Arizona senator responds to former Gov. Doug Ducey’s endorsement of Trump

PHOENIX — Former Gov. Doug Ducey may be out of Arizona’s halls of power, but he’s not done giving leading lawmakers a lot to chew on.

Ducey endorsed fellow Republicans Donald Trump and Kari Lake on Tuesday, prompting a response from U.S. Sen Mark Kelly, a Democrat.

“I don’t get it,” Kelly told CNN’s “The Source with Kaitlan Collins” on Wednesday.

Kelly credited Ducey for standing up to Trump when he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Arizona governor endorsed Trump: Senator reacts

“He stood up for Arizona voters against Donald Trump in the election in 2020,” Kelly said. “I give him a lot of credit for doing that. It was not an easy thing to do.”

That’s why he was surprised to hear Ducey endorsing Trump and Lake, who is a well-known MAGA loyalist.

“To see him do a 180 now and support the guy that tried to disenfranchise millions of Arizonans and disenfranchise our democracy, I just don’t understand it,” Kelly said.

He criticized Trump’s policies in the interview, calling his statements racist and xenophobic. He also reiterated his support of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.

Harris reportedly interviewed Kelly to vet him as a potential running mate. Although she picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over him, Kelly vowed to do all he could to support the ticket.

“Kamala Harris is about taking this country forward,” Kelly said. “I think people are starting to see that Donald Trump is a relic of the past that just wants to drag us backwards.”