‘It’s a stone around your neck’: Arizona Republicans once again nominate 2020 election deniers

Arizona Republicans selected three candidates for major statewide offices who all actively disputed the 2020 presidential election results. The GOP nominees in Arizona are returning to the ballot with a record of promoting false claims about Biden's victory over Trump.

The three candidates occupy the party's top tier for Arizona statewide races. Each one participated in efforts to undermine confidence in the 2020 election outcome. Their nominations represent a continuance of election denial within Arizona Republican politics despite widespread rejection of these claims by courts, election officials, and Trump's own Justice Department.

The decision to nominate these candidates carries political risks for Republicans in Arizona. The state emerged as a key battleground in 2020, with election integrity becoming a defining issue. Arizona voters, including suburban Republicans, have shown sensitivity to election denial messaging. The three nominees' records on this issue could alienate independent voters and moderate Republicans in a state where margins in statewide races have narrowed.

Democratic candidates have already begun framing the Republican nominees' election denial as disqualifying. They argue that nomination of candidates who spread misinformation about 2020 reflects the broader direction of the GOP in Arizona. This messaging targets suburban areas where Biden made gains in 2020 and where concern about democratic norms runs high.

The nomination strategy highlights tensions within the Arizona Republican Party. Party leaders face pressure from Trump-aligned activists who demand loyalty tests on election denial, while broader swaths of voters have moved past 2020 claims. The three nominees must now navigate general election campaigns while carrying the baggage of their 2020 efforts.

Arizona Republicans are betting that focusing on inflation, border security, and education will override concerns about the nominees' election denial records. Whether that calculation proves correct will significantly influence Arizona's role in 2024 and beyond.