Trump says Arizona US Senate endorsement coming soon, criticizes Brnovich

PHOENIX – Donald Trump announced Monday that he’ll soon be making an endorsement in Arizona’s U.S. Senate race, and it appears state Attorney General Mark Brnovich is out of the running.

The former president issued a statement that criticizes Brnovich’s investigation of the 2020 election and goes on to say he “will be making an endorsement in the not too distant future.”

Trump’s statement came after Brnovich released an interim report earlier this month on his office’s investigation into Maricopa County’s 2020 election.

The report noted potential vulnerabilities and procedural issues, but it didn’t allege the kind of widespread fraud that would have altered the outcome of President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in Arizona’s largest county or statewide. Brnovich said the investigation is ongoing.

Trump said that while Brnovich “states the problem, he seems to be doing nothing about it.”

I will continue to follow the facts and evidence and do what the law requires. That’s what I’ve always done and what I will continue to do as Arizona’s next senator. pic.twitter.com/59pxuFzbOQ

— Mark Brnovich (@brnoforaz) April 19, 2022

Brnovich responded to Trump on Tuesday with a statement that says, “I understand his frustration, but as I’ve said previously, I will continue to follow the facts and evidence and do what the law requires. That’s what I’ve always done and what I will do as Arizona’s next senator.”

Brnovich’s statement also lauded Trump for his policies while in office.

Multiple audits, reviews and lawsuits have failed to produce evidence of widespread fraud in Arizona, but Trump and his supporters have continued to question the validity of the results and pressure officials to take action.

“The good news is Arizona has some very good people running for election to the U.S. Senate,” Trump said.

The non-Brnovich options in Arizona’s GOP Senate field are businessman Jim Lamon, venture capitalist Blake Masters, former Arizona National Guard leader Mick McGuire and Arizona Corporation Commissioner Justin Olson.

The winner of the Aug. 2 primary will try to unseat Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in the Nov. 8 general election in a race seen as a key piece to Republican efforts to take control of the Senate and perhaps both chambers of Congress.

Brnovich has been the Republican polling front-runner throughout the campaign, but his lead has been slipping.

According to OH Predictive Insights poll results released last week, Brnovich was the top choice for 21% of likely GOP voters, but Lamon was gaining ground at 16%. Masters was next at 9%, with McGuire at 6% and Olson at 3%.

With 44% unsure, there was plenty of room for the race to shift significantly.

Trump has made several Arizona endorsements so far, including Kari Lake for governor and state Rep. Mark Finchem for secretary of state. He’s also thrown his support behind two legislative candidates, Sen. Wendy Rogers and Senate hopeful Anthony Kern.

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