Lee leads Lamb in early CD5 voting

By Tom Blodgett
Mail |
X: @sp_blodgett

Democrat Elizabeth Lee has edged out to an early lead over her more known opponent, Republican Mark Lamb, in the Congressional District 5 race.

Lee has 52.21% on 107,352 votes to Lamb's 47.65% on 97,979 votes.

Lee greeted her early lead with enthusiasm but cautioned that the race was far from decided, with many ballots still to be counted.

"Am I anywhere near thinking we have this in the bag? Absolutely not," Lee said. "We want to make sure every eligible vote gets counted. But to be leading by 10,000 votes at this stage in a district that everyone said was unflippable, that alone is really amazing."

Lee said she had deliberately avoided setting expectations heading into election night, particularly after the disappointing results Democrats experienced in 2024.

She credited her supporters with making a traditionally Republican district competitive by emphasizing shared values over party affiliation.

"I know, win or lose, we made this district competitive and that is really something to celebrate," she said.

Supporters of Congressional District 5 Democratic candidate Elizabeth Lee reveled in the early tallies at a campaign event at Union Grill and Tap in Gilbert.

Independent Newsmedia/Tom Blodgett

Lee said she remained prepared for the possibility that later returns could change the outcome.

Results are unofficial until canvassed.

Voters in Arizona's 5th Congressional District chose between a former county sheriff and a registered nurse to replace Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who gave up his congressional seat to run for governor.

Lamb, who served two terms as Pinal County sheriff, faced Lee, a registered nurse and health care consultant, in the Nov. 3 general election.

The district includes much of the southeastern Phoenix metropolitan area, encompassing portions of Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley and Apache Junction.

Lamb served as Pinal County sheriff from 2017 through 2024, developing a national profile through television appearances and social media focused on law enforcement and border security.

He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2024 before entering the race for the congressional seat being vacated by Biggs.

Lamb campaigned on border security, immigration enforcement, support for law enforcement, economic growth and conservative constitutional principles. His candidacy received the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

His campaign also faced scrutiny following published allegations concerning his personal conduct while serving as sheriff.

Lee, who defeated two opponents in the Democratic primary, entered the race with a background in nursing and health care advocacy rather than elected office.

She has emphasized health care affordability, reproductive rights, public education, housing costs and water security.

Lee has argued that her experience working with patients would provide a different perspective in Congress, particularly on the economic pressures facing families and the cost of medical care.

The election represented a rare open-seat contest in a district that has been reliably Republican in recent years.

Biggs has represented the district since 2017 and was reelected repeatedly before deciding to seek the governorship. His departure created an opportunity for a new representative at a time when control of the U.S. House was also at stake nationally.

The district's Republican registration advantage made Lamb the favorite heading into the general election, although Lee sought to attract independent voters and Republicans dissatisfied with their party's nominee.

The winner will serve a two-year term in the U.S. House beginning in January 2027, representing one of Arizona's fastest-growing regions as Congress considers immigration, federal spending, health care, economic policy and other national issues.

Tom Blodgett
Senior News Editor | Gilbert

tblodgett@iniusa.org

Meet Tom
Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.

Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.

Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism. 

Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.  

Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).