Abe Hamadeh and Kris Mayes; winner becomes attorney general
By Tara Kavaler |The Arizona Republic
Arizonans face a stark difference between candidates for attorney general now that the matchup for the general election in November is set. On one side is political newcomer Abe Hamadeh, the winner of the Aug. 2 GOP primary, and on the other is Democrat Kris Mayes, who has won statewide elected office twice.
Mayes portrays her opponent as an extremist whose views are out of touch with Arizonans, while Hamadeh paints Mayes as an elitist and radical-leftist professor.
They diverge on much more than past experience and characterizations of one another, however. The race is likely to concentrate on the issues of abortion, elections, consumer protection, illegal immigration and border security.
The gap between them on the issues is stark.
Hamadeh believes that there was widespread voting fraud in 2020 and that Joe Biden did not legitimately win Arizona, for example, while Mayes calls Hamadeh’s stance a danger to democracy and is concerned about the possible subversion of the will of voters in future elections.
Mayes believes that Arizona’s constitutional right to privacy supersedes Arizona’s two restrictive abortion laws while Hamadeh believes that the pre-state law that bans most abortions and prosecutes doctors is Arizona’s current law.
How Hamadeh won the primary
Despite being the last entrant in a crowded GOP primary, former Maricopa County prosecutor Hamadeh, 31, came out on top over five competitors.
The Donald Trump-endorsed candidate defeated five other contenders in the primary to secure the party’s nomination.
Hamadeh has gained national media attention for his “America First” stances.
Hamadeh told The Arizona Republic in an earlier interview that he was frustrated with the ascent of “weak-kneed” Republicans, specifically naming Gov. Doug Ducey. When asked at the time if the other contenders in the GOP primary are “weak-kneed,” Hamadeh replied, “All of them.”
