Introduction
November 8, 2022, is midterm election day in the United States.
Over the entire primary election cycle (which ended September 13), Trump-supported candidates won a significant number of races.
In Arizona, three Trump-supported candidates who won their primary elections stand out:
- Kari Lake, the former newscaster for local Fox 10 Phoenix news, running for Arizona Governor against current Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs
- Blake Masters, president of the Thiel Foundation (a nonprofit that promotes science and innovation), running for U.S. Senator against current U.S. Senator Mark Kelly
- Mark Finchem, current Arizona House Representative, running for Arizona Secretary of State against former Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes
Click on the links below to view candidate campaign websites:
- Kari Lake for Governor
- Katie Hobbs for Governor
- Blake Masters for Senate
- Mark Kelly for Senate
- Mark Finchem for Secretary of State
- Adrian Fontes for Secretary of State
Katie Hobbs declined to debate Kari Lake. In a letter to Citizens Clean Elections Commission her campaign said:
Unfortunately, debating a conspiracy theorist like Kari Lake — whose entire campaign platform is to cause enormous chaos and make Arizona the subject of national ridicule — would only lead to constant interruptions, pointless distractions, and childish name-calling [a reference to the raucous June 29, 2022 debate between Kari Lake and her primary opponent Karrin Taylor Robson].
On October 6, 2022 Blake Masters (R), Mark Kelly (D), and Marc Victor (L) participated in a 60-minute debate on the PBS program "Horizon" which you can watch here.
Five takeaways from the Kelly-Masters debate in Arizona | The Hill
On September 22, 2022 Mark Finchem and Adrian Fontes squared off in a 30-minute debate on the PBS program "Horizon" which you can watch here.
Also worth mentioning is David Farnsworth, former Arizona State Senator running again for Arizona State Senator. Farnsworth defeated current Arizona House Representative and House Speaker Rusty Bowers in the Arizona primary election. You may recall that Bowers testified in front of the January 6 House Select Committee, recounting how he stood up to Trump supporters who were pressuring him to help them overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Nov 7, 2022: In closing days, Kari Lake and Abe Hamadeh embrace Wendy Rogers | AZMirror
Nov 7, 2022: Kari Lake Called John McCain a 'Hero' When He Died — Now She's Calling Him a 'Loser' | People
Nov 3, 2022: How a third-party candidate dropping out could shake up Arizona's close Senate race | The Hill
Oct 30, 2022: Belief in the Ballot: Republicans in Arizona running on claims of election fraud | CBS News
Oct 12, 2022: Finchem wants to ban voting machines and do hand counts, that is 'unrealistic | AZMirror
Oct 9, 2022: Trumpism Has Found Its Leading Lady | The Atlantic
Sep 15, 2022: Arizona GOP candidates Lake, Finchem appeal ruling against hand counts | Fox 10 Phoenix
Sep 15, 2022: Kari Lake and Mark Finchem go dumb and dumber-er with appeal of ballot-counting lawsuit | The Arizona Republic
Aug 26, 2022: Judge tosses Lake, Finchem lawsuit to stop use of voting machines | Arizona's Family
Aug 2, 2022: Election deniers could soon be one election away from running Arizona | Vox
Jun 27, 2022: What candidates for governor, secretary of state, attorney general say about 2020 election | KJZZ
Apr 25, 2022: Lake, Finchem want to bar Arizona's vote tabulating machines | Associated Press
Notes:
My commentary appears indented, in black, in italics.
Kari Lake
On September 20, 2022 Kari Lake posted a 3-minute video on her Twitter account denouncing Katie Hobbs.
The caption of the video says:
Katie Hobbs Exposed: Anti-American and Un-Arizonan
Here's the verbiage Lake posted along with the video:
Katie Hobbs hoped no one would find this out…
She wants to purge the Pledge, Anthem & Constitution from our schools
Let's purge @katiehobbs from Arizona Politics on November 8th.
SHARE & RT! [retweet]
Here's part of what Lake said in the video:
In Hobbs' Arizona, your kindergartner wouldn't learn the Pledge of Allegiance, but your precious 5-year-old would be taught about sex.
The Pledge of Allegiance, our national anthem, our Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence. I was shocked to learn that my opponent, Katie Hobbs, fought to keep these American cornerstones out of the classroom.
Katie Hobbs fought to keep these pillars our our great nation out of the classroom. You heard that right. As a legislator, Hobbs actually voted to block the Pledge of Allegiance, our national anthem, our Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and even the Mayflower Compact from being taught to the next generation of Americans right here in Arizona. Don't take my word for it, see for yourself [while showing the viewer two one-second excerpts from the bill].
