Election Deniers in Arizona Continue to Rise in Influence and Power

Headline: Arizona Election Deniers Face Indictment, Yet Continue to Rise in Republican Party

In a shocking turn of events, despite facing indictments for their involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, election deniers in Arizona are not only staying in the spotlight but also rising to key roles within the Arizona Republican Party and beyond.

Last week, the Democratic attorney general of Arizona charged 17 individuals with counts including conspiracy, fraud, and forgery, alleging their attempts to overturn former President Donald Trump’s narrow loss in the 2020 election amounted to a crime. Eleven of the defendants cast fake electoral votes in support of Trump, including high-profile figures like former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and Trump’s legal adviser Boris Epshteyn.

Despite the charges, some of the defendants are still making significant strides in the political arena. State Senator Jake Hoffman, one of the defendants, was elected to serve as one of the two national committeemen from Arizona, giving him a powerful position within the Republican National Committee. Another defendant, Tyler Bowyer, holds a high-ranking position at Turning Point USA, a conservative group with close ties to the state party. State Senator Anthony Kern, another defendant, was elected to be an Arizona delegate to the Republican National Convention and is running for Congress in Arizona’s Eighth District.

The continued rise of election deniers in the Arizona Republican Party has raised concerns among political observers. Despite facing political consequences for their involvement in the 2020 election chaos, those who refused to support the efforts, like former Arizona House speaker Rusty Bowers, have faced backlash from Trump-endorsed candidates.

The return of these candidates and the persistence of election denialism within the party have been seen as a boon for Democrats, who have been able to make gains in the state as the Republican Party shifts further to the right.

As the 2024 election approaches, the presence of election deniers in key positions within the Arizona Republican Party raises questions about the future of the party and the impact of their continued influence on the political landscape.