Trump endorses 2 candidates in competitive Arizona Republican primary

Former President Donald Trump endorsed two candidates in Arizona’s competitive Republican primary for the state’s 8th Congressional District in a Truth Social post Saturday night. Trump previously endorsed only ardent election denier Abe Hamadeh but opted to double his endorsements and also support Blake Masters in the primary.

“We have a very important Republican Primary Election on Tuesday for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District, with two spectacular America First Candidates,” Trump wrote. “Both Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh have my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Congressman of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.”

Trump backed Masters in his previous race when he lost in the general election against incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in 2022. In the current congressional race, Trump has ignored Masters, endorsing only Hamadeh until this weekend.

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Trump previously said Hamadeh was “doing a really terrific job” and added during a campaign rally at a Phoenix megachurch in June that “his election was rigged the last time,” reiterating unfounded and unsubstantiated claims that election tampering was to blame for Hamadeh’s failed 2022 bid to become Arizona’s attorney general.

Trump’s last-minute double endorsement, which came just days before the Arizona primary on July 30, aligns the former president with his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Vance previously endorsed Masters in the primary back in October, which put Trump and Vance at odds with their endorsements until Saturday evening.

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“Thrilled to be ENDORSED in my House race by our next Vice President, J.D. Vance!” Masters wrote on X on July 16, the day after Trump selected Vance as his vice presidential pick. A Hamadeh campaign account responded to Masters’ post, writing “welp” and reminding social media users of Trump’s endorsement of its candidate.

Arizona’s 8th Congressional District has been held by Republicans since a round of redistricting took effect in 2013. The winner of Tuesday’s primary will be the heavy favorite in the general election, likely against Democrat Gregory Whitten, who’s running in the Democratic primary unopposed.