Arizona

Key Senate race in Arizona could hinge on voters who back Trump and the Democratic candidate

Published

2 months ago

September 30, 2024

Key Senate race in Arizona could hinge on voters who back Trump and the Democratic candidate

PHOENIX (AP) — If Ruben Gallego is going to give Democrats their fourth straight U.S. Senate victory in Arizona, he’s probably going to need support from an unlikely group: Donald Trump voters.

Gallego and his GOP rival, former television news anchor Kari Lake, are both targeting undecided Republicans in a contest that will test the strength of Trump’s coattails. Ticket-splitting voters are increasingly rare in an era when partisan loyalty reigns, but they could be central in determining which party controls the Senate.

For Gallego, that means winning over voters like Winfield Morris, a 62-year-old Republican farmer and rancher who plans to vote for Trump for president but can’t get behind his loyal ally in the Senate race.

“I don’t like Kari Lake and I’m not going to vote for her,” said Morris, who lives in southern Arizona and has businesses across the state. “I don’t think she has what it takes.”

Morris supported former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley over Trump and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb over Lake in the GOP primaries. He said he was furious to see Lake attack the late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain in her failed 2022 campaign for governor. Trump also has attacked McCain, but Morris said he doesn’t see Democrat Kamala Harris as a viable alternative.

Morris said he likes that Gallego was a Marine and may vote for him but wants to learn more about him. He’s also considering writing in a Republican he respects, such as Lamb, who got 40% of the vote in the Senate primary despite being vastly outspent and overshadowed by Lake.

Democrats have a difficult path to keep the Senate

Democrats’ difficult path to retaining control of the Senate relies on winning over Republicans in states so red, neither presidential candidate is putting much effort into winning them. But some of those races involve established incumbents who already have a record to run on.

An ad supporting Montana Sen. Jon Tester — one of the most endangered Democrats in the Senate, who has declined to endorse Harris — showcases Republicans crossing party lines.

“Jon got over 20 bills signed into law by President Trump,” one man says in the ad.

Trump is well positioned in Ohio, but the race between incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger Bernie Moreno could be more competitive.

The effort to win over ticket-splitters is harder for less established candidates, but some are trying. In North Dakota, longshot Democratic Senate candidate Katrina Christiansen released an ad this week narrated by a rancher who says he’s voting for Trump but not for Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer.

In swing-state North Carolina, where Republican Mark Robinson’s campaign for governor is struggling following a CNN report linking him to disturbing posts on an online porn site, the Trump campaign is counting on ticket-splitting in the opposite direction, hoping GOP voters who bail on Robinson will stick with the former president in a state he badly needs to win.

In Arizona, meanwhile, Gallego is hoping to replicate the model that has propelled Democrats to narrow statewide victories since Trump’s first victory, including Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly and Gov. Katie Hobbs, who defeated Lake in 2022.

He’s getting plenty of help. Democrats so far have outspent Republicans on advertising by a wide margin on the race, according to AdImpact, which tracks campaign ad spending. As of Thursday, Democrats had spent $60.7 million on the race, compared to $16.4 million spent by Republicans. Democrats also have $35.7 million in spots reserved between now and Election Day, compared to $11.7 million reserved by GOP-affiliated groups.

What to know about the 2024 Election

Gallego’s strategy relies on Democrats keeping their own supporters united, getting a majority of independents and picking up a small but decisive share of Republicans by appealing to conservatives who dislike Trump.

“Especially in modern times, to have ticket splitters that big is extraordinary. But I think it’s entirely accurate,” said Mike Madrid, a California-based Republican strategist who has worked to defeat Trump. “They’re sticking more to Trump because he’s the top-of-the-ticket nominee, and losing the presidency is a lot different than losing a Senate seat.”

Republicans have had a hard time replicating Trump’s coalition

Celebrity candidates who are close to Trump but lack strong ties to the GOP establishment have had a hard time replicating Trump’s coalition, Madrid said. Television doctor Mehmet Oz and football legend Herschel Walker both lost Senate races two years ago. As a well-known local news personality, Lake fits the mold.

Both Lake’s and Gallego’s messaging reflect the importance of undecided Republicans to the outcome of the race.

Both are running ads focused on border security, almost exclusively so in Lake’s case. Gallego even gently rebukes the Biden-Harris administration in one ad playing in heavy rotation, saying, “Arizonans know — on the border, there is no plan.” He did not appear with Harris when she visited the Arizona-Mexico border on Friday.

And both Gallego and Lake are showcasing support from Republicans. For Gallego, it’s a businessman who says in ads he’s a Republican and calls the congressman a “man of principles.” For Lake, it’s Trump himself, as she reminds his supporters that he’s backing her. She’s been one of his most steadfast allies, embracing his lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him due to widespread fraud.

