Arizona U.S. House candidate Abe Hamadeh released a new advertisement declaring his Republican primary opponent, Blake Masters, “abandoned America First” and “surrendered to the swamp” after Masters released his own ad accusing Hamadeh of being an “anchor baby.”
Hamadeh posted the video to the social media platform X, where the candidate emphasized his endorsements from former President Donald Trump and Arizona U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake.
“While Blake Masters abandoned America First and abandoned to the swamp, only one candidate’s been tested in battle,” the narrator claimed of Hamadeh. The commercial described Hamadeh as “battle tested” and “Trump endorsed.”
🔥🚨NEW AD: BATTLE TESTED🚨🔥
America is under attack – and it’s up to all of us to save our country. I’m proud to be endorsed by President Trump, @KariLake, and so many others who have taken on this corrupt system.
Together, we will defeat these villains once and for all. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/dRDGnEgs2t
— Abe Hamadeh (@AbrahamHamadeh) April 22, 2024
Hamadeh and Masters both announced campaigns to represent Arizona’s 8th Congressional district following the confirmation that Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) would not seek another term in Congress.
Prior to Hamadeh’s ad attacking Masters for his alleged disloyalty to Trump and his supporters, Masters released his own ad declaring his opponent an “anchor baby” who was “born to parents who were in America illegally after overstaying visas.”
Masters’ ad includes an image depicting Hamadeh in Islamic prayer clothes at Mecca, the Muslim holy site.
Did you know Abe Hamadeh was an anchor baby?
He was born to parents who were in America illegally after overstaying visas.
Is that why he supported amnesty and birthright citizenship?🤔
We will tell #AZ08 the truth: https://t.co/ju5SB3nAEM
pic.twitter.com/rBtyTmABst— Blake Masters War Room (@MastersPress) April 3, 2024
Hamadeh previously lost his 2022 race for Arizona Attorney General by less than 300 votes, making it the narrowest statewide contest in Arizona history.
U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) survived Masters’ challenge in 2022, winning 51.4 percent of the vote. Masters received 46.5 percent of the vote.
Internal polling released last December showed Hamadeh with a 23-point lead over Masters, beating the former Senate candidate 36-14. The pollsters found Arizona State House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) behind Hamadeh and Masters, with 7 percent of support.
While Masters and Hamadeh now trade barbs in ads, Hamadeh previously suggested his opponent drop out due to “fake fundraising numbers” he claimed were released with the goal of “intentionally misleading voters” about raising $3.1 million.
“I’m officially calling on Blake Masters to drop out of this race,” Hamadeh (pictured above, left) posted on X in February. He added, “Blake needs to stop paying his Nikki Haley consultants on a losing endeavor, and stay in his hometown of Tucson to rally behind President Trump this November.”
The 8th Congressional district is considered solidly Republican, and Lesko did not face a Democratic opponent in 2022, ultimately winning reelection with 96.5 percent of the vote.
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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].
Photo “Abe Hamadeh” by Abe Hamadeh.
