Trump-backed candidates sweep in Arizona primary, showing former president's sway among Republicans
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Donald Trump-backed candidates dominated Arizona’s GOP primaries, showing the grasp the former president still has over Republicans in the state.
Trump's preferred candidates emerged victorious in all high-profile races, including the Republican contests for Arizona governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Arizona attorney general and secretary of state.
Trump-endorsed Kari Lake defeated Karrin Taylor Robson, the Associated Press declared Thursday. Taylor Robson, a developer and former member of the Arizona Board of Regents, was endorsed by former Vice President Mike Pence.
Lake will face Katie Hobbs, Arizona's current secretary of state, who easily won the Democratic nomination for governor.
Republican Blake Masters, who’s backed by both Trump and tech investor Peter Thiel, was declared the U.S. Senate primary winner by the Associated Press after building a lead over former solar power executive Jim Lamon and Mark Brnovich, the current Arizona attorney general. Masters will face Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly in the November general election.
Mark Finchem, the Republican primary winner in the secretary of state race, will face Adrian Fontes, the Democratic candidate who beat Reginald Bolding. The secretary of state oversees elections, among other duties.
Abe Hamadeh won the Republican primary for attorney general and will face Democrat Kris Mayes, who ran unopposed in her primary.
Both Finchem and Hamadeh were Trump-endorsed, and both denied Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election in Arizona.
Election coverage: Primary election recap | Arizona election results
Results will continue to be counted as the week continues. Ballots dropped off at the polls on election day, for example, must be signature-verified and then counted, a two-step process.
In this primary, all seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Arizona Legislature were up for grabs, too, meaning the results could affect public policy decisions for the next two years.
Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, who testified at the House Select Committee hearings on the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot about rebuffing Trump's request to help him overturn the 2020 election, lost to David Farnsworth, his Trump-endorsed former Mesa schoolmate, in a state Senate race.
Wendy Rogers, another Trump-backed candidate, defeated Kelly Townsend in their state Senate race. Rogers was censured by the state Senate earlier this year for making statements endorsing violence and political retribution. The conservative lawmakers found themselves in the same district after boundaries were redrawn for this year. Townsend was previously running for Congress but dropped her bid after a promised endorsement from Trump never materialized, she said.
Anthony Kern, who was outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, also won his state Senate race.
Rachel Mitchell, who was appointed Maricopa County attorney by the Board of Supervisors in April, defeated Republican challenger Gina Godbehere.
Mitchell first gained prominence for her role as the lead questioner in the hearing between then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford. She will go up against the sole Democrat running, Julie Gunnigle, in November.
Arizona governor primary 2022: Taylor Robson, Lake both confident as counting continues
Trump-favored candidates lead in congressional races
Rep. David Schweikert defeated Elijah Norton and vocal Trump supporter Josh Barnett to represent District 1, which covers the northeast Valley and parts of central Phoenix.
Trump gave a boost to Schweikert in June after Norton sought to brand him as “shady” for his 11 House ethics investigations.
Schweikert will face Democratic nominee Jevin Hodge in November.
In rural Arizona's District 2, Trump-backed Eli Crane beat Walt Blackman for the Republican nomination.
Crane will battle Democratic incumbent Rep. Tom O'Halleran, who is seen by election analysts as the most endangered House member in Arizona.
In District 4, which includes parts of Tempe, Mesa and Chandler, Trump-backed Kelly Cooper led Tanya Contreras Wheeless for the Republican nomination. The winner will face incumbent Rep. Greg Stanton.
In District 6, which encompasses Tucson and southeastern Arizona, former state Rep. Kirsten Engel won the Democratic nomination over Daniel Hernandez and Juan Ciscomani won the Republican nomination over Brandon Martin.
They will face off in November to replace outgoing Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, a Democrat.
Republican Rep. Paul Gosar trounced his three challengers in District 9.
Election guide: 2022 primaries
Election results |Congressional races | State races |Mayor, city council races|How to vote
Smeared ink, pilfered pens, ballot shortages: Scattered election day issues dot otherwise smooth day
Appointed county supervisor retains seat
In a contrast to the state and national GOP primary races, unfounded claims of widespread election fraud didn't appear to be an effective campaign message in the race for the District 2 seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
Tom Galvin, who was appointed to the board last year, defeated three Republicans to retain his seat representing the East Valley. Two of his three challengers, Gail Golec of Scottsdale and Thayer Verschoor of Gilbert, have made false statements of widespread election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. No Democrats filed to run.
Republic reporters Ronald J. Hansen, Ray Stern, Mary Jo Pitzl, Stacey Barchenger, Jimmy Jenkins, Tara Kavaler and Sasha Hupka contributed to this article.
Reach reporter Taylor Seely at tseely@arizonarepublic.com or 480-476-6116. Follow her on Twitter @taylorseely95 or Instagram @taylor.azc.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump-backed candidates surge in Arizona primary election
