Arizona US House Candidate Reveals Sexual Assault During Campaign
US House candidate Bernadette Green-Plasencia in Arizona revealed she was sexually assaulted in August, sparking a police investigation and statements from her opponent.
A Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives in Arizona has publicly disclosed that she was sexually assaulted by two men in August while campaigning. Bernadette Green-Plasencia revealed the incident, stating it occurred during the early morning hours of August 14 in a parking lot in Sun City, a suburb of Phoenix, while she was repairing a damaged campaign sign.
According to the police report filed with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, two men crept up behind her, struck her on the head, and assaulted her. Green-Plasencia reported that she lost consciousness from the blow and awoke to find one of the men above her. She managed to kick her attackers until they fled, though she could only provide a general description of them as white men.
In the days following the assault, Green-Plasencia isolated herself, avoiding family and campaign staff for roughly 48 hours. Initially, she decided not to report the crime to law enforcement due to feelings of shame and self-blame. However, as she returned to the campaign trail, she experienced a profound conflict between her public promises to fight for Arizonans and her personal silence regarding the trauma she endured.
Investigation and Political Replay
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office confirmed that an investigation is underway, though department spokespersons noted that evidence collection presents significant challenges. Green-Plasencia did not seek immediate medical attention, washed her clothes, and did not preserve physical forensic evidence from the scene, complicating the authorities' efforts to identify suspects.
Her Republican opponent, incumbent Representative Abraham Hamadeh, who won the 2024 election by a 13-point margin, issued a statement condemning the attack. Hamadeh called for a thorough investigation by law enforcement and urged that those responsible be brought to justice.
Despite suggestions from her campaign team to suspend her run or take a temporary hiatus, Green-Plasencia insisted on continuing her campaign. She stated that the ordeal has shifted her perspective on victim advocacy, leading her to reconsider her past skepticism toward the MeToo movement and issue an apology to women whose claims she had previously doubted.