page_title: Debbie Lesko
section_title: Electoral history
hierarchical_section_title: Debbie Lesko / Electoral history
caption_attribution_description: U.S. Congresswoman-elect Debbie Lesko speaking at her campaign election night watch party at a home in Peoria, Arizona. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.
context_page_description: Debra Kay Lesko is an American politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Arizona's 8th congressional district. The district is located in the West Valley portion of the Valley of the Sun and includes Glendale, Surprise, Sun City, Peoria, and part of western Phoenix.
  Lesko served in the Arizona Senate from 2015 to 2018. She was president pro tempore of the Arizona Senate from 2017 to 2018. Lesko also served as a member of Arizona House of Representatives from 2009 until 2015.
  Lesko won the Republican nomination for Arizona's 8th congressional district special election. She won the election on April 24, defeating Democratic nominee Hiral Tipirneni with 52.4% of the vote to Tipirneni's 47.6%. She won a full term in November 2018, again defeating Tipirneni. Lesko is Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues. She is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, and is currently its only female member.
context_section_description: 2014 – Lesko ran for the open Arizona Senate District 21 held by retiring senator Rick Murphy. She was unopposed in the Republican primary. Lesko defeated Carolyn Vasko in the general election with 32,119 votes.
  2012 – Redistricted to District 21 alongside fellow Republican Representative Rick Gray, and with incumbent Republican Representatives Thomas Forese and J. D. Mesnard redistricted to District 17, Lesko ran in the August 28, 2012 Republican Primary, placing first with 14,771 votes; in the five-way November 6, 2012 General election, Lesko took the first seat with 41,023 votes and Representative Gray took the second seat ahead of Democratic nomines Carol Lokare, Sheri Van Horsen (who had run for Legislature seats in 2006, 2008, and 2010) and a Libertarian write-in candidate.
  2010 – With Representative Murphy running for Arizona Senate leaving a District 9 seat open, Lesko ran in the August 24, 2010 Republican Primary and placed first with 14,498 votes; in the three-way November 2, 2010 General election, Lesko took the first seat with 32,423 votes, fellow Republican nominee Rick Gray took the second seat ahead of Democratic nominee Shirley McAllister.
  2008 – With incumbent Republican Representative Bob Stump running for Arizona Corporation Commission and leaving a District 9 seat open, Representative Rick Murphy and Lesko were unopposed for the September 2, 2008 Republican Primary; Lesko placed first with 10,902 votes and Representative Murphy placed second; in the November 4, 2008 General election, Lesko took the first seat with 37,762 votes and Representative Murphy took the second seat ahead of Democratic nominees Sheri Van Horsen (who had run for the seat in 2006) and Shawn Hutchinson.
caption: Debbie Lesko at a campaign event in Peoria, Arizona.
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