Venture capitalist, conservative firebrand raises eye-popping amount in bid for Arizona House seat
Blake Masters gained national name recognition during his 2022 run for Senate
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FIRST ON FOX: Blake Masters, a venture capitalist and conservative firebrand, has raised an eye-popping amount in his bid to capture an open Arizona congressional seat in this year's elections.
According to his campaign, Masters raised over $1.3 million in just the first two months after announcing his candidacy for Arizona's 8th Congressional District, and has more than $1 million cash-on-hand.
"I am honored by the support and trust placed in me by so many great people, including many supporters from my run for Senate as well as new donors who want to see more strong conservatives in Washington," Masters told Fox News Digital in a statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Then-Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Blake Masters speaks at a campaign rally attended by former U.S. President Donald Trump at Legacy Sports USA on October 09, 2022 in Mesa, Arizona. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
"In Congress, I will block and reverse Biden’s harmful policies, back President Trump’s America First agenda 100%, and fight to make sure that Arizona is and remains the best place in the world to live, work, and raise a family. The trust placed in me by so many gives us over $1M to spread this message and earn the GOP nomination," he added.
Masters first gained national name recognition after coming out on top in a contentious primary race for Senate in 2022. He ultimately lost that race to Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and was reportedly considering running for Senate again in 2024 before deciding to run for Congress instead.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Then-Republican Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters speaks at a campaign event on the eve of the primary, also attended by gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake at the Duce bar on August 01, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Elections analysts view Arizona's 8th Congressional District, which encompasses a chunk of the northern Phoenix suburbs, as a safe Republican seat. It's currently represented by Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko, who announced last year she would not seek re-election.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Masters faces a crowded primary field that includes former Rep. Trent Franks, who previously represented Arizona's 2nd and 8th Congressional Districts for a combined seven terms, state Sen. Anthony Kern, state Rep. Ben Toma, and former Maricopa County prosecutor Abraham Hamadeh.