Abe Hamadeh Holds Arizona 8th District by 7,317 Votes in Tight Race
Incumbent Republican repelled a dark-horse Democrat in a deep-red district despite a national surge for her party.
By Rosa Wojcik ·
The Associated Press called Arizona's 8th Congressional District for incumbent Republican Representative Abe Hamadeh on Friday afternoon. The decision came fewer than three days after polls closed on Election Day. Hamadeh defeated Democrat Bernadette Greene-Placentia by a margin of 7,317 votes. He secured 51.3% of the ballots cast in the race.
The district covers portions of Glendale, Surprise, Sun City, Peoria, and Anthem. It is historically deep red. In 2024, President Donald Trump carried the area by 16 points. Hamadeh won that cycle by 13 points. This year, the margin narrowed enough that national polling agencies took days to project a winner. Greene-Placentia had trailed in polls that labeled the district Solid R.
Greene-Placentia emerged as a national figure in October following a report that she was assaulted while working on campaign signs. She said two unknown men struck her over the head, knocked her unconscious, and raped her around 2 a.m. in August. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is still investigating the incident. Governor Katie Hobbs and other local Democratic leaders voiced support for Greene-Placentia after the story surfaced. Her candidacy also attracted online criticism and conspiracy theories.
Her campaign operated with limited resources. She had $370,000 in her war chest. That sum represented only eight percent of the amount raised by Democrat Amish Shah for Arizona's 1st Congressional District. National Democratic priorities favored the first district for a potential flip. Greene-Placentia stated her goal was to close the gap from the 2024 election and remain in the race regardless of the outcome.
Outside a polling station on Tuesday afternoon, Greene-Placentia told reporters she intends to seek the seat again. She said, I will run again. That's part of sometimes earning voters' trust, staying in the fight. Her campaign released a statement on Friday saying it remains committed to the district's residents. The group noted it is following the vote count closely. The statement added that voters deserve to have every vote counted and every voice heard.
Neither Hamadeh nor Greene-Placentia responded immediately to requests for comment. Hobbs' campaign also did not respond to inquiries.
