Ducey, ready for audit results, says time to move on from 2020 election

PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey is looking forward to the results from the Arizona Senate’s audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa County, but said the process that’s gone on for more than three months isn’t a top priority.

“I don’t think we should spend any more time thinking about 2020,” Ducey told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Thursday. “We’ve got work to do in 2021 with people that are focused on campaigns and elections.”

The audit, which started April 23, has moved into its closing stages as contractors prepare final reports that are expected to be released in the next month.

Ducey has been largely quiet about the Republican-led audit, which has been scrutinized by Democrats and some in the GOP over partisan and transparency concerns.

Senate President Karen Fann’s chosen lead vendor, Florida-based Cyber Ninjas, had no previous election audit experience and is led by Doug Logan, a supporter of former president Donald Trump.

“If there are results from it in which we can improve election integrity, we will stand on the shoulders of the good work the Legislature did in this past session,” Ducey said.

Ducey has repeatedly said that President Joe Biden won in Arizona despite cries of election fraud. Biden won the state by about 10,000 votes in the November election.

Trump, in Phoenix over the weekend for an appearance, criticized Ducey, a message he’s blasted out in recent months as the relationship between the two Republicans has frayed.

“It’s politics. I mean, I think you’ve got to be focused on your job,” Ducey said. “I report to the people of Arizona. I don’t report to anyone else in government or any other elected leader. So that’s politics. 2021. We got to go forward.”

Follow @DannyShapiro13