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GOP funnels money into race for Congressional District 8

Posted at 8:27 PM, Mar 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-27 23:27:04-04

West Valley Republican congressional candidate Debbie Lesko is getting major campaign help from national Republican groups.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is funneling money for a big commercial buy, and the Republican National Committee is writing a check for $280,000 for door-to-door campaign help. 

The GOP is apparently taking nothing for granted after dropping two congressional seats, in Alabama and Pennsylvania, to Democratic challengers in the last three months.

Early ballots for Arizona Congressional District 8 go out Wednesday for the April 24 special election to fill Trent Franks seat.  

President Donald Trump won this district by 21 percent in 2016.

Dr. Hiral Tipirneni is the Democrat in the race.

"No matter how much money you have if at the end of the day, if your platform and your position on the issues does not line up with the voter, they are not going to vote for you," Tipirneni said. 

"They are going to vote for the person who is going to look out for their family."

Arizona political analysts say the help from the national GOP's efforts amount to good practice for the 2018 election season, and it's some added insurance, in a race Lesko is almost guaranteed the win anyway.  

"It's ending the race before it starts, and if no real money come in for the Democrat in the next few weeks she's toast," said OH Predictive Insights pollster Mike Noble.