A proposal by Republican election deniers in Arizona who want to opt out of the state’s government-run presidential primary election in 2024 and instead hold the party’s own one-day, in-person election, with paper ballots that would be counted by hand, has caused anxiety among top Republicans in Washington, who fear being drawn into a messy fight.

The state party leader rejected the Maricopa County Republican Committee’s proposal shortly ahead of a deadline on Friday after days of frenzied discussions that involved national Republicans and advisers to former president Donald Trump — likely setting up political backlash in 2024 in a state whose GOP has been pulled to the right in recent years by MAGA loyalists and election skeptics.

Jeff DeWit, chair of the state party, concluded that the party does not have the money, the manpower or the infrastructure to run an election for an estimated 1.4 million eligible voters.

  • TheDoozer@lemmy.world
    6·
    1 year ago

    So Arizona ends up the only state Trump doesn’t win, because all of the Trump supporters made their own party, with blackjack and hookers sedition and corruption, leaving someone else to win… a single state.

    I am confused why this matters.

    • Dangdoggo@kbin.social
      3·
      1 year ago

      It’s an extremely red state worth 11 votes which has made it a pivotal state to win for Republicans for over 30 years

      • TheDoozer@lemmy.world
        2·
        1 year ago

        This is talking about the primary, though. It just means DeSantis (likely) wins the Republican primary in Arizona, which does nothing to affect the lead Trump would have in every other state’s Republican Primary.

        • Dangdoggo@kbin.social
          41·
          1 year ago

          I dunno I actually have my doubts Trump makes it onto the ballot. His petitions for delay will not stand and he will be indisposed for the presidential run and the GOP knows it. They are already grooming new candidates.

          • TheDoozer@lemmy.world
            21·
            1 year ago

            That will certainly be interesting. It may be the reverse of 2016, where this time the Republican voters feel alienated by their party by not giving them the candidate they want, so they just don’t bother voting. It will be pretty amusing if it goes that way.