TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — There will be dueling campaign events and dueling endorsements on display Friday in the race for the Republican Governor’s nomination. Governor Ducey and former Vice President Mike Pence will campaign with Karrin Taylor Robson in Tucson tomorrow, while former President Donald Trump will campaign for Kari Lake at an event in Prescott Valley.
The race between former TV anchor Kari Lake and business woman Karrin Taylor Robson has been perceived as a contest between the Trump wing of the Republican Party, and Republicans more like the party before Trump. The race carries the energy—and the anger of recent politics.
Voters who tuned into the debate on Arizona PBS did not learn much about the candidates and their policies. They mostly learned the candidates are quick to talk over each other in on camera squabbles that highlight how combative the Republican Governor’s primary has become.
Former TV Anchor Kari Lake and businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson are the front runners.
Chuck Coughlin is a longtime political consultant. His company is HighGround Inc. He’s worked for Republicans but says he’s not working for any campaign right now.
Coughlin says he’s never seen a Governor’s primary quite like this.
“The amount of money that Karen Taylor Robson is spending is clearly unique. That's $15 million and counting. That's never been done in Arizona. And the nature of Lake's cultish, personality, surrounded by election deniers, and Trump is also unique.”
Coughlin says it helps Lake that she’s a familiar face from many years as a news anchor at the Phoenix Fox station—and it helps that she has Donald Trump’s endorsement. But he says that only takes Lake so far.
“Lake has been sort of stuck between 35 and 40%. From the minute she announced and got the Trump endorsement. She has been sort of stuck there.”
Both candidates have talked tough on familiar issues like securing the border.
Coughlin says, “That's the rule. That goes back all the way to Nixon: don't let anybody get to the right of ya.”
Lake’s experience is in journalism. She leans hard against the current Republican establishment, while Robson has been in the establishment. She’s served on the Board of Regents that governs state universities and has had plenty of dealings with government as a real estate attorney.
That is part of why Governor Ducey endorsed Robson on CNN.
Ducey said, “And Karen Taylor Robson is the real conservative. She's the real deal. She started her career working for Ronald Reagan. She's pro wall, pro gun, pro life. She's the mother of four. She has been a community leader and a successful business person.”
And while Lake points to how Trump endorsed her, Robson has her own endorsement that shows the split in the Republican party. Mike Pence, Trump’s former Vice President has endorsed Robson.
Coughlin says, “I think it's Pence, you know, making a bet. I think he's making a bet here trying to put some fuel in his own tank by being associated with what he hopes to be a winner.”
Coughlin says one of the biggest boosts for Robson is former Congressman Matt Salmon dropping out of the Governor’s race and endorsing Robson. He says Salmon’s voters are more likely to turn to Robson, than to Lake and that could give Robson the edge in a race that will probably still be very close.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