The cross-currents of divided loyalties among traditionally Republican groups often surface at campaign events. For example, the Arizona Police Association, which represents thousands of officers in the state, endorsed Gallego, citing his background as a Marine combat veteran. Just three days earlier, Trump called the group’s president, Justin Harris, to the stage to bestow an endorsement on the former president at a rally outside Phoenix.

Gallego hopes there’s more where that came from, and there’s some history to suggest that’s possible.

In 2020, Republican Senate candidate Martha McSally privately fretted that she was running behind with Trump voters, which turned out to be the case. While Trump lost Arizona by 10,457 votes — .03 percentage points — McSally lost by 78,806 to Kelly, indicating tens of thousands of voters split their tickets.

Some observers say Gallego fits the profile of the kind of candidate who could replicate the path forged by Kelly, a tough-talking former astronaut.

“Ruben is a legitimate tough guy,” said Stacy Pearson, a Phoenix-based Democratic strategist, who ran the successful 2016 campaign to oust Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, which relied on voters who backed Trump at the top of the ticket. “He’s an Iraq War vet. He is a person who sincerely pulled himself up by his bootstraps, and that resonates very much with this Western state.”

___

Associated Press writers Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota, and Amy Beth Hanson in Helena, Montana, contributed to this report.

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Arizona

Arizona State could push Big 12 title chase to final weekend

Published

7 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Arizona State could push Big 12 title chase to final weekend

TEMPE, AZ (AP/AZFamily) — The Arizona State Sun Devils are set for a huge matchup this weekend when they host the BYU Cougars at Mountain America Stadium.

Saturday’s game in Tempe will have massive implications in the Big 12 Conference with multiple teams chasing a title game appearance.

A win over the 14th-ranked Cougars would massively boost title game hopes for the 21st-ranked Sun Devils. Ticket prices have been soaring for the highly anticipated conference game.

Arizona State Head Coach Kenny Dillingham joined Good Morning Arizona on Thursday to talk about the team’s expectation-busting season. Watch the full interview in the video player at the top of this page.

Things to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference:

Game of the week

No. 14 BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 14 CFP) at No. 21 Arizona State (8-2, 5-2, No. 21), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

League newcomer Arizona State has a three-game winning streak and BYU is coming off its first loss. The Cougars, after losing at home to Kansas, still control their own destiny in making the Big 12 championship game. They can clinch a spot in that Dec. 7 game as early as Saturday, if they win and instate rival Utah wins at home against No. 22 Iowa State.

Arizona State was picked at the bottom of the 16-team league in the preseason media poll, but already has a five-win improvement in coach Dillingham’s second season.

The undercard

No. 16 Colorado (8-2, 6-1, No. 16 CFP) at Kansas (4-6, 3-4), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are in prime position to make the Big 12 title game in their return to the league after 13 seasons in the Pac-12. If BYU and Utah win, Colorado would be able to claim the other title game spot with a win over Kansas. The Buffs have a four-game winning streak.

The Jayhawks need another November win over a ranked Big 12 contender while trying to get bowl eligible for the third season in a row. Kansas has won consecutive games over Top 25 teams for the first time in school history, knocking off Iowa State before BYU.

Impact players

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has thrown a touchdown in a school-record 14 consecutive games, while receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel both have more than 800 yards receiving. San Jose State is the only other FBS team with a pair of 800-yard receivers. Becht has 2,628 yards and 17 touchdowns passing for the Cyclones (8-2, 5-2), who are still in Big 12 contention.

Inside the numbers

Oklahoma State goes into its home finale against Texas Tech with a seven-game losing streak, its longest since a nine-game skid from 1977-78. The only longer winless streak since was an 0-10-1 season in 1991. This is Mike Gundy’s 20th season as head coach, and his longest losing streak before now was five in a row in 2005, his first season and the last time the Cowboys didn’t make a bowl game. … Baylor plays at Houston for the first time since 1995, the final Southwest Conference season. The Cougars won last year in the only meeting since to even the series 14-14-1. … Eight Big 12 teams are bowl eligible. As many as six more teams could reach six wins.

Repeating 1,000

The Big 12 already has four 1,000-yard rushers, including three who did it last season. UCF’s RJ Harvey is the league’s top rusher (1,328 yards) and top scorer with 21 touchdowns (19 rushing/two receiving). The others with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons are Texas Tech career rushing leader Tahj Brooks (1,184 yards) and Kansas State’s DJ Giddens (1,128 yards). Cam Skattebo with league newcomer Arizona State has 1,074 yards.

Devin Neal, the career rushing leader at his hometown university, is 74 yards shy of being the first Kansas player with three 1,000-yard seasons. Cincinnati’s Corey Kiner needs 97 yards to reach 1,000 again.

