GOP governor criticizes Trump-backed candidates in Arizona, Pennsylvania

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) on Sunday lambasted Republican candidates working for governor in his residence state and in Pennsylvania who’ve acquired former President Trump’s endorsement.

Ducey, who’s supporting Karrin Taylor Robson in Arizona’s GOP gubernatorial main, advised CNN “State of the Union” co-anchor Dana Bash that his endorsed candidate is the “actual conservative” whereas condemning Kari Lake, who’s backed by Trump, for her assist of unfounded election fraud claims in 2020.

“Kari Lake is deceptive voters with no proof,” mentioned Ducey.

“She’s been tagged by her opponents with a nickname, ‘Pretend Lake,’ which appears to be sticking and really performing some injury. Karrin Taylor Robson began from zero, and now this can be a margin-of-error race.”

The competition is certainly one of many the place Trump has put his thumb on the size to assist candidates who again his doubts in regards to the presidential election outcomes.

This yr’s elections in Arizona and different swing states will decide many officers who will oversee a probably contentious 2024 election equipment.

Trump in Arizona has additionally endorsed a supporter of his voter fraud claims within the race for secretary of state, Arizona’s high election official.

Trump mentioned final week he has made up his thoughts about working in 2024 however hasn’t but determined whether or not he’ll announce earlier than or after the midterms.

When requested about Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano — a Trump-backed candidate who has additionally put forth unfounded claims of election fraud — Ducey, the chairman of the Republican Governors Affiliation, declined to say if the group would assist Mastriano.

“We might be taking a look at this map,” he mentioned on CNN. “We might be trying on the assets now we have. And we don’t know what September and October are going to carry.”

However Ducey wasn’t coy about his private views on Mastriano.

“I believe that the folks of any state can be higher served by a governor who believes within the folks, believes that small companies ought to be allowed to function and believes that youngsters ought to be in lecture rooms,” Ducey mentioned.

“I additionally assume this election ought to be in regards to the future,” he added. “I don’t assume we should always assume for yet one more second about 2020.”