Former President Donald Trump issued a warning on Monday about his strongest supporters, stating they would not throw their support behind the senatorial campaign of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, who stated last week that Ducey “would be a star candidate” in the Republican field in the upcoming midterm election.
“MAGA will never accept RINO Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona running for the U.S. Senate — So save your time, money, and energy, Mitch!” Trump went on to say in a statement put out by his Save America joint fundraising committee.
The former president blames Ducey for not helping to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss in Arizona. Trump and allies insist voter fraud in Maricopa County led to President Joe Biden’s victory in the state by little more than 10,000 votes, and that Ducey did nothing about it.
Several Republicans already are vying to run against Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., in the key battleground state.
Ducey, who won reelection in 2018 in a landslide, could be the Republican with the best chance of defeating Kelly. Term limits prevent Ducey from seeking another term.
“Although Ducey has signaled he’s inclined to pass on a Senate run, some Republicans remain hopeful he will reverse course and jump into the primary before the early April deadline for candidates to file their intent to run,” the report stated.