Trump endorses Blake Masters in Arizona’s US Senate race, blasts Brnovich
Jun 2, 2022, 12:57 PM | Updated: Jun 3, 2022, 10:59 am
Blake Masters, candidate for U.S. senator from Arizona, appears with former President Donald Trump at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in a photo posted to Masters' Facebook page in December 2021. (Facebook Photo/Blake Masters for Senate)
(Facebook Photo/Blake Masters for Senate)
PHOENIX — Former President Donald Trump on Thursday announced his endorsement of venture capitalist Blake Masters in Arizona’s U.S. Senate race while simultaneously blasting fellow Republican candidate Mark Brnovich.
Trump lauded Masters’ position that the 2020 election was rigged, a key reason behind the backing, according to a statement from the former president.
Brnovich, the state’s attorney general, has shied away from Trump’s prodding into taking substantive action regarding the unfounded assertions.
Trump called Brnovich “such a disappointment to me.”
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“It is my great honor to give Blake Masters my complete and total endorsement,” Trump said.
The endorsement gives Masters a key ally two months out from the primary.
The GOP primary has five candidates, with Masters, Brnovich and energy executive Jim Lamon separating themselves from the field.
Masters, in a response to the support, called Trump a “great man and visionary.”
“It’s incredible to have his endorsement — I wish everyone could know how this feels,” Masters said. “Soon we will have a young, fearless, dynamic America First coalition in the U.S. Senate. And that is thanks to Donald Trump.”
The winner of the Aug. 2 primary will go on to face Democrat Mark Kelly in the Nov. 8 general election.
Kelly defeated Republican Martha McSally in 2020 in a special election to fill out the term of John McCain, the renowned senator who died in 2018.
“Brnovich intends to fight and win this primary election and we look forward to working with President Trump to defeat Mark Kelly this fall,” Brandon Urness, Brnovich’s campaign manager, said in a statement.
The Arizona Democratic Party believes Trump’s endorsement wouldn’t help Masters or the GOP in the race.
“These candidates have already sacrificed it all — their integrity, their reputations and their war chests — to spout Trump’s toxic lies in an effort to score his support,” a Democratic spokesperson said in a statement.
“The only thing this announcement does is ensure further infighting in this crowded contest.”