In Hobbs' Arizona, your kindergartner wouldn't learn the Pledge of Allegiance, but your precious 5-year-old would be taught about sex [repeating what Lake said to begin her video].
What world is she living in? The world you and I grew up in no longer exists thanks to radical politicians like Katie Hobbs.
Source:
AZFamily Digital News Staff. (September 21, 2022). "Kari Lake's claims against opponent Katie Hobbs proved false". Arizona's Family. Retrieved 2022-09-24
12News. (September 23, 2022). "Verify: Kari Lake's 'Pledge of Allegiance' claims". Twitter/12News. Retrieved 2022-09-24
Lake, Kari. (September 20, 2022). "Kari Lake | Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-09-24
Chakraborty, Barnini. (September 25, 2022). "Kari Lake facing criticism after bombshell revelation about rival proved untrue". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 2022-09-26
The following day, on September 21, 2022 Lake tweeted:
We didn't put clips of all of the bills that we referred to in that video. We are referring to SB1289, SB1152 and SB1020. Between those three bills she was opposed to displaying the American flag, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, she's opposed to displaying our state motto which means God enriches. And opposed to displaying In God We Trust. And the SB1020 is a bill she sponsored to introduce sex ed to kindergartners.
Source:
Lake, Kari. (September 21, 2022). "Kari Lake | Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-09-24
Lake refers to bills SB 1289, SB 1152, and SB 1020.
Regarding SB 1289 (schools; national motto; state motto), which was passed and signed into law in 2018, that bill was strictly about making two minor modifications to "2018 Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15 - Education § 15-717 American history and heritage." The two modifications were:
- Change "1. The national motto." to read "1. The national motto 'in God we trust'."
- Add "10. The state motto 'Ditat Deus', which means 'God enriches'.
Yes, it's true that Katie Hobbs voted "NO" on SB 1289. But SB 1289 did not call for the removal of all the other things Lake mention in her video (Pledge of Allegiance, national anthem, Constitution, and Declaration of Independence), all of which would have remained intact, regardless of whether or not the bill was passed and signed into law.
As a local 12News investigation into SB 1289 noted, in 2018 some people objected to the idea of referencing the word "God" in the bill because it would blur the separation between church and state. Since Hobbs is a Democrat, this most likely explains why Hobbs voted against the bill.
View the official text of SB 1289 here.
View the official Bill History for SB 1289 here.
View "2017 Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15 - Education § 15-717 American history and heritage" prior to the passage of SB 1289 here.
View "2018 Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15 - Education § 15-717 American history and heritage" after the passage of SB 1289 here.
Regarding SB 1152 and SB 1020, investigations by local 12News and Arizona's Family into SB 1289 found no reference to any U.S. founding documents in either of those bills.
Search for information on any Arizona bill here.
Regarding SB 1020 and Lake's claim that Hobbs wants to teach your "precious 5-year-old" about sex, yes, Hobbs did sponsor SB 1020 in 2016 that would "PROVIDE SEX EDUCATION IN KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS AND GRADES ONE THROUGH TWELVE THAT IS MEDICALLY ACCURATE, DEVELOPMENTALLY ACCURATE AND AGE-APPROPRIATE."
View the official text of SB 1020 here.
Source:
AZFamily Digital News Staff. (September 21, 2022). "Kari Lake's claims against opponent Katie Hobbs proved false". Arizona's Family. Retrieved 2022-09-24
(September 23, 2022). "Verify: Kari Lake's 'Pledge of Allegiance' claims". Twitter/12News. Retrieved 2022-09-24
Kelety, Josh; Swenson, Ali. (September 22, 2022). "AP FACT CHECK: Lake distorts Hobbs' education votes in Ariz.". Associated Press. Retrieved 2022-09-25
Lake is an election denier. On June 29, 2022, during a debate with her primary opponents Lake said the 2020 election was corrupt, she said that 34,000 ballots "were counted two, three, and four times" in Arizona, and she said that 200,000 ballots were trafficked by mules. Regarding Joe Biden's 2020 election victory, Lake said:
He lost the election and shouldn't be in the White House.
Lake's "34,000" ballots statement is a reference to the Pima County 35,000 ballots added narrative which you can read about here.
Lake's "200,000" trafficked ballots statement is a reference to the "200,000 Mules" documentary which you can read about here.
