Trump-backed candidates, 2020 election deniers, win Arizona primaries

Politics Trump-backed candidates, 2020 election deniers, win Arizona primaries July 22, 20264:33 AM ET Saige Miller A poll worker assists an Arizona voter at a polling location in Phoenix as people cast their ballots on Tuesday. Ross D. Franklin/AP hide caption toggle caption Ross D. Franklin/AP Arizona voters have picked their party nominees for governor and two competitive congressional races, as the primary election outcome provides perspective on how voters are thinking in a key swing state. Politics Arizona primaries show GOP voters backing Trump's picks for key posts Trump-backed candidates prevailed over other Republicans in the race for governor and a key U.S. House seat. GOP voters also chose candidates for governor and secretary of state who have openly opposed the 2020 presidential election results in a state that has been at the center of election security and integrity. U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs is the Republican nominee for governor. In 2020, he refused to certify the election results over Trump's unverified claims that the election was stolen by former President Joe Biden. For Arizona's secretary of state, its top elections officer, the GOP nominated Alexander Kolodin, an attorney who participated in lawsuits challenging the 2020 election results. Sponsor Message Both governor and secretary of state can be key positions in asserting power over the election process in the battleground state. While President Trump won the state in 2024, Arizonans elected a Democratic governor two years before that. Trump's popularity in Arizona has also dwindled over his handling of the economy. But that didn't stop Republican voters from picking Trump-endorsed candidates as the nominee in top races. Of the 18 congressional districts across the country that are considered true toss-ups, two of them are in Arizona. Democrats are aiming to flip those two congressional seats from red to blue, both critical battles for the Democratic party if it wants to have a shot at taking ba...