailing him are Blake Masters with 23.39% and House Speaker Ben Toma close behind at 22.28%.

This Republican stronghold, covering areas such as Peoria, Sun City, Sun City West, and New River, positions the victor for a near-assured win in the general election. The initial ballot drops saw Hamadeh leading, closely followed by Masters and Toma. Former Congressman Trent Franks garnered 17.38%, with Sen. Anthony Kern capturing about 4.6%, and Patrick Briody collecting 2.8%.

The race for the seat, vacated by Congresswoman Debbie Lesko, attracted numerous Republican contenders, including two current state officeholders, two former candidates, and one former congressman. Blake Masters, the former Republican Senate nominee who lost to Democrat Mark Kelly in 2022, entered the race in October. Backed by Republican mega donor Peter Thiel, Masters has consistently aligned himself with former President Donald Trump in his political endeavors.

Although Trump criticized Masters in a phone call after a debate performance, he eventually extended a dual endorsement in a Truth Social post. Initially, Trump had endorsed Hamadeh, who has been vocal about election integrity and continues to challenge his narrow loss to Democrat Kris Mayes in a previous race.

Hamadeh’s endorsements include figures like Kari Lake and several state lawmakers. House Speaker Ben Toma received support from more moderate Republicans and endorsements from Lesko and former governor Jan Brewer. Toma, appointed to the House in 2017 and elected in 2018, rose to Speaker in 2023. During his tenure, he spearheaded significant tax cuts and expanded the Empowerment Scholarship Account program.

Former Congressman Trent Franks, who served from 2003 to 2017 and resigned after a controversial scandal, returned to politics to vie for his former seat. Sen. Anthony Kern, a Freedom Caucus member and Trump ally, also joined the race, despite facing felony charges related to the 2020 election. Kern was elected to the House of Representatives in 2014, lost in 2020, but rejoined the state Senate in 2022.

Hamadeh and Masters have raised and spent the most money in their campaigns, with Toma not far behind, reflecting a pattern seen in early reporting.