Former Arizona attorney general candidate Abe Hamadeh has won the Republican nomination for the House seat representing the state’s 8th Congressional District, Decision Desk HQ projects.
Hamadeh defeated a crowded field that included his primary opponent, former Arizona Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters, to win the primary to succeed retired Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), who chose not to run for re-election after to serve in his seat since 2018.
The primary race also included Arizona State House Speaker Ben Toma and former Rep. Trent Franks, who served as the district’s representative for years before resigning from the position in 2017. Franks’ resignation came after that the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into allegations that the then-congressman approached staffers about acting as a surrogate for him and his wife.
The race was largely a contest between Hamadeh and Masters that at times turned nasty, with both launching personal attacks at each other.
Masters went after Hamadeh in May for not being married or having children, arguing that he had “nothing to do with it.” He also linked Hamadeh, the son of Syrian immigrants, to illegal immigration, saying Hamadeh “owes his entire existence in this country” to it.
Hamadeh responded by calling Masters a “snake” and highlighted his own experience as a former U.S. Army Reserve captain and intelligence officer.
Both candidates emphasized their close ties to former President Trump, who initially supported only Hamadeh but switched to a co-endorsement of Hamadeh and Masters last weekend.
Hamadeh has also garnered a wide range of endorsements from high-profile Republicans in and out of the state, including Arizona GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake, former state party chair Kelli Ward, former National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fl.).
Hamadeh was the Republican candidate for state attorney general in 2022, but narrowly lost to Democrat Kris Mayes by less than 300 votes.
He will now be the favorite to win the House seat in the solidly red 8th District.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
