WASHINGTON — Today, American Principles Project (APP) released new polling of the Republican primary race in Arizona’s 8th congressional district showing Blake Masters with a 10-point lead over his nearest opponent, Abe Hamadeh.

The poll of 500 likely primary voters, conducted by SPRY Strategies from April 24-26, shows Masters with 26 percent of the vote and Hamadeh at 16 percent. None of the remaining candidates polled above 10 percent. Masters also registered a favorability rating of +26.7 points, far exceeding Hamadeh’s rating of +6.8 points. Former President Donald Trump had the best rating of all the Republicans tested at +61.1 points.

The results showed some potential reasons for the weaknesses in Hamadeh’s candidacy. Large majorities of GOP voters said they were less likely to vote for a candidate who had previously supported amnesty for illegal immigrants or one who had said America was founded on Islamic principles. Past comments on these and related issues have continued to haunt Hamadeh in the race.

In response to the poll numbers, APP President Terry Schilling stated, “The primary in Arizona’s 8th district promises to be a closely watched race in a critical swing state. And as today’s poll shows, there is a clear frontrunner: Blake Masters. Masters has been a consistent champion for families, and his campaign has emphasized the issues most important to Arizona parents. By contrast, Abe Hamadeh’s troubling past record makes it difficult for pro-family voters to trust him. While he may claim to be a conservative now, which version of him would show up to Congress if he wins? The choice for the pro-family movement in this race is obvious. Blake Masters is the best candidate to represent AZ-08 in Congress, and Republicans should rally around him."