Arizona congressional candidate alleges rape while repairing campaign sign

Arizona congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia has publicly alleged she was raped by two men in August 2026 while repairing campaign signs in Sun City, a suburb of Phoenix. Greene-Placentia, a Democrat running for the 8th Congressional District, reported that she was hit on the head and knocked unconscious during the early morning incident on August 14. She stated she awoke to find herself being sexually assaulted by one man, with another man also allegedly involved in the assault.

Initially, Greene-Placentia did not report the incident due to embarrassment, but she filed a police report with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office two weeks later, on August 31. She recounted hearing one of the assailants say "Democratic b****" during the attack. Despite the traumatic experience, Greene-Placentia stated her intention to continue her campaign, hoping that sharing her story would help other survivors.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirmed an ongoing investigation into the allegations. Republican incumbent Rep. Abe Hamadeh, Greene-Placentia's opponent, has publicly called for a comprehensive investigation into the serious claims.