Blake Masters' attack on Abe Hamadeh is obvious for what it is, and it is ugly

I just caught up with this week’s candidate debate in Arizona’s liveliest congressional race, and the award for the slimiest, nastiest attack of the night goes to:

Blake Masters.

That’s not to say there weren’t other blows landed in Tuesday’s debate of Republican candidates in the northwest Valley’s 8th Congressional District.

This, after all, is a race featuring a pair of carpet baggers (Masters and Abe Hamadeh), an indicted fake elector (Anthony Kern), a creepy-turned-repentant ex-congressman (Trent Franks) and House Speaker Ben Toma.

Most of the debate was not surprising

There were few surprises in the debate, as they all pretty much agree on the issues other than a federal abortion ban. (Only Hamadeh opposed it, saying it should be left to the states.)

And, oh yeah, the $95 billion in aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. (Franks supports it, Hamadeh and Masters don’t, and Toma and Kern said they need to read the bill.)

Franks acknowledged his mistake in asking his female congressional staffers to serve as a surrogate and carry his baby.

Kern railed about Democrats and the “uniparty” and Democrats and the media and Democrats and his “sham” indictment.

Toma touted his conservative record, including his bill that cut income taxes and created a universal school voucher program.

Hamadeh groused about losing the 2022 attorney general’s race and announced that he has testosterone — a fact that apparently should worry elections officials.

“I know who the phonies are,” he said. “I know who the crooks are, and believe me, they messed with the wrong person. I’m a young man with a lot of testosterone, and I’m going to go after them because I know what they’ve done to the American people. And it’s unacceptable.”

Well, OK then.

Then Masters took this swipe at Hamadeh

Masters, meanwhile, took aim at his former America First running mate, insinuating that Hamadeh … well, I’ll let you decide what he was insinuating. But it almost sounded as if he wants to deport his opponent.

Here is what Masters said, in his closing statement for why he should be elected — and later posted on social media, saying it “explains the difference” between him and Hamadeh.

“My family. I’ve got a wonderful wife. I’ve got four beautiful boys,” Masters said. “Now that’s called skin in the game. OK? I’m trying to protect these boys and your kids and grandkids, too, from illegal immigration. So what we don’t need is someone with no wife and kids and no skin in the game.

“We don’t need someone who’s supported amnesty in the past like Chuck Schumer's Gang of 8 bill. We don't need someone who owes his entire existence in this country to illegal immigration. We need someone hard core on illegal immigration and that’s me.”

So, Hamadeh is unqualifed for Congress because he has no wife and kids? Is that what Masters is telling us?

Or is he telling us that Hamadeh is unqualified for Congress because he doesn't fit Masters’ image of what it is to be an all-American man?

Hamadeh has plenty of 'skin in the game'

In fact, Hamadeh was born in Illinois to two Syrian immigrants who were at the time here illegally, having overstayed their visas the previous year.

His parents went on to become American citizens and run a successful business and raise their children, including a son, Abe, who went on to serve his country in the military.

Yet we are told by Masters — a guy who never put on a uniform — that Hamadeh is somehow unsuitable for Congress because … he doesn’t have a wife and kids?

Because ... he doesn't have “four beautiful boys” and “skin in the game”?

CD 8 is:Turning into the 'Hunger Games'

Because ... he doesn't look like what Blake Masters thinks a congressman should look like?

I’ve got my issues with Abe Hamadeh.

But it seems to me his skin in the game came on the day he was born, an American citizen, and on the day he put on a uniform and deployed to serve as a U.S. Army intelligence officer.

Masters' attack says much more about him

Yet here is Masters, insinuating that he is us, a true-blue American, and Hamadeh is them — whomever them might be.

I don’t know what point Masters was trying to make in this, one of the state’s most conservative congressional districts.

OK, I actually have a sneaking suspicion that I do know.

But here’s what I also know. That swipe says a lot more about Blake Masters than it does about Abe Hamadeh.

For once, I agree with the self-proclaimed “happy warrior.”

“Blake Masters,” Hamadeh said on Thursday, “is a nasty guy.”

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts or on Threads at laurierobertsaz.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.