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Arizona

What BYU coach Kalani Sitake said about Arizona State game

Published

15 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

What BYU coach Kalani Sitake said about Arizona State game

BYU’s stock plummeted this week.

After suffering a 17-13 loss to Kansas — their first loss of the season — the Cougars dropped from No. 6 to No. 14 in the College Football Playoff Rankings and into a tie with Colorado for first place in the Big 12.

And now they’re 3.5-point underdogs to Arizona State (8-2) in arguably the biggest game on the college football schedule this weekend. The winner will be in the pole position for a berth in the Big 12 championship game; the loser will be all but eliminated.

BYU coach Kalani Sitake knows anything can happen in the Big 12, and the Cougars are still very much alive for a berth in the College Football Playoff.

“You look at the conference, there’s a lot of parity … anyone has a shot,” Sitake said during his weekly press conference.

Here is a snapshot of what Sitake said ahead of BYU’s game with Arizona State:

Sitake on ASU Coach Kenny Dillingham

“Kenny Dillingham is a really good coach. I have a lot of respect for him and the way he coaches his team. You can tell he’s got a great connection with his players, and he’s a local kid so he’s from that area. He grew up an ASU fan and knows what that program can do. … I think he did it the right way bringing in a lot of local staff. … I know a lot of guys on his coaching staff. They’re really good coaches, good men.

“Looking at the talent that they have, it’s a difficult matchup. You have to be ready. We’re going on the road. We already know the time for that game and that it will be a little better weather than what we have here [in Provo]. Looking forward to the matchup. I think the goal is for us, like we said every week, stay humble, stay hungry and find ways to get better.”

Sitake on ASU Quarterback Sam Leavitt

“Really good player. He comes from a good family. He’s super athletic. He can run, he’s got an accurate arm. I think he’s got a great football IQ. He’s dangerous. He’s got a lot of football to play. I think he he saw some opportunities over there at ASU and you look at him, he’s thriving in it. He’s going to be a difficult matchup for us for sure. But man, it’s good to see good young men that you know are from amazing families get what they want. He’s doing some really cool things and he’s going to be doing really good things for a long time becauase I think he’s only a freshman right now. The sky’s the limit for him. Hopefully we just don’t see that great ‘sky limit’ performance this weekend.”

Sitake on BYU’s Recent Offensive Struggles

“There’s a fine line between it all … the key to execution is just eliminating the mistakes. There shouldn’t be any mistakes. Whether it’s alignment issues or technique issues or even running the wrong route or not doing the correct assignment. So all that should be cleaned up. But there’s also some room for improvement where you can actually install some stuff. You want to have a foundation of stuff that you’re good at and that you could lean on, but that’s the stuff that everybody knows is coming. So we have to have that and you have to have a little bit of install that gives you the favorable matchup, depending on who you’re going against.”

“That’s what we’re trying to get done. Obviously it’s worked quite a bit, and the offense they’re getting in the red zone. We’ve just got to score touchdowns. It’s hard to get in the red zone and only kick field goals. Even though you have a good kicker like Will Ferrin you’re going to need to score points and score touchdowns and finish the drives. It gives you a little bit more motivation and a little bit more ‘umph’ when you’re trying to get it done, so that’s what we’re focusing on.”

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Arizona

Five Takeaways: Arizona defense Wednesday press conference (TCU)

Published

23 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

Five Takeaways: Arizona defense Wednesday press conference (TCU)

Fresh off breaking its five-game losing streak last week, Arizona heads back on the road this week to take on one of the most potent passing attacks in the country in TCU.

The Wildcats are coming off one of their most complete defensive performances this past week and figure to be challenged more against the Horned Frogs who head into this week boasting the No. 6 passing offense in the country. They will challenge the banged up Arizona secondary that has had many younger players step into key roles as the season has progressed. We’ve seen improvement across the board from them as they’ve seen more reps on the field.

Here are five takeaways from coach Brett Arce as well as Owen Goss and Dominic Lolesio during Wednesday’s press conference.

Dominic Lolesio getting into the starting lineup

The injuries continue to pile up on the defensive side of the ball for Arizona that has led to lots of new players stepping into roles they may not have expected to be in at the start of the season.

Redshirt freshman Dominic Lolesio saw the field more last week in what was one of the more complete defensive performances of the season by Arizona. Lolesio recorded five tackles and a 0.5 tackle for loss.

“That’s just the standard,” Lolesio said. “We practice that all week. Our thing is to swarm to the ball and play together and have fun. I mean doing it all week in practice and then being able to go out and do it on Friday felt really good.”

Despite the injuries that have come up for Arizona, the next man up stance remains the same for the team.

“I feel like everyone is just as ready as the next man up,” Lolesio said.

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