Republican Congresswoman Debbie Lesko is not running for reelection in Arizona.
Lesko announced Tuesday that she will not seek another term for Arizona's 8th congressional district.
She released the following statement:
It has been a great honor to serve the people of Arizona's 8th Congressional District in Congress, however, I have decided not to run for reelection in 2024.
I want to spend more time with my husband, my 94-year-old mother, my three children, and my five grandchildren.
Spending, on average, three weeks out of every month away from my family, and traveling back and forth to Washington, D.C. almost every weekend is difficult. Right now, Washington, D.C. is broken; it is hard to get anything done. Please know that I will continue my work to improve Congress and to help my constituents and the American people. We must all work toward that end.
I want to thank all of the people who have supported me throughout the years. Please know that my office and I will continue to passionately serve our constituents and our nation until the end of my term in January 2025.
Lesko represents Arizona's 8th Congressional District. An ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump, Lesko received an endorsement from him during her last election. However, she had no serious challengers in the GOP primary.
A former school board member and state lawmaker, Lesko won a House seat in a special election in 2018.
In 2020, the Arizona Republic reported Lesko had legal and financial problems in her past. The newspaper found several bankruptcies, lawsuits over unpaid bills and an arrest warrant in the 1980s and '90s.
Lesko said in response that her first husband was abusive and a “con man.” She even created a website linking details of her ex-husband's criminal past and a video of her daughter recounting abuse she saw and suffered in childhood.
