It’s no surprise that Mark Finchem won the Republican Party’s nomination for Secretary of State in the primary, which turned out to be the Republican’s most ardent voters.
It didn’t hurt to have the former president’s endorsement.
But there are also claims that a moderate contingent of Governor Doug Ducey and the business community helped secure Finchem’s victory.
There is little difference between Finchem and Bolick
The election was attended by three Republicans with political experience. Rep. Finkem and Shona Bolick are two unabashed Donald Trump supporters who have amplified the false narrative that election fraud cost the former president his reelection.
Lessons for Democrats:In the election for secretary of state, the one who stumbles last loses.
Their views are several degrees apart. Both said they, as secretaries of state, did not certify the 2020 election results. The two signed a letter to then-Vice President Mike Pence asking that he instead accept Trump’s alternative electoral votes or void all electoral votes until an audit is completed.
But Bollik couldn’t surpass Finchem as a Trump supporter. One of the planners of the rally, which led to the attack on the Capitol.
Lane grabbed some support from Ugenti Rita
That left Senator Michelle Ugenti Rita as another option. And the one with the policy chops. She is the legislator of a law banning so-called ballot collection (a law that has endured challenges to the U.S. Supreme Court) and another that bans infrequent voters from automatically receiving early ballots. was.
She, along with outgoing Sen. Paul Boyer, walked away from the party to criticize the Republican-approved Senate audit as “failed.”
Good things for Trump so far:What You Need to Know About Arizona Key Results
The business world has managed to keep Bo Lane at bay by recruiting advertising executives as outsiders, untainted by the stench of cyber ninja audits and above the noxious politics coming out of the state capitol. was thrown into the mix.
In truth, apart from his business experience, Rain was no different than Ugenti Rita when it came to policy. He even distanced himself from the business leader who characterized her bill to revise the permanent early voting list as voter suppression in soliciting him to run for office. Lane said during his campaign that the bill was actually a good common sense reform.
The governor endorsed Lane’s candidacy late in the campaign and won his endorsement.
Hope to see referendum again in 2020
Lane, who has more war chests than Bolick and Ugenti-Rita, comes in second with a quarter of the votes.
If he hadn’t been in the race, the establishment’s endorsement and money had gone to Ugenti Rita, who would have won the majority of his tally and had a fighting chance to overtake Finchem. It is highly likely that there was
This would have given the Republican party the most qualified person for the office.
Instead, the November Secretary of State election will be yet another referendum on Trump and the 2020 election, not substance.
Please contact Abe Kwok at akwok@azcentral.com. On Twitter: @abekwok.
You can agree or disagree — But only with the support of readers like you. Stay local journalism and subscribe to azcentral.com today.