The big political guns have come out blazing in the final days of Arizona’s heated governor race in the Nov. 8 general election.
On Oct. 9, America’s 45th President, Donald Trump, will hold a rally in Mesa to support his candidate of choice for governor, Kari Lake, who is running in a virtual dead heat in the polls with her Democratic opponent, Katie Hobbs.
Hobbs, Arizona’s secretary of state, refuses to debate Lake and recently told local media she welcomes the support of Wyoming Republican Liz Cheney in her bid to become the next governor of Arizona.
In an interview with the Texas Tribune, Cheney said she would do “everything I can to ensure that Kari Lake is not elected”—up to and including supporting Democrats.
Will It Make a Difference?
In terms of electoral clout, Trump and Cheney seem completely different political animals.Trump consistently draws crowds in the thousands with a loyal following of America First and MAGA Republicans. Sunday’s rally at the Legacy Sports Park in Mesa represents Trump’s latest and perhaps final push for Lake’s candidacy in the Grand Canyon State.
His other Arizona Republican endorsements are U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters, Arizona Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem, and Arizona Attorney General candidate Abe Hamadeh.
Of Trump’s 236 endorsed candidates nationwide, 217 (about 92 percent) won their respective primary against a Democratic opponent.
Cheney, the daughter of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney, lost her primary in Wyoming in August after she failed to gain Trump’s endorsement.
Some pundits viewed Cheney’s defeat as political payback for voting to impeach Trump for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 protests at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
In allying with Cheney, Hobbs’ campaign strategy targets actual and potential support for Lake among Arizona’s more moderate and on-the-fence Republican, Independent, and non-aligned voters.
Both gubernatorial candidates have a political advantage with these endorsements and a political liability with other campaign developments.
Lake pulled national headlines in August for her endorsement of Oklahoma legislative candidate Jarrin Jackson, accused of making “anti-Semitic” remarks.
“We need fighters in EVERY state that’s why I’m proud to endorse Jarrin Jackson for Oklahoma state Senate,” Lake said in her Aug. 17 endorsement on Twitter.
“Jarrin is an America First patriot and does so much to advance our America First movement. RINOs & the Soros media attack him relentlessly because he’s over the target.”
Lake withdrew her endorsement on Aug. 22, amid criticism it did not include a public rebuke of Jackson.
In December, Hobbs made national news when she admitted racial discrimination led to the firing of African-American legislative staffer Talonya Adams, a move that cost taxpayers $2.75 million in a jury verdict against Hobbs in 2021.
On her campaign website, “Katie Hobbs for Governor,” Hobbs said her initial response to the jury verdict “fell short of taking real accountability.”
“Please allow me to say this clearly and unequivocally. I apologize to Ms. Adams. I am truly sorry for the real harm that I caused Ms. Adams and her family.
“My response to the jury verdict was short-sighted, unnecessarily defensive, and failed to meet the moment.”
At least in the media spotlight, Lake doesn’t appear fazed or intimidated by Cheney’s last-minute cameo appearance on Arizona’s electoral stage.
“The people of Wyoming can’t stand her. I’m pretty sure the people of Arizona don’t like her,” Lake told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“Here’s the deal, Maria. The new Republican Party is the party of ‘We the People.’ It is no longer the party of warmongers. And so Liz Cheney should probably change her voter registration. It turns out she really is a Democrat after all.”
The Epoch Times could not reach Lake or Hobbs for comment through their respective campaigns by press time.
