JD Vance endorsed a candidate in a hot Ariz. congressional race. It's not who Trump picked

MILWAUKEE — President Donald Trump and his freshly nominated running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, are backing different Republican candidates in the increasingly bitter GOP race to replace the retiring Rep. Debbie Lesko in Arizona's 8th Congressional District.

Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has thrown his weight behind former Arizona attorney general candidate Abe Hamadeh, an ally of U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake.

Vance, nominated Monday at the Republican National Convention as the GOP vice-presidential candidate, previously had endorsed venture capitalist Blake Masters to represent much of the northwestern Phoenix metro area in Congress.

Hamadeh and Masters have become fierce rivals in the six-way primary race that also includes former U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, state Sen. Anthony Kern, Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma and political newcomer Patrick “Pat” Briody.

Vance endorsed Masters last year, long before he was tapped by Trump. But Masters reupped the endorsement Tuesday on social media in light of Vance's big curtain call at the Milwaukee convention.

Masters posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, a photo of him and Vance.

"Thrilled to be ENDORSED in my House race by our next Vice President, J.D. Vance!," Masters wrote.

Masters traveled to the GOP gathering at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum this week "to be here with friends, to see Trump, and I didn't want to miss history," he told The Arizona Republic on Monday evening.

He described Vance as a "personal friend." Both are allies of the tech entrepreneur and billionaire Peter Thiel.

Earlier this month, a top Trump adviser asked Masters to take down or revise a TV ad suggesting that Trump had endorsed his candidacy.

Trump did back Masters in his unsuccessful 2022 Senate bid, but is not backing him in his House race.

The TV ad in question puts "Trump endorsed Masters" in capital letters on the screen. It added, in a smaller type font, moments later: “In Senate campaign.”

On Tuesday, Masters posted a photo of himself with Donald Trump Jr.

Masters is holding a Vance hat. "So ready to elect President Trump and Vice President Vance!"

With two weeks to spare before the July 30 primary election, the 8th Congressional District race is without a clear frontrunner.

The solidly Republican district covers parts of Arizona's Maricopa and Yavapai counties, including the communities of Glendale, Peoria, Sun City West and New River.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: JD Vance endorsed a candidate in a hot Ariz. congressional race. It's not who Trump picked