Hamadeh defeats Masters in Arizona primary pitting Trump allies against each other

Former Arizona attorney general candidate Abe Hamadeh has won the Republican nomination for the House seat representing the state’s 8th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Hamadeh defeated a crowded field that included his main opponent, former Arizona GOP Senate nominee Blake Masters, to win the primary to succeed retiring Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), who decided against running for reelection after serving in her seat since 2018.

The primary race also included Arizona state House Speaker Ben Toma and former Rep. Trent Franks, who had held the seat representing the district for years before he resigned from office in 2017. Franks’s resignation came after the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into allegations that the then-congressman had approached staffers about acting as a surrogate for him and his wife.

The race was largely a contest between Hamadeh and Masters that turned nasty at times, with both issuing personal attacks against each other.

Masters went after Hamadeh in May for not being married or having children, arguing that he has “no skin in the game.” He also tied Hamadeh, the son of Syrian immigrants, to illegal immigration, saying Hamadeh “owes his entire existence in this country” to it.

Hamadeh has hit back by calling Masters a “snake” and noted his own background as a former U.S. Army reserve captain and intelligence officer.

Both candidates had emphasized their close ties to former President Trump, who initially endorsed just Hamadeh but switched to a co-endorsement of Hamadeh and Masters this past weekend.

Hamadeh also garnered a wide range of endorsements from high-profile Republicans inside and outside the state, including Arizona GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake, former state party Chair Kelli Ward, former National Security Adviser Robert C. O’Brien and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

Hamadeh was the Republican nominee for attorney general of the state in 2022 but narrowly lost to Democrat Kris Mayes by fewer than 300 votes.

He will now be the favorite to win the House seat in the solidly red 8th District.