Election deniers have caused, and continue to cause great damage to our democracy. Lake is in lock-step with Trump on election denial, which makes her unfit for office.
Regarding abortion, Lake is pro-life. According to her official website (9/26/22):
I am pro-life and believe that every life, starting at conception, is worth saving.
On May 11, 2022, speaking on the local KTAR News radio program "The Mike Broomhead Show" Lake said:
I believe that abortion is the ultimate sin.
The mother does have some choices when it comes to her health, but this is a separate life, this is the life of a baby. And just because the baby is inside the womb and not outside the womb doesn't make it any less valuable as a human being.
On June 29, 2022, during a debate with her primary opponents, Lake said she would support and enforce Arizona's pre-Roe ban on abortion. The pre-Roe ban is a reference to the 1901 Arizona law that went into effect on September 23, 2022 which has no exceptions for rape, incest or fetal abnormalities and makes performing abortions punishable by two to five years in prison.
Read more here:
How Arizona's abortion ban may affect the midterms | ABC News
GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling | Associated Press
Lake's own words ("starting at conception" and "ultimate sin"), along with the fact that she said she would support and enforce Arizona's 1901 abortion law, tell you all you need to know about how she would govern regarding reproductive rights if elected.
ON August 6, 2022, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas Lake said:
The lies, the endless attacks on my children. They follow my children, take pictures of them. They parked outside of our house. These people are evil bastards.
Look at what they put President Trump and his family through for several years. He has the globalists against him, state news against him, the left against him, even people in our own party against him. We call them RINOS. I feel for him. I got a taste of it myself. I understand what it feels like to be President Trump. It is not fun.
This is a battle for those who want to save America and those who want to destroy her. That is where we are...We have to be willing to put our job on the line. We have to be willing to put our paycheck on the line...We have to be willing to lose a friend or two, or 50. We have to be willing to be kicked off Twitter.
Source:
Lake, Kari. (August 6, 2022). "Conservative Political Action Conference, Kari Lake Remarks". C-Span. Retrieved 2022-09-27
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Lake said the following regarding immigration and the Arizona/Mexico border:
This is the biggest invasion we've ever had on our homeland since the founding of this country. And so we're going to call it what it is.
It's also important to call it what it is for our policy as well. We're going to be invoking our inherent powers under Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution to defend ourselves from the invasion in lieu of the federal government reneging on their guarantees to protect us under the Guarantee Clause, Article IV, Section IV.
So we will issue a declaration of invasion, and we will take on those powers that are granted to us in the U.S. Constitution, and we will take care of the problem at our border.
The federal government canceled the contracts and left the materials sitting there on the border. So we're going to redefine them as abandoned, take them back and use them to complete the wall. I want to complete President Trump's border wall project. I believe … there's somewhere between 20 and 27 miles left, and I think we can finish that rather quickly.
Source:
Shaw, Adam. (August 20, 2022). "Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake eyes invasion declaration, sweeping border moves if elected". Fox News. Retrieved 2022-10-02
Giaritelli, Anna. (August 23, 2022). "Trump-backed Kari Lake would declare invasion in effort to close Arizona border". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 2022-10-02
According to Lake's official website (10/02/22):
As Americans, we welcome all legal immigrants into our country, but what we have now is a security and humanitarian crisis. International criminal cartels are fully in control of Northern Mexico and have turned the flood of people wanting to get into the United States into just another lucrative revenue source to be exploited – they are raping, ransoming, and extorting some of the most vulnerable people in the world, and they won't stop until we stop them.
It's important to understand that the vast majority of people entering the U.S. via the southern border are asylum seekers. They are not rapists or drug dealers, nor are they here for any other nefarious purpose. They are here solely in search of a better way of life.
Is Lake including asylum seekers in what she calls an "invasion," or are the "invaders" only those associated with "international criminal cartels?" It's an important question because asylum seekers have "protected" status and they are not here illegally. Read more about asylum here.
While I appreciate Lake's enthusiasm in wanting to take control or Arizona's southern border with Mexico, I think characterizing what's happening as an "invasion" is extreme. I also think that trying to assert states rights by declaring such (if she were elected) would run head-on into conflict with the U.S. federal government in terms of jurisdiction.
Regarding the border wall, I agree with current Arizona U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (Democrat) who is in support of border walls where appropriate.
Comprehensive U.S. immigration reform approved by the U.S. Congress and signed into law is the ultimate solution to America's immigration challenge. Unfortunately, that's been a divisive issue for decades and Congress hasn't had the will, or perhaps enough incentive to come up with a bi-partisan solution.
