Arizona is holding its nonpresidential primaries Tuesday, and there are several races to watch. Here are some of the ones I’m keeping an eye on.
Blake Masters vs. Abe Hamadeh
Last year, I referred to the race in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District — a seat being vacated by Rep. Debbie Lesko, a far-right Republican — as a “Mr. MAGA pageant.” And the GOP candidates — Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh, in particular — have really made that look like a great call as they’ve competed for MAGA voters’ affection in the deep-red district. This race is interesting because, as my MSNBC colleague Steve Benen wrote for the MaddowBlog, Hamadeh initially received former President Donald Trump’s sole endorsement. But just this week, Trump came out and also endorsed Masters, who’s a protégé of Peter Thiel’s — just like Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
Stephen Richer vs. the field
The race for Maricopa County recorder — the Phoenix area’s top elections official — has come into focus as Trump allies have spread election falsehoods about Stephen Richer, the GOP incumbent. Richer is running in the GOP primary against state Rep. Justin Heap and Don Hiatt, who have both tried to sow distrust in the integrity of elections in Arizona. A win Tuesday for Richer, who has garnered bipartisan praise for standing up to election deniers, seems like the best way to keep a Republican in the recorder’s office. A victory by Heap or Hiatt could open the door for the Democratic candidate, Timothy Stringham, to win in November.
AZ-01
I’ll also be watching the packed Democratic primary in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. The district is currently represented by Rep. David Schweikert, and Democrats see the beleaguered Republican’s seat as one of the most vulnerable in Congress due to his ethics scandals. This is a district that I felt Democrats foolishly neglected in 2022, so the winner of this primary will have another shot at it. Former Arizona Democratic Party Chair Andrei Cherny appears to be in pole position, but recent polling showed the race as tight.
Lake vs. Lamb
Failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake seems likely to win her race against Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb in Arizona’s GOP primary for a U.S. Senate seat. But if she does, the margin could tell a deeper story. Lake has turned off Arizona Republicans, at times, particularly due to her attacks on fellow Republicans. If she merely ekes out a win, it could indicate weak Republican support for Lake — which certainly wouldn’t be ideal ahead of a general election matchup against the Democratic candidate, Rep. Ruben Gallego, who’s running unopposed in his primary.