Chandler: New Campaign Ads Attack Mark Lamb Over Misconduct Allegations in Congressional Race

The Ads Hit Air as Early Voting Begins

New campaign advertisements are targeting Mark Lamb, the former Pinal County Sheriff running for Congress in Arizona's 6th Congressional District, with early ballots going out across a district that includes Chandler.

The ads focus on allegations of sexual misconduct, abuse of power, and explicit messages. They began airing days after reports surfaced accusing Lamb of inappropriate sexual behavior, threatening women who spoke out, and sending racist and homophobic messages.

The Opposition's Message

Republican opponent Daniel Keenan is trying to turn the allegations into a defining issue in the race. The ad states that Lamb is a disgrace and unfit for office.

"Mark Lamb is a disgrace, an embarrassment, and unfit for office. I'm Daniel Keenan and I approve this message."

The ad references accusations against Lamb, including claims of sending explicit photos and messages, pressuring government employees into sexual relationships, and threatening retaliation against women who spoke out.

Lamb Remains Silent

Lamb has not publicly addressed the allegations in detail. He declined a request for an interview, in which he would have been asked whether the messages were authentic, whether he threatened women who came forward, and why voters should trust him if elected to Congress.

The ad states that Lamb is hiding from the allegations.

Analysts Say Silence Hurts

Political analysts on both sides say Keenan's ads were inevitable.

"He's just got to hammer that for the next month and a half, right, and just see what happens," Democratic strategist Matt Grodsky said.

Grodsky said despite the controversy, Lamb's endorsement from President Donald Trump could still insulate him in the deeply red Republican district.

"I'd be surprised if it actually changes the outcome," Grodsky said.

Republican strategist Wes Gullett said Lamb's silence may be making things worse.

"You have to play through it. You have to apologize. All they've said is this was 10 years ago. Well, that's not good enough," Gullett said.

Gullett said the allegations undercut Lamb's image as a conservative family-values candidate.

"You don't want to be a hypocrite. And in politics, you want to make sure that you don't over-advertise something that you're not," Gullett said.

Trump Weighs Whether to Pull Endorsement

Trump advisers said Trump views his endorsement as the "gold standard" and is weighing whether to pull support for Lamb.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs said he is not passing judgment yet. Fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate David Schweikert told KTAR that Lamb's behavior "borders on immoral."

Gullett noted that Lamb has backed off from public events.

"He's already backed off and he's not talking and he's not doing public events. And that's really hard, especially when you're six weeks from an election," Gullett said.

Lamb has been the front-runner in the race. With early ballots coming out in less than a month and more allegations surfacing, opponents are betting the controversy can reshape the final weeks of the campaign.