Arizona Senate Race: Party of Trump Cubed

[Milchshake]

Fans of political vaudeville taking a breather after the circus that was the Alabama senate race. Get ready or another primary of crazy, Bannon endorsements, Trump endorsements, and Trump most likely changing then denying he ever made an endorsement.

I present to you;
The Amazing Race To Replace Jeff Flake.
The current sequence of events was set in motion, roughly speaking, when Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) decided to take the unusual measure of standing by his election-year criticisms of Trump even after Trump won. Last fall, for example, he told the mayor of Mesa, Arizona, that if the GOP becomes “the party of Roy Moore and Donald Trump, we are toast.”

Kelli "Chemtrails" Ward
Kelli Ward was the first to enter the race, while simultaneously insisting she take John McCain's seat, dead or not.
Ward, a former state legislator, challenged McCain in a 2016 primary that was viewed as deeply unwelcome by the Republican establishment. She ended up in legal hot water for reusing a Mitt Romney attack ad from the 2008 primary, rallied behind the Bundy family and chemtrail conspiracy theorists, and defines herself as a hardliner on immigration who believes in “building the wall and stopping illegal immigration,” in contrast to Flake, who she says “believes in open borders and amnesty.”
She's also the favorite of Steve Bannon, which she is going to lengths to deny as of last week. Also currently the Trump favorite?

@realDonaldTrump
Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!

Sheriff Joe Arpaio "The Pardoned"
A further complication arose Tuesday when Joe Arpaio, the infamous former sheriff of Maricopa County (that’s Phoenix and its suburbs), announced that he’s running for Flake’s seat.

He could also prove to be a disastrous nominee for the GOP if he wins the primary because he managed to lose his sheriff job in the 2016 election by a healthy margin even as Trump narrowly carried Maricopa — one of the few big counties he actually won. If Arpaio and Ward split the anti-establishment vote, McSally will win, but early polling indicates that if Arpaio can consolidate it, he’ll get the nod.

Martha "Establishment Favorite" McSally
You’d figure that with two primary opponents from the mad fringe of the Republican Party, Congresswoman Martha McSally might want to exploit her reputation for being something of a moderate. She’s a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership, the political home for moderately conservative officeholders. And while she cannot match the senator she wants to succeed, Jeff Flake, in independence from the Trump takeover of the GOP.

And her video announcing her candidacy, released today, rebrands the GOP Establishment favorite as a hard-ass conservative who hates liberals, the Establishment, political correctness, and Sharia law, while all but claiming she is Trump’s own candidate in the race:



So which of the three is the more authentic candidate for the Party of Trump?

Also what are the woke independents of Arizona to do? These guys "never voted for Trump", but all three candidate are racing each other to carry the Trump mantle. What options do independents have?

[Lenonis]

I've never been happier I don't live in Arizona.

[Macaquerie]

What I never quite understood is how Arizona became like this weird island of conservative white people when the surrounding states are all incredibly diverse. Oh I'm sure that there are plenty of Hispanics living in Arizona, but unlike in California, New Mexico, or even Texas they seem to have absolutely zero voice in public affairs and probably live in constant fear of ICE barging through the front door.

[yetgdhfgh]

This whole race is a joke!

Like i said in a previous thread Joe Arpaio is only running to pay off his legal bills and Kelli Ward will split his lunatic vote.

If either one of those wins the primary then the Republicans can kiss goodbye to Jeff Flakes Seat!!

[Vanyali]

What I never quite understood is how Arizona became like this weird island of conservative white people when the surrounding states are all incredibly diverse. Oh I'm sure that there are plenty of Hispanics living in Arizona, but unlike in California, New Mexico, or even Texas they seem to have absolutely zero voice in public affairs and probably live in constant fear of ICE barging through the front door.

A lot of people go to retire in Arizona. A lot. It's as big of a retirement place as florida, if not more so because it's cheaper.

[yetgdhfgh]

A lot of people go to the retire in Arizona. A lot. It's as big of a retirement place as florida, if not more so because it's cheaper.

Sun City (ala where people go to die) and Mesa which is Massive Mormon town is the reason Arizona is still red!!

[Vanyali]

Sun City (ala where people go to die) and Mesa which is Massive Mormon town is the reason Arizona is still red!!

There's a lot more than just those two. Arizona has quite a few towns that are 55+, which is ridiculous. Neighborhoods are one thing, but zoning an entire town is a weird form of discrimination they'd be shrieking about if it went the other way.

[Mormolyce]

It's like the Bad, the Worse and the Ugly.

And the Ugly is also the Worst.

[yetgdhfgh]

There's a lot more than just those two. Arizona has quite a few towns that are 55+, which is ridiculous. Neighborhoods are one thing, but zoning an entire town is a weird form of discrimination they'd be shrieking about if it went the other way.

I live in Arizona so i know the districts so i know how things will swing.

[Vanyali]

I live in Arizona so i know the districts so i know how things will swing.

This has fuckall to do with what I said. Self-promotion like this is just weird.

[yetgdhfgh]

This has fuckall to do with what I said. Self-promotion like this is just weird.

cross-purpose?

[Edge-]

Grow a pair of ovaries? Wow, way to play the woman card and identity politics, SJW Martha McSally! (/s)

Jesus, it's like the Arizona GOP held a convention and mistook the "Craziest potential candidate" contest for the "Best potential candidate" contest.

Fucking hell the modern GOP is depressing as hell to see continue to ideologically decline to the stone age.

[Sky High]

I almost hope the refrigerated old fucks in AZ vote for Arpaio just so we have further proof why we need to limit the voting age to 70 and under.

[schwarzkopf]

Well given Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a self admitted and officially criminal - can he even run?

[yetgdhfgh]

Well given Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a self admitted and officially criminal - can he even run?

He wants money thats all this is about!!

Those interviews on CNN and Fox dont cost washers you know!!

[Edge-]

Well given Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a self admitted and officially criminal - can he even run?

I don't believe there are any rules/laws barring pardoned felons, or even ex-felons not pardoned, from running.

[Gestopft]

I've never been happier I don't live in Arizona.

I did live in Arizona. When Rep. Gabby Giffords got shot, I had co-workers saying to each other "at least she was a Democrat." I'm sure they're quite OK with this field. My sister will be voting against whichever one of these crazies makes it out of the brawl.

[Dontrike]

I almost hope the refrigerated old fucks in AZ vote for Arpaio just so we have further proof why we need to limit the voting age to 70 and under.

Right now I'd rather the candidates age limit to be 70.

[Orbitus]

I don't believe there are any rules/laws barring pardoned felons, or even ex-felons not pardoned, from running.

Considering that former House representative that threatened to body slam a reporter that went to jail for tax evasion, is also running in New York I believe, so yeah they are allowed to run, even though ex felons in some of these states can't vote.

[Travis B]

All three of them sound like "very fine" candidates.