Mark Lamb Wins Arizona House Seat in Close Race
The Associated Press called the race on November 6, after it was too close to decide for almost three days following Election Day. Lamb, a former Pinal County sheriff, defeated Lee, a nurse specializing in reproductive health, in the East Valley district by three percentage points.
Lee led when initial results came in Tuesday, but Lamb moved ahead overnight Wednesday and held his lead. The district favored Republicans: in 2024, Republican Andy Biggs won it with more than 60% of the vote. Lamb’s result was substantially narrower, amid Democratic gains in Arizona and elsewhere.
Lamb ran with President Donald Trump’s endorsement. His campaign faced allegations involving relationships with multiple women, which Lamb dismissed as politically motivated. Lee, a first-time congressional candidate, emphasized healthcare, including reproductive health.
Two other Arizona House contests remained unresolved as of 8 a.m. Friday. In the 2nd District, Republican Rep. Eli Crane led Democrat Jonathan Nez 49.7% to 48.5%. In the 8th District, Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh led Democrat Bernadette Greene-Placentia 51.3% to 48.7%.
Arizona’s Blue Wave Narrows as Lamb Holds On in CD5
Mark Lamb’s narrow win in Arizona’s 5th District shows how strongly voters challenged Republicans in a seat the party had won by more than 60% in 2024. The former Pinal County sheriff prevailed over Democrat Elizabeth Lee with 51.5% of the vote, but the close result is a far cry from the district’s recent Republican margin.
Lee led when the first results arrived Tuesday. Lamb moved ahead overnight Wednesday and held on until the Associated Press called the race on November 6, after nearly three days of uncertainty. Lee, a reproductive-health nurse and first-time congressional candidate, put healthcare at the center of her campaign.
Lamb had President Donald Trump’s endorsement, but his campaign also faced allegations involving relationships with multiple women. He dismissed the negative attention as politically motivated. The contest put Lee’s focus on healthcare against a Republican candidate whose campaign emphasized family values.
Democratic momentum was also visible in other Arizona races, though two House contests remained undecided as of 8 a.m. Friday. Republican Eli Crane led Jonathan Nez 49.7% to 48.5% in the 2nd District, while Abe Hamadeh led Bernadette Greene-Placentia 51.3% to 48.7% in the 8th. The close margins underscore the pressure Republicans faced even in districts that lean their way.
Trump-Endorsed Mark Lamb Holds Arizona Seat Despite Democratic Surge
Mark Lamb held Arizona’s 5th District for Republicans, defeating Democrat Elizabeth Lee with 51.5% of the vote in a race called on November 6. The close contest came in a district that favored Republicans and where Andy Biggs had won with more than 60% in 2024.
Lamb, a former Pinal County sheriff, ran with President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Lee led in the first results Tuesday, but Lamb moved ahead overnight Wednesday and remained in front through nearly three days of counting. His win shows that a Democratic surge did not carry this traditionally Republican East Valley seat.
Lee, a reproductive-health nurse and first-time candidate, made healthcare a central campaign issue. Lamb’s campaign faced allegations about relationships with multiple women; he dismissed the negative attention as politically motivated. Voters ultimately chose the Trump-endorsed Republican over Lee.
Two other Arizona House races were still close as of 8 a.m. Friday. Republican Eli Crane led Jonathan Nez 49.7% to 48.5% in the 2nd District. In the 8th, Republican Abe Hamadeh led Bernadette Greene-Placentia 51.3% to 48.7%. Their unresolved contests showed that Republicans still faced competitive races, but Lamb’s result kept the East Valley seat in GOP hands.
