Trump's late Blake Masters endorsement could help ... Ben Toma?

In a last-minute push to get his guy over the finish line in one of the nation’s nastiest congressional races, former President Donald Trump on Saturday endorsed Blake Masters …

… Wait … What?

But Trump already endorsed Abe Hamadeh in Arizona’s Congressional District 8 free-for-all, having long ago decided that Masters wasn’t sufficiently loud in his condemnation of the supposedly stolen 2020 election.

Arizona’s MAGA queen, Kari Lake, also has endorsed Hamadeh, urging people as recently as Saturday to vote for the “Trump-endorsed candidate.”

Yet now there two.

Call it the J.D. Vance effect. (Or, perhaps, the Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel effect?)

Trump offers 'total endorsement' ... for 2 rivals

While Trump long ago endorsed Hamadeh, of Scottsdale, to represent this West Valley district, Vance endorsed his fellow-Thiel protégé, Masters, of Tucson.

And just earlier this month, the Trump campaign told Masters to stop running “deceptive” ads about him having the former president’s endorsement in the CD 8 primary race.

Now Trump is endorsing Masters … and Hamadeh.

“They will both be spectacular and I’m pleased to announce that both Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh have my Complete and Total endorsement to be the next Congressman of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post late on Saturday. (Actually, early Sunday on the East Coast). “THEY WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.”

Interestingly, Trump’s endorsement of Masters came just hours after a New York Times story in which Thiel said that though he supports the Trump-Vance ticket, he is “disinclined” to reach into his pocket and pull out any cash. Thiel supported Trump’s 2016 campaign but the two men later had a falling out.

The relationship seems to have warmed some since Trump picked one of his two guys, Vance, for his No. 2.

Masters is unsurprisingly elated, Hamadeh silent

Now Trump is giving an 11th-hour push to the other — and to heck, apparently, with Hamadeh, the candidate he endorsed in December.

Masters, who already has been running deceptive ads hoping to convince voters that he has Trump’s endorsement, was delighted to get the last minute-assist.

“I am thrilled to have President Trump’s COMPLETE and TOTAL endorsement in my House race. Let’s go!!!” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Hamadeh, meanwhile, was silent on social media about now having to share the golden ticket with his 2022 America First teammate — or as he calls him, “Blake the snake.” Hamadeh didn’t respond to my request for comment.

Kari Lake also hasn’t responded with her signature cheer for all things Trump.

I imagine that happens when you’re busy grinding your molars to dust.

How a 2-way race could help Ben Toma rally

The two carpetbaggers have been at each other’s throats since late last year in their zeal to win Tuesday’s five-way primary and what amounts to a lifetime job representing this solidly Republican district.

It’s largely been a two-way race, though it appears House Speaker Ben Toma — a Peoria resident who actually lives in the district and actually has been elected to something and actually has a record of conservative accomplishment — may be mounting a late drive.

Trump’s endorsement of Masters comes just days after Masters, in a demonstration of great timing and impeccable political instincts, announced that childless single people have no business getting elected to anything.

“Political leaders should have children,” Masters proclaimed on Wednesday. “Certainly, they should at least be married. If you aren’t running or can’t run a household of your own, how can you relate to a constituency of families, or govern wisely with respect to future generations? Skin in the game matters.”

And you wonder why this guy lost to Mark Kelly?

Reach Roberts at [email protected]. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRoberts and on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh get late Trump endorsement, but why?