On September 18, 2022 Lake tweeted:
Replying to @katiehobbs
Please report this tweet for misinformation.
Intentionally conflating miscarriages and abortions could do a tremendous amount of harm to the public.
Thirty-six minutes later Lake tweeted:
Arizona,
This is how little respect @katiehobbs has for you.
Equating a D&C with an abortion?
Katie is willing to falsify her own tragedy & basic medical facts to scare women into voting for her.
This is a dangerous lie & unbecoming of anyone running for office.
Lake's tweets were in response to a September 17, 2022 tweet from Katie Hobbs:
When I had a miscarriage, I needed surgery to protect my own health. That lifesaving treatment was the same procedure that's commonly used for abortions — a procedure that Kari Lake wants to criminalize. As Governor, I won't let that happen.
On September 20, 2022 Lake tweeted:
To equate an abortion with a miscarriage is sick. Any woman who has had a miscarriage wants that baby so bad. To equate that with an abortion is sick. I would never keep a D&C procedure from a woman having an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage.
It's true that a D&C is a procedure used for both miscarriages and abortions.
I couldn't find any instance of Lake specifically saying she wants to "criminalize" or otherwise outlaw the D&C procedure when it's done regarding a miscarriage. In her defense, I would say that Hobbs is very concerned, as am I, about how far Lake might go in restricting abortion if she were elected. Also, strict abortion laws recently implemented by several states have "muddied the water" regarding the treatment for miscarriages and abortion pills which you can read about here.
Yes, what Hobbs tweeted is not true, and she should be called out for making that false claim. But how about the hypocrisy of Lake for posting these comments? As I reported previously in this post, on September 20, 2022 Lake herself posted false and misleading information about Hobbs, trying to "scare" people into voting for Lake, stating that Hobbs is "Anti-American" and "Un-Arizonan." How "dangerous" and "unbecoming of anyone running for office" is that?" Lake should practice what she preaches. But as I previously noted, in Trumpism it's not about facts, truth, or even civility. In Trumpism it's all about winning, at all costs.
On September 26, 2022, speaking with host Tucker Carlson on the Fox News program "Tucker Carlson Tonight," commenting on Giorgia Meloni's recent election win in Italy Lake said:
It makes me realize that if they are not calling you slurs and attacking you, you are probably not representing the people of your country.
The people who are truly understanding of this country, which is we're losing this country, are the ones who are being attacked.
Source:
Lake, Kari. (September 27, 2022). "'I am afraid of the world our children will live in:' Kari Lake". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-09-27
Lake attacked Hobbs and used slurs against her when she posted her "Anti-American and Un-Arizonan" video on September 20, 2022. So, according to Lake's own words, that means that Hobbs IS probably "representing the people" and that Hobbs IS "truly understanding of this country."
On October 16, 2022, speaking with host Dana Bash on the CNN program "State of the Union," Lake was asked three times whether she would accept the outcome of the 2022 election, to which she responded:
I'm going to win the election, and I will accept that result.
Bash also asked Lake the following:
If leaders like you and President Trump are saying that the election was stolen, aren't you participating, contributing, even causing the idea of people thinking that the election is not safe and secure?
Lake responded:
No, no. We are going to make sure our elections are safe and secure for Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike...We want to know the winner on election night. We don't want to be counting for 10 days.
Source:
Sullivan, Kate. (October 16, 2022). "Kari Lake doesn't commit to accepting Arizona election result if she loses". CNN. Retrieved 2022-10-16
Watch video clips of this exchange and get progressive commentator Brian Tyler Cohen's response to it here.
So, there you have it. Lake is doing what Trump did in 2020, refusing to say she will accept the result of the 2022 election, regardless of who wins. SWhile Lake's confidence and refusal might be considered admirable by her supporters and fellow election deniers, for the rest of America this is a harbinger of what might come. If you're not able or willing to say you'll accept the result of an election, you have no business running for office, period.
Lake's response to Bash's question is also very troubling.
First, she says that election deniers are not, by their denial, contributing to the growing lack of faith in elections in America. You've got to be in an altered state of reality to say something like that. America needs politicians who are grounded, reasonable, and rational, not those who exist in the "ozone layer."
Second, she says she wants elections safe for everyone. Hey, we all want that, so why even bring it up? Lake is only masquerading as someone who wants to resolve a problem when in fact she's a big part of the problem.
