Pence Endorses Opponent of Trump-Backed Candidate for Arizona Governor
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Former Vice President Mike Pence on Monday endorsed Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson over Trump-backed candidate Kari Lake.
Pence said Robson, a real estate developer, is "the best choice for Arizona’s future" and will "promote conservative values." Robson and Lake lead in endorsements, polls, and funding ahead of the state’s Aug. 2 primary. Gov. Doug Ducey (R-AZ), an open critic of former President Donald Trump, has also endorsed Robson to succeed him. On Friday, Pence and Robson will visit the U.S.-Mexico border while Trump is holding a rally in northern Arizona to campaign for Lake. The endorsement highlights a growing rift between Pence and Trump. Pence previously backed incumbent Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who defeated Trump-backed David Perdue in the state's GOP primary by about 50 percentage points. The former vice president, who dismissed Trump's aspirations to overturn the 2020 election, has also stayed open to a 2024 presidential run against his former boss. Meanwhile, Trump has weighed the idea of announcing his presidential bid before November's midterm elections.
Left-rated outlets were more likely to label Lake as an "election denier" and highlight how Pence's "political future in the GOP" depends on his ability to prove Trump is "less powerful than he is being made out to be." Some right-rated outlets criticized Lake's 2006-12 Democratic voter registration and noted that the two GOP frontrunners "mostly agree" on top issues in the Arizona primary battle aside from whether the 2020 election was "stolen."
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From the Center
Escalating conflict with Trump, Mike Pence endorses Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona governorFormer Vice President Mike Pence has endorsed Republican candidate Karrin Taylor Robson in the race for Arizona governor, declaring her "the best choice for Arizona's future."
Taylor Robson's campaign also confirmed Pence would visit the Grand Canyon State on Friday, holding events for her in Phoenix and southern Arizona.
The same day, Pence's old boss, former President Donald Trump, is set to hold a rally in Prescott Valley, bringing the civil war within the Republican party to the battleground state with the primary election little more than a week away.
Pence's support...
From the Right
Mike Pence endorses GOP rival of Trump-backed candidate for Arizona governorFormer Vice President Mike Pence on Monday endorsed Karrin Taylor Robson, who is running against Trump-backed, former TV news anchor Kari Lake in the GOP primary for Arizona governor.
The endorsement further escalated the public rift between Mr. Pence and his former boss, teeing up another high-profile intraparty showdown ahead of the Aug. 2 primary.
Ms. Robson, a real estate developer and former member of the Arizona Board of Regents, is “the best choice for Arizona’s future” who will “keep Arizona’s border secure and streets safe, empower parents and create great schools, and promote conservative values,” Mr. Pence said.
“I...
From the Left
Pence endorses Robson for Arizona governor in split from TrumpFormer Vice President Mike Pence on Monday endorsed Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson, putting him at odds with former President Donald Trump, who is backing another GOP contender, Kari Lake.
"As Arizona Democrats pursue the reckless Biden-Harris agenda, Karrin Taylor Robson is the only candidate for Governor that will keep Arizona’s border secure and streets safe, empower parents and create great schools, and promote conservative values," Pence said in a statement shared by Robson's campaign in a tweet.
Robson "is the best choice for Arizona's future, and I am proud to...
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