Rep. Debbie Lesko won't seek reelection in Arizona's 8th Congressional District

Rep. Debbie Lesko, 64, announced Tuesday that she will not seek reelection in Arizona's 8th Congressional District.

Lesko, R-Ariz., who since 2018 has served the solidly Republican West Valley district, said in a written statement that she wants to focus on her family.

"It has been a great honor to serve the people of Arizona's 8th Congressional District," Lesko said.

In her statement, Lesko said she was often away from her husband, her 94-year-old mother and her three children and five grandchildren, because of constant travel to Washington, D.C., to serve in the House of Representatives.

She also pointed to the turmoil in the House after the House failed again Tuesday to elect a speaker of the House.

"Right now, Washington, D.C. is broken; it is hard to get anything done. Please know that I will continue my work to improve Congress and help my constituents and the American people," Lesko said.

Lesko's involvement in Arizona politics began in the early 2000s with Peoria Unified School District. She served on the district's community committee and later ran for a school board position.

Lesko served in the Arizona Legislature as a state senator and representative from 2009 to 2018. During her time at the state Senate specifically, she served as president pro tempore from 2017 to 2018.

When she was a senator, a special election for Arizona's 8th Congressional District was held to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who resigned in early 2018 in the middle of an ethics investigation.

Lesko joined the race and defeated Democrat Hiral Tipineni for the position, taking office in May 2018. Lesko has won four reelection bids for her congressional seat. She will not seek a fifth.

Lesko will continue to serve her district until the end of her term in January 2025.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Debbie Lesko will not run for Arizona's 8th District again