Third, she's saying what Trump said about the 2020 election - that the results should be known on election night. There's only one slight problem with that old-fashioned and outdated way of thinking - in all likelihood, it won't be possible to have all of the mail-in ballots counted and tabulated that quickly. Without saying it, Lake is obviously against mail-in ballots.
If she is elected, and if Mark Finchem becomes secretary of state, then look out Arizona because by and large, mail-in ballots will become a thing of the past and the vast majority of Arizona voters will be forced to stand in long lines at the polls, take off work, and be forced to do who know what else in order to cast a vote.
Kari Lake is a dangerous and extreme politician. She officially qualifies as an RWNJ (right-wing nut job).
On October 17, 2022, speaking on the ninth stop of her "Ask Me Anything" Tour, Lake resonded to media reports of her being an "election denier." Lake touted several pages of supposed research done by a 20-year-old named Anthony highlighting all the times Democrats have denied election outcomes in the past, and she offered paper copies of the supposed research to those in attendance.
So it's okay for Democrats to question elections but it's not okay for Republicans? It's crock of BS, everyone knows it, we have our freedom of speech and we're not gonna relinquish it to a bunch of fake news propagandists.
Source:
Lyman, Brianna. (October 18, 2022). "Kari Lake Spends Two Straight Minutes Berating The Media About 'Election Deniers'". Daily Caller. Retrieved 2022-11-04
Frudd, Timothy. (October 20, 2022). "Kari Lake flips the script on media over 'election denier' label". RSBN. Retrieved 2022-11-04
The only "crock of BS" regarding election denial is the crock of B.S. coming from the mouth of Kari Lake.
What Democrats are so up in arms about is that still, to this day, no proof of substantial 2020 election fraud has been provided. All of the audits and court cases resulted in essentialy nothing. All of the research and documentaries that have been put forth are just theory and conjecture. If you want to question election results, that's fine, but you better have proof. That's what Democrats and those who don't buy into the "stolen election" narrative are saying.
Lake's comments about Democratic "election deniers" is an obvious and glaring example of false equivalence.
Lake rails about past election denial from Joe Biden's press secretary, Stacey Abrams, Hillary Clinton, and a long list of others, supposedly adding up to 150 examples.
What Lake fails to realize and/or state in her zeal to try and legitimize her own election denial is that NONE of the examples compare even remotely, in any way shape or form to the election denial movement that has formed in the Republican party since the 2020 presidential election. Only a self-righteous propagandist like Lake would try to make this type of ridiculous comparison.
The Trump/MAGA Republican election denial movement resulted not only in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, but the loss of faith in our election process and a continuation and deepening of the misinformation phenomenon that continues to erode American democracy. None of the examples Lake can come up with have had consequences like this. To compare them as equal shows just how unhinged and out of touch with reality Lake is.
Blake Masters
On May 25, 2021, during a conservative event in Phoenix, Arizona entitled "America's Comeback Tour," speaking about Critical Race Theory (CRT) Masters said:
Unfortunately it all goes back to the schools. Too much of schooling in America has become a machine to uproot common sense and to replace it with something much more sinister. You've heard of Critical Race Theory, I assume, at this point, right? Conservatives are up in arms about it. And rightfully so. It sounds academic. It sounds fancy. It's not.
All it does is teach kids to identify in racial terms. Right? You are good or bad, depending on what you look like. At this point it is straight up anti-white racism. I don't think we're allowed to say that. But let's call it what it is. It is toxic, and it does not belong in our schools.
Source:
R. Martin, Nick. (August 9, 2021). "Az Senate candidate Blake Masters says Critical Race Theory is 'anti-white racism'". Tucson Sentinel. Retrieved 2022-10-09
Here's what the Britannica website says about CRT:
Critical race theory is an intellectual movement and a framework of legal analysis according to which (1) race is a culturally invented category used to oppress people of colour and (2) the law and legal institutions in the United States are inherently racist insofar as they function to create and maintain social, political, and economic inequalities between white and nonwhite people.
Critical race theory is important because it potentially provides a more realistic understanding of white racism in the U.S. as not merely a set of negative attitudes toward other racial groups but also a body of law and legal practices whose real-world effect is the oppression of people of colour, especially African Americans.
Source:
"critical race theory". Britannica. Retrieved 2022-10-15
Read more about Critical Race Theory in an Associated Press article entitled "EXPLAINER: So much buzz, but what is critical race theory?".
I think that by and large, liberals believe that racism is still inherent in American society. I think that the opposite is true for conservatives, by and large. And this is where the conflict lies.
