PHOENIX – Republican Abe Hamadeh has won the hotly contested primary election for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.
The Associated Press reported the results Wednesday night, one day after voters went to the polls to cast their ballots in the closely fought election.
“As they underestimate the American people, they underestimated me. We are stronger than they will ever imagine,” Hamadeh tweeted Wednesday night. “Thank you, Arizona, Grassroots Movement. [Kari Lake]President Trump, and the many others who supported me.”
“Good people still have a chance… let’s hang in there,” he added.
Arizona’s 8th Congressional District is heavily Republican, giving Hamadeh a distinct advantage in his general election challenge against Democrat Gregory Whitten.
The primary election was thrown into disarray when Rep. Debbie Lesko decided to leave Congress and instead run for a seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
Hamadeh defeated venture capitalist Blake Masters and Arizona Assembly Speaker Ben Toma, who dropped out of the race on Wednesday night. He said “We cannot tolerate silence.”
“I’d like to thank my dedicated team, all the volunteers who helped and all the voters. Of course, this was not the outcome we wanted, but we fought hard under tough circumstances,” Masters said.
“Congratulations to Abe Hamadeh. It is time for us to unite behind him and all the candidates to win in November. Congratulations also to your fellow competitors and colleagues who won hard-fought elections. I wish each and every one of you success and safety in the days, months and years ahead,” he continued.
Hamadeh was the first candidate endorsed by Donald Trump, but over the weekend Trump endorsed both Hamadeh and Masters.
Masters was endorsed by vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance.
Hamadeh and Masters were once considered political allies, with Masters a 2022 U.S. Senate candidate and Hamadeh a candidate for attorney general.
The split is due in large part to the fact that Masters did not contest his loss to incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly by 125,000 votes, while Hamadeh fought his loss in court by 280 votes. Hamadeh won the endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Kali Lake in the primary, but Lake also fought her loss in court for governor.
The confusion just before the race did not seem to change the situation of the race.
Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma and former Rep. Trent Franks are in third and fourth place, respectively, while state Sens. Anthony Kahn and Patrick Briody are in single digits. Toma had Lesko’s endorsement but dropped out of the race on Wednesday.
“Voters in the 8th Congressional District made it clear last night who their Republican nominee will be in November.” Thoma tweeted.
“While I am truly disappointed with the outcome, I am forever grateful and humbled by the level of support shown by so many people who opened their arms, their homes and their wallets to support our campaign. It has been an honor and privilege to have been endorsed and supported by so many great leaders in our state and to have run a positive campaign centered around my track record. I wish all the candidates who ran alongside me the best of luck.”
