Q&A with Arizona Gov. Ducey on election audit, border and taxes

PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said Tuesday he looked forward to the results of the GOP Senate’s audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa County, which will not change the presidential outcome that he certified.

“I do stand behind by what I did,” Ducey said on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show.

“This is actually the fourth audit, the other three audits were clean. I know that there are people that want to complete this audit. I look forward to the findings,” he said.

The governor, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, state Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinel signed the state cavanass documents Nov. 30 to certify Joe Biden’s presidential victory.

Still, many Republicans have questioned the legitimacy of President Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump.

State Senate GOP leaders pursued the additional audit, which began April 23, using subpoena power to get access to all 2.1 million ballots in Maricopa County, counting machines and other election-related material and hired a firm called Cyber Ninjas out of Florida to oversee the process, including a hand count.

“Actions speak louder than words. After all 15 counties, both red counties and blue counties certified the audit, determined that the vote was accurate,” Ducey said.

The outgoing governor also addressed border security, wildfire season and state income tax during Tuesday’s interview:

Is the White House doing enough at the border?

“[Immigration point person Vice President Kamala Harris] is going to Guatemala and Mexico, she’s skipping Honduras and El Salvador. She’s talking about root causes rather than the top priority, which should be border security.

“We’re going to keep pressing on this, but we really need Homeland Security to come to the border. Let’s … give the support that Customs and Border Protection, to immigration and customs enforcement, that they deserve.”

Editor’s note: Ducey later released a strongly-worded tweet on the vice president’s border approach.

How concerned are you about wildfire season?

“We’ve got the full force of state government and our wildland crews on [two massive fires burning east of Phoenix]. It’s a top priority. People, property, pets are all being affected. We’re on this and will finish the mission.

“We’ve been able to navigate through some tough fire seasons in a drought. This one looks like it’s going to be even tougher.”

On his proposed 2.5% flat tax rate, which has met resistance:

“We must keep Arizona a great place to live, work and build a business. Why would we want to have a tax that puts us in the same category as New York state, Washington state and Bernie Sanders’ Vermont? [States with high personal income tax rates].

“I believe was can simplify our tax code, reform our taxes – make sure we get all the dollars that Prop 202 guarantees the K-12 education, if the Supreme Court upholds the law, and have a better place to live.”

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