Mark Lamb wins Arizona House primary despite scandals
Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb won Tuesday’s Republican primary for Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, beating self-funding rival Daniel Keenan despite alleged sexual misconduct that defined the race’s final stretch. Backed by President Donald Trump and denying the claims, Mark Lamb now heads into November as the heavy frontrunner to replace Rep. Andy Biggs in a deep-red Phoenix-area seat.
Key Takeaways
- Mark Lamb defeated construction business owner Daniel Keenan in the Arizona 5th District GOP primary.
- Keenan poured nearly $2 million of his own cash into the race and made misconduct allegations central; Lamb has denied them.
- Trump reinforced his endorsement in mid-July, and Arizona-based Turning Point USA also bolstered Lamb.
- The district is deeply Republican, so Lamb is widely viewed as the favorite for the general election.
Who won the Arizona House race Mark Lamb was in?
According to Politico, Mark Lamb — the former Pinal County sheriff — overcame a late push from Keenan in Arizona’s 5th District. AZ Family likewise reported that Lamb won easily over Keenan after a campaign in which the challenger made scandal coverage the main focus.
Lamb served as sheriff until 2024 and built a national profile as a hard-line critic of the Biden administration’s immigration and border policy. He secured Trump’s backing for the 5th District contest last year and did not lose significant endorsements after the allegations surfaced.
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Why did Mark Lamb’s primary stay competitive?
Keenan’s strategy rested on making alleged sexual misconduct and abuse of power the centerpiece of the contest. In May, the Arizona Republic published a multi-part investigation alleging that Lamb engaged in a yearslong pattern of sending sexual images and instigating intimate encounters involving him, his wife, and others.
One woman named in that reporting, Jillian Stannard, accused Lamb of encouraging her husband to have sex with other women, including Lamb’s wife, and of threatening consequences when she raised concerns to religious leaders. Screenshots involving another woman, Tammy Peacock, suggested Lamb — then a sitting county sheriff — threatened to leverage Arizona’s revenge porn law against her.
Lamb’s spokesperson, Ed Morabito, told Politico last week that “these allegations are false and come from long-discredited political opponents.” Keenan’s nearly $2 million self-funded bid was not enough to deny Lamb the nomination.
What does Mark Lamb’s win mean for November?
Politico describes Lamb as the heavy frontrunner in a deep-red Phoenix-area district to replace Biggs, who is running for governor. AZ Family similarly noted that, in a deeply red district, Lamb is likely to win the general election.
The outcome also underscores how durable Trump’s endorsement remains in GOP primaries, even when rivals spend heavily to elevate scandal coverage. Lamb’s path from county sheriff to House nominee now runs through a November race he enters as the clear favorite on paper.