Abe Hamadeh, a congressional candidate in Arizona who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, called people who questioned the legitimacy of elections “crazies” in leaked private text messages.
Hamadeh’s campaign confirmed the legitimacy of the messages on Tuesday after they were first reported on by the U.K’s Daily Mail.
The messages were sent to former Arizona Republican Senate nominee Blake Masters, who lost a close race in November 2022 to incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.
While Masters was running for Senate, Hamadeh was running a race to become Arizona’s attorney general.
Hamadeh went on to lose that race by just a couple of hundred votes to Democrat Kris Mayes.
In January 2023, weeks after Masters and Hamadeh lost their respective races, the former reached out to the latter to check up on how he was doing, the Mail reported.
In messages obtained by the outlet, Hamadeh replied he was “great.”
He also acknowledged he had challenged the results of his race and said people had supported him for doing so.
The candidate also called those people “crazies.”
"No matter what happens I'm winning right now,” a message from Hamadeh to Masters read. "I'm not lumped in with crazies with election stuff because I'm so close at 280 [votes].”
He added, "But the crazies love because they see me fighting. Win win”
Hamadeh and Masters are now both running for the seat soon to be vacated by Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko of Arizona.
The Arizona Republic reached out to Hamadeh on Tuesday to inquire about the legitimacy of the text messages.
The newspaper reported that Hamadeh campaign spokeswoman Erica Knight said the candidate did send the messages to Masters and confirmed them by sending screenshots.
🚨BREAKING: In a January 2023 text while on vacation in Thailand, @AbrahamHamadeh referred to Republicans concerned about election integrity after the 2022 midterms as “crazies.”
“No matter what happens, I’m winning right now. I’m not lumped in with crazies with election stuff… pic.twitter.com/6kJce8tPv3
— Blake Masters War Room (@MastersPress) May 22, 2024
‘Friend’ turned snake, Blake Masters, sent text messages between us to the media and thought me on vacation with my brother-in-law, Jeff Ayres, in Thailand at a Muay Thai fight was newsworthy. 😂
Jeff is an ASU Basketball legend and NBA Champion, we had a great time! pic.twitter.com/CMiYbxkfYz
— Abe Hamadeh (@AbrahamHamadeh) May 22, 2024
"Explaining Hamadeh’s use of the term, Knight said he 'has been labeled a crazy time and time again' and 'chooses to laugh about it rather than back down from the fight,'" the Republic reported, adding that it is "unclear how that applied to his remark about not being 'lumped in with crazies.'"
She also said Masters' release of them was a "sad and vindictive scheme to undermine President Trump.”
Trump endorsed Hamadeh in the race to replace Lesko last December, choosing the candidate over Masters and several others vying to replace her in the House.
The former president at the time praised Hamadeh for being “strong” on issues such as election integrity, border security and gun rights.
🚨🚨BREAKING🚨🚨
Thank you Mr. President, I can’t wait to fight alongside you to restore the America we love.
“President Donald Trump endorses Abe Hamadeh for Congress” pic.twitter.com/U9e0lVG53b
— Abe Hamadeh (@AbrahamHamadeh) December 8, 2023
Trump’s campaign has not yet commented on Hamadeh's texts to Masters or announced whether the endorsement would be rescinded.
