No governor endorsement can save Blake Masters from a Pima County judge

Three Arizona governors, including Gov. Doug Ducey, on Friday endorsed Blake Masters for the U.S. Senate.

Gee, who didn’t see that coming?

Ducey along with former Republican Govs. Jan Brewer and Fife Symington put out glowing statements about the 36-year-old venture capitalist’s qualifications to help run the country.

“He’s a Christian, husband, and father of three boys who actually understands what Arizona families need. And the guy is fearless against the threats we face today … ,” Ducey said in a written statement.

Glowing endorsement: Governors back Blake Masters in Senate race

So said the governor who gave us Sen. Martha McSally – the woman rejected by Arizona voters. Twice.

In fact, both Ducey and Brewer endorsed McSally.

Arizona abortion ruling will carry more weight

If you missed the part where the ground shook at Friday’s outpouring of political plaudits for Donald Trump's pick for the Senate, perhaps it’s because it didn’t. And likely won’t.

The governors’ support of Masters may help him raise a few dollars from the establishment set or ease a few worries about a Trump-endorsed candidate who believes the election was stolen, a candidate who has two fake electors on his campaign staff.

But it’s not likely to elevate Masters’ chances with those moderate Republican women and independent voters he will need to have any hope of knocking off Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly.

Far more important to Blake’s political future is Kellie Johnson.

She’s the Pima County Superior Court judge who in a few weeks will decide whether abortion remains legal in Arizona. Specifically, whether an 1864 law that criminalizes abortion is now in effect.

If that happens, Masters may as well get back to venture capitalizing. The conservative Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade will have done him in.

No scrubbing can change what Masters said

In fact, even if Johnson doesn’t rule that the territorial law applies, Masters is likely to have trouble courting those all-important middle voters.

No amount of soap and water applied to his website will erase the fact that Masters called for a national abortion ban. No post-primary scrubbing of statements that he is “100% pro-life” will cleanse voters’ memory of the fact that this guy spent the entire year assuring the MAGA nation that he wanted to outlaw abortion … right up until Aug. 2, when he began his pitch to moderates.

Add in that pending court ruling in Pima County that once again will push the abortion issue to the front of voters’ minds – just as early ballots are about to hit mailboxes – and you’ve got a disaster in the making for Mr. Masters.

One that I’m guessing no amount of gubernatorial gushing can fend off.

“I don’t think it’s helpful,” longtime Republican consultant Chuck Coughlin said, of the governors’ endorsements. “It can’t hurt but don’t think it’s going to change anybody’s mind. I just think that there’s counter-veiling issues in the cycle that are working hard against him.”

Maybe he could next seek an endorsement from Mr. Clean?

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Blake Masters' future depends on a judge, not governor endorsements