Trump warns Blake Masters not to run for Senate? That's a 10 on the chutzpah scale

Fresh from the file of learning absolutely nothing from your mistakes, former President Donald Trump is once again meddling in Arizona elections.

The New York Times on Friday reported that Trump took it upon himself to call Blake Masters last week, warning him off from running in next year’s Senate race.

Trump reportedly told Masters that Kari Lake would beat the pants off of him in a head-to-head race.

This is, of course, absolutely true — especially given that traditional Republicans who could actually win the Senate seat are (thus far) sitting this one out.

Already, Lake and her inner circle — which presumably includes Trump — are attacking Masters, who reportedly is now reconsidering whether he really wants to jump into the lion’s den.

But imagine the chutzpah, the absolute audacity needed to make that phone call.

Trump's chosen candidates haven't fared well

The Arizona Republican Party had a decades-old iron-fisted grip on Arizona’s two Senate seats before Donald Trump came along. Not since 1988 (Dennis DeConcini) had a Democrat won a U.S. Senate election in Arizona.

Then came 2018 and Trump-endorsed Martha McSally, who lost to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema.

Then came 2020 and the Trump-endorsed Martha McSally was back, losing to Democrat Mark Kelly.

Then came 2022 and the Trump-endorsed Blake Masters lost to Kelly. This, as the Trump-endorsed Kari Lake, Mark Finchem and Abe Hamadeh lost their respective races for governor, secretary of state and attorney general.

Now along comes 2024 and here is Trump, meddling once again in Arizona politics. Dictating who should be the GOP’s Senate nominee based upon one and only one criteria:

Their willingness to sing a lusty backup as Trump warbles on with his tired, old song about a stolen election.

Here is a guy who is under indictment, a defeated former president whose chosen candidates have a perfect streak of losing, and he is trying to dictate the race once again.

And the most astonishing thing of all? Republicans will rush to do Trump’s bidding once again.

Fresh from the file of learning absolutely nothing from your mistakes … .

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump clearing the Senate field for Kari Lake? That's some chutzpah