And meantime, last night's elections also showcased their continuing
strength of the so called big lie in the Republican Party candidates
who ran on the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen Juan
primaries up and down the ballot, and they want in two of the states
at the center of that conspiracy, Arizona and Michigan setting up
start contest for Governor, Congress and secretary of State in November.
For more on the results and what they mean. I am joined by our own
Stephanie Sigh. She's in Phoenix and Jessica Huisman. She is the
editorial director of Vote Beat Hello to both of you. Thank you for
being with us, Stephanie. I am going to start with you. A lot of
the most closely watched races as we've just mentioned last night
were in Arizona, where you are based on a number of Republican candidates.
They're running on the false.
Claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Tell us about what they
were saying. And what happened.
Judy. If there was any doubt about former President Trump's influence
on the Republican Party in Arizona, the results of this primary are
unmistakable. All five of the candidates officially endorsed by the
former president one or are winning their races All 51 Trump's endorsement
by repeating conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, which,
of course, we know multiple court cases, audits. Even a Republican
led partisan review here in Arizona have proven to be untrue. For
the U. S. Senate, non
Min ation. For example, Republican primary voters chose political
novice Blake Masters as their candidate. He was a virtual unknown
in politics here and was behind in the polls for most of the race,
Judy until he gained Trump's endorsement earlier this summer, and
that was after he said that he would have objected to certifying
the 2020 election. If he had been senator on January. 6th. We also
saw a resounding victory. You mentioned this earlier for the Trump
endorsed candidate for secretary of State Mark Fincham.
Venture is a state representative. He has been linked to Q and on,
and he recently said that he believes the devil conspired to steal
the 2020 election. And finally Judy, we are still watching the governor's
race between another election denier Kerry Lake, who former President
Trump has been stumping for her for months. He was here just a few
days ago, stumping for her.
And Caron Taylor Robison, who was endorsed by former vice president
Mike Pence. We should say that Miss Lake today declared victory,
but that is premature. The results are still not in if Lake were
to lose the nomination, though Judy she has spent weeks sowing doubt
into the election process, a direct play from the Trump playbook.
So Jessica Huisman let me come to you. We just heard Stephanie mentioned
Mark Fincham, the nominee. Now one nomination to be secretary of
state in Arizona. He is now one of six nominees to be secretary of
state around the country who are election in IRS. How important do
we think that is going to be not just for November but for future
elections?
You know, I think it's crucially important, I think in 2020. A lot
of the reason that the country did not fall into complete chaos is
because of the actions of one or two individuals, one of whom was
the secretary of state and Georgia, and that could easily happen
in another state. It could come down to that state and that person
calling the shots and that state would be crucial not only to the
well being of that state's government but to the national
Government as well to democracy as a whole. Um, so I don't think
it can really be overstated. How important these these positions
truly are and I want to come back to you, Stephanie because we know
Arizona is a purple state. It's a state of the Joe Biden won in 2020
by
Something like 11,000 votes. So what does that mean? These Republican
candidates could be facing this November.
Well, Here's what the two candidates we know. Have one or facing
a current secretary of state and an astronaut. Whoever wins the GOP
nomination for governor will be up against Katie Hobbs. She is the
current secretary of state, the highest election official here and
in 2020, when Trump supporters protested on mass claiming fraud.
She was up against that she certified the election alongside Republican
governor Doug Ducey, who has been censured by the State GOP party.
And she has faced death threats ever since she tweeted today, Judy
She She is quote ready to take on
Whichever extreme Republican is nominated. Then in the general election
in November, that key Senate seat that may determine the balance
of power in the upper chamber Blake Masters who was a Silicon Valley
chief operating officer for Trump Ally Peter Fields company he is
going to be facing Democrat Mark Kelly, a former astronaut. Kelly
has already received the endorsement of nearly 50 prominent independents
and Republicans, including Judy, A Few Republican mayors who were
turned off by the options on the
GOP side. Independent voters are very important that this state they
make up 34% of the voters here. So the big question Judy is whether
those voters will be put off by some of these GOP candidates, conspiratorial
views and like they did in 2020.
Swing the other way.
Jessica Hughesmen. Let me ask you about another state where we're
seeing this Divide play out in the Republican Party That's in Michigan.
This is again a state that Joe Biden won narrowly in 2020. What is
standing out to you about about these races?
You know, I I don't think that I was particularly shocked by any
of the successful candidates in Michigan. I will say that the dynamics
in Michigan are really interesting because the the person who won
for governor for the Republican nomination for governor has been
asked but has dodged several questions about whether or not she believes
The 2020 election was stolen, she said. She did once but hasn't really
given much more detail on that. But it's very convenient for every
Republican in Michigan that they have someone who is already on the
ticket as the Republican nominee for secretary of state and Christina
Graham Oh, who is very full throated and her belief that the election
was stolen, tipping well into conspiracy? Well beyond normal Republican
concern about election integrity? Um and so in a lot of ways, she
gets to be the voice.
For those questions, and everyone else can just kind of fall in line.
And very quickly. Jessica Final question to you another way. We're
seeing former President Trump's influence play out as in congressional
races. Three of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach him were
on the ballot. They face primary challenges. Tell us what we saw
there.
You know, it was a good night for Donald Trump last night. I think
that what we saw last night was that it's he's really continued to
have a stranglehold on the party. Um and I don't think that we're
getting out of that anytime soon. The This puts us in a really interesting
place for November where we have to. We have a very extreme candidate
and in the middle of the road candidate, and so we'll see.
How it plays out in November, But the Republican Party, at least
is certainly still very much in Trump's corner. So much to look at.
And to pour over from these results from last night, Jessica Huisman,