Earlier this week, Republican Abe Hamadeh, hoping to succeed Rep. Debbie Lesko in Arizona Congressional District 8, was the beneficiary of a fancy fundraising affair in the locality he would, if elected, represent … Mar-a-Lago.

Hamadeh, the sorest of sore losers, was backed by Donald Trump in his losing campaign for Arizona attorney general. He is backed by Trump again, this time in his run for Congress. Although, just this past January he filed his umpteenth court challenge over his loss to Kris Mayes.

Not that any of his legal follies matter.

Hamadeh isn’t really running for Congress. Not in the way many politicians run for office. He doesn’t even live in District 8. Hamadeh is running for Congress for the same reason his old pal and losing governor candidate, Kari Lake, is running for the U.S. Senate — to serve Donald Trump.

Not the Constitution. Not the United States of America. Not Arizona.

Trump. Period.

It’s why Hamadeh, like Lake, happily shuffles off to Mar-a-Lago for a fundraiser where, in Hamadeh’s case, patrons were hit up for $1,000 to get in, or $3,300 to be what the invitation called a “sponsor,” or $6,600 to become a member of the “host committee,” whatever that is.

Trump does not hand out endorsements without expecting blind loyalty. So Hamadeh, like Lake and so many other MAGA candidates, zips down to Florida on command in order to kiss Dear Leader’s … ring.

It’s a crowded field of candidates trying to replace Lesko in the heavily Republican district.

Interestingly enough, now that she is leaving Washington, D.C., and is no longer under the thumb of the GOP leaders who are under the thumb of Trump, Lesko made her own endorsement for a Republican to replace her.

And it was not Hamadeh.

Lesko endorsed Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma.

In a statement she said in part, “As a legislator and speaker of the Arizona House, Ben has a proven, conservative track record for getting things done and for standing up for the principles that have made our nation great …”

She also took an indirect swipe at Hamadeh saying, “Ben Toma lives in our district. He knows our district. He cares about the people that live in our district.”

Too bad Lesko didn’t demonstrate that slight streak of independence while in Congress. But, that’s how it is these days, certainly in our state.

If you are a Republican from Arizona with seat in Congress it does not really matter whether you are meant to represent the entire state or one of our congressional districts.

The shorthand abbreviation that should follow all of their names is exactly same — R, Mar-a-Lago.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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