Lesko, Debbie, 1958-

Debra Kay Lesko (née Lorenz; born November 14, 1958) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, she has served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Arizona's 8th congressional district since 2018.

Born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, she earned a B.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In the 1980s, Lesko moved to Arizona where she owned a construction sales business. In the easrly 2000s, she became involved in the Peoria Unified School District in Glendale, Arizona, serving on the district's community committee and participating in school board meetings. She was also a contributor to the Arizona Republic, writing opinion pieces about illegal immigration and domestic violence. She was a member of the Arizona state house of representatives from 2008 to 2014, serving as majority whip from 2011 to 2012 and was a member of the Arizona state senate from 2015 to 2018, serving as president pro tempore from 2017 to 2018.

On December 20, 2017, Lesko announced she would run in the special election to replace fellow Republican congressman Trent Franks, who resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment. Her state senate district included the bulk of the congressional district. She also announced that she would resign from the Arizona Senate. After narrowly defeating Democrat Hiral Tipirneni, Lesko assumed office in May 2018. In Congress, she has carved out a strong conservative image. Lesko opposes abortion; she has proposed legislation to give employers religious exemptions from providing contraceptives in health insurance plans. Lesko opposes changes to existing gun laws. She opposes "universal health coverage" and favors repealing the Affordable Care Act. Lesko strongly opposes the Equality Act, a bill that would expand the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. For the 116th Congress, Lesko served on the House Judiciary, House Rules, and House Homeland Security Committees. She also served as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues. She was appointed by Republican Whip Steve Scalise to serve as an Assistant Whip for the 117th Congress. Lesko also serves as a Co-Chair of the Women in STEM Caucus and Co-Chair of the Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus.