Mark Lamb
Won the July 21, 2026 Republican primary with 58.6% of the vote, endorsed by President Trump
Mark Lamb is the former Sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona (2017-2024) and the Republican nominee for Arizona's 5th Congressional District, an open seat. He was previously the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024, losing the primary to Kari Lake. He received the endorsement of President Donald Trump and Turning Point USA in this race, and won his primary amid public allegations from multiple women that he sent them sexually charged messages; a Pinal County Attorney's Office review concluded it found no evidence of criminal conduct.[2][7]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
On the record — official actions
- legal2026-06-22 · Multiple women alleged, in an Arizona Republic investigation independently verified by KTAR News, that Lamb sent them explicit photos and sexually charged messages from his personal phone and campaign accounts while serving as sheriff; one woman said he threatened her with felony revenge-porn charges. Lamb largely declined to comment on the allegations; his wife called the reports a 'massive smear campaign' in a Facebook post. In June 2026, Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller concluded a review of the matter, finding 'no evidence that Lamb acted in a criminal manner.'[6][7]
- actionThe American Sheriff Foundation, a charity Lamb established in 2018 that raised more than $50,000 in its first year, left at least $18,000 in spending unaccounted for on tax filings, the Arizona Republic reported in 2020. The IRS revoked its tax-exempt status in 2021 for failing to file required reports, and Arizona moved to administratively dissolve it in 2024 after it also failed to file required state annual reports.[8]
In their words — priorities
- Campaigns on a platform of traditional values, describing a need for what news coverage characterized as a 'national revival of faith, family, freedom,' while denouncing what he calls 'America's moral decay.'[2]
Background
- Born in Hawaii in 1972; graduated from Chandler High School in Arizona.[2]
- Worked for the police department of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community for six years before joining the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in 2012.[2]
- Elected Sheriff of Pinal County in 2016 and re-elected unopposed in 2020, serving from January 2017 to December 2024.[2]
- Co-founded Protect America Now, a coalition of sheriffs, in February 2021.[2]
- Ran for U.S. Senate in 2024 to succeed Kyrsten Sinema, and was defeated in the Republican primary by Kari Lake.[2]
Campaign money
Raised $1.2M · spent $979K · $243K cash on hand (through 2026-07-01) FEC filing ↗