Arizona Dem Tipirneni outraising GOP incumbent Lesko in US House race

PHOENIX – Democrat Dr. Hiral Tipirneni has been outraising and outspending Republican incumbent Rep. Debbie Lesko in the U.S. House rematch in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.

In the most recent Federal Election Commission reports, which run through June 30, Tipirneni had raised $2.8 million to $1.3 million for Lesko.

Tipirneni, a former emergency room physician, had spent $2.5 million, leaving her with $300,000 cash on hand.

Lesko, a former state senator who was sworn into Congress less than three months ago, had spent $1.2 million and had $156,800 on hand.

In April, Lesko defeated Tipirneni 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent in a special election to replace Republican Trent Franks.

Franks resigned from the West Valley seat in December after a former aide said he pressed her to carry his child as a surrogate and offered her $5 million.

It was a closer race than many expected, considering the GOP’s historical dominance in the area.

Tipirneni is running unopposed in the Aug. 28 Democratic primary, while Lesko’s lone GOP opponent, former Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools Sandra Dowling, hasn’t reported any fundraising to the FEC.

According to Phoenix research firm OH Predictive Insights, Tipirneni has been raising more money since the special election in part thanks to out-of-state contributions.

Cash raised in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District race since April 2018 special election. (OH Predictive Insights)

OH Predictive figures said the challenger had raised $167,911 since the election, but only 14.2 percent of that came from Arizona donors.

The firm said 45.5 percent of the $138,231 raised by Lesko during the same period came from within Arizona.

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