A controversial House candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump emerged victorious in a contentious primary on Tuesday.
Mark Lamb, who previously served as Pinal County sheriff, defeated self-funding candidate Daniel Keenan in Arizona’s 5th District. Lamb is now the leading candidate for the November election in the heavily Republican district around Phoenix, seeking to replace Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who is running for governor.
Keenan invested nearly $2 million of his own money into his campaign, focusing on allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power against Lamb, which Lamb has denied.
Despite these allegations, Lamb — supported by Trump and the Arizona-based Turning Point USA — successfully countered the attacks.
The outcome of the race underscores the influence of Trump’s endorsement and highlights the tendency of GOP primary voters to support candidates with scandals who are backed by the former president.
Lamb, who served as sheriff until 2024, gained national attention as a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s immigration and border policies. He received Trump’s endorsement for the 5th District race last year.
In May, the Arizona Republic published a series of reports alleging that Lamb engaged in a long-standing pattern of sharing sexual images and encouraging intimate encounters involving him, his wife, and others. Jillian Stannard, one of the women involved, accused Lamb of pressuring her husband to engage in sexual activities with other women, including Lamb’s wife. Stannard also claimed Lamb threatened her with consequences when she expressed concerns to religious leaders.
The Republic obtained screenshots of communications with another woman, Tammy Peacock, suggesting that Lamb — while serving as county sheriff — threatened to use Arizona’s revenge porn law against her.
Last week, Lamb’s spokesperson Ed Morabito told POLITICO that “these allegations are false and come from long-discredited political opponents.”
Lamb maintained all major endorsements amid the scandals — with Trump reaffirming his support in mid-July — despite Keenan’s efforts to center his campaign on these allegations.
