congressional candidate running in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District Raped while campaigning

Bernadette Greene-Placentia is a Democratic congressional candidate running in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District against Republican incumbent Abe Hamadeh in the November 2026 election. She is making national headlines following allegations that she was sexually assaulted while campaigning. What happened: August 14, 2026: Greene-Placentia says she was attacked around 2 a.m. while repairing a campaign sign in a Sun City, Arizona, parking lot. She alleges she was struck unconscious and raped by an unidentified man. She also reported that a second man attempted to assault her. August 31: She filed a report with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. October 7: ABC News and other national outlets reported her allegations. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed receiving her report. The investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations have not been independently established. Her background: She previously owned a trucking business and worked as a long-haul truck driver. Her professional profile also lists an associate degree from Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California.