U.S. Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) endorsed former President Donald Trump in his 2024 bid for a second term in the White House on Thursday.
In a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter, Lesko wrote that Trump “has a proven track record of success.”
“When he was President, we had a booming economy, a secure border, and energy independence,” she said.
Lesko declared the country “cannot afford” another term “under Biden’s failed policies” and explained, “That is why I endorse President Trump. He will, once again, put America and Americans First.”
🚨I’m endorsing @realDonaldTrump🚨 pic.twitter.com/itUkPDolOv
— Debbie Lesko (@DebbieLesko) December 27, 2023
After Trump was indicted in April, she issued a statement calling it “a sad day for our nation,” and lamented that “Democrats will stop at nothing to go after President Trump.” She called the case against Trump “a sham indictment meant to score political points and weaponize our judicial system to help Democrats win another election.” More recently, she decried the “Democrat-appointed Colorado” Supreme Court’s claim it intended to “protect democracy” by removing Trump from the ballot. Trump previously endorsed Lesko’s 2022 re-election campaign.
Lesko intends to leave Congress at the end of her term, and she and Trump have endorsed different candidates to succeed her.
In a post to X published just 14 minutes after Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) declared his candidacy for Lesko’s seat on November 5, the congresswoman endorsed him, noting that he resides in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.
“He knows our district. He cares about the people that live in our district,” wrote Lesko.
She has also elevated Toma’s other endorsements, and invited her constituents to sign his petition to secure ballot access in the district.
Trump, in contrast, endorsed former Arizona Attorney General candidate Abe Hamadeh in the race for Lesko’s seat on December 8, citing his military and court experience as evidence he will provide “the kind of bold leadership that ushered in peace and prosperity just three years ago.”
The endorsement from Trump came despite the presence of Blake Masters in the race. Trump endorsed Masters in 2022, when he was the Republican Party’s nominee to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate, and ultimately lost his election to Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
A recent poll, commissioned by Hamadeh’s campaign, showed the candidate with a 23-point lead among Republicans in the district. When pollsters told the Republican respondents of Hamadeh’s endorsement from Trump and Senate candidate Kari Lake, his lead expanded further, winning the race with 45 percent of support compared to Masters’ 10 percent of support.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