Critical Race Theory is a "hot button" for conservatives. I think it scares them because it has the potential to make whites look bad, depending on whether you believe the basic tenets of it or not.
Masters described it as something "sinister," and that American schools are trying to "uproot common sense." He also states that it's "toxic," "straight up anti-white racism," and that it "does not belong in our schools." That's a very extreme and "protectionist" way of looking at it. I say "protectionist" because by keeping it out of schools it would shield (protect) students from being given any information about CRT.
I think that at a certain age, perhaps high-school, students are mentally capable of learning about CRT and then making up their own minds about what they want to believe.
There's nothing wrong with teaching a theory because at the end of the day that's all it is - a theory. It's an important concept for everyone to understand. Just because a theory is being taught, it doesn't mean someone is being "indoctrinated" or that it's a concerted attempt by liberals to make someone believe something.
In September of 2021, during a Youtube podcast with Allie Beth Stuckey, Masters said:
I'm unapologetically pro-life.
The abortion thing has turned into this religious totem for the left. In the 90s, they promised they want abortions to be safe, legal, and rare.
And now you have abortion activists wearing shirts with tally marks on how many abortions they've had. This is the cultural thrust of it. It's is a religious sacrifice for these people, I think it's demonic.
Source:
Doudna, Michael. (August 16, 2022). "VERIFY: Where does Blake Masters stand on abortion?". NBC News. Retrieved 2022-10-05
Yes, it's true that freedom of choice regarding abortion is a core issue for liberals, but to call it a "religious totem" is extreme. And to call out the few activists who are "wearing shirts with tally marks on how many abortions they've had" (according to Masters), and call what they are supposedly doing "demonic" is again, "over the top" and just a way of trying to vilify liberals in general.
On March 14, 2022, speaking on the "Subversive w/Alex Kaschuta" podcast, Masters said:
Good luck criticizing me for saying Critical Race Theory is anti-white. It obviously is.
The progressive left just remains the enemy. It's the enemy of true progress, it's the enemy of everything that is good.
Listen to the entire one-hour and 17-minute podcast here.
Regarding Master's "enemy" statement, it's worth noting that Masters said "progressive left" and not just the "left." I bring this up because I'm going to give Masters the benefit of the doubt here (since I didn't listen to his quote in context). I'm going to assume he's talking about the far-left, and not just your ordinary, everyday liberal or progressive. I'm going to assume he's talking about people like Democratic U.S. House of Representatives Ilhan Omar (Minnesota), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York), Rashida Tlaib (Michigan), and Ayanna Pressley (Massachusetts), collectively known as "The Squad." I'm going to assume he's talking about "woke" people, people who support Black Lives Matter, and people who support Critical Race Theory (CRT).
Assuming that, I still have a problem with what Masters said. His statement is too extreme. The politicians and progressive entities I mentioned have contributed a lot of good to our political discourse. To essentially "cancel" them, which is basically what Masters is doing with his statement, is just wrong.
If my assumption is wrong, and instead Masters is talking about all liberals and progressives, then he's just insane.
On April 11, 2022, speaking on "The Jeff Oravits Show" podcast, Masters said:
But we do have a gun violence problem in this country, and it's gang violence, right? It's gangs. It's people in Chicago, St. Louis shooting each other. Very often, you know, black people, frankly. And the Democrats don't want to do anything about that. Look at San Francisco and L.A. — they've legalized crime.
Republicans don't want to talk about urban crime, right? Because they're terrified of being called racist. And Democrats don't want to talk about big city crime because they're OK with it. You know they want Phoenix to look more like Chicago, more like Baltimore. And, I just have a problem with that. If you don't have law and order, you don't have anything.
Listen to the entire one-hour and 16-minute podcast with Blake Masters here.
Master's "black people" remark is at best treading on very "thin ice," racially-speaking, and at worst just outright racist. If you read the second quote, it sounds like he's trying to say that Democrats want to somehow protect Blacks and not hold them accountable for crimes they might commit. No, that's not what Democrats want, and to say something like that is ridiculous.
To say that Democrats don't want to do anything about violence and gang violence, that they have "legalized" crime, and that they are "OK" with "big city crime" is just another attempt mischaracterize Democrats.
On a related note, on October 8, 2022, speaking at a Trump rally in Minden, Nevada, Senator Tommy Tuberville (Republican-Alabama) said:
They [Democrats] want crime. They want crime, because they want to take over what you got. They want to control what you have. They want reparation because they think the people that do the crime are owed that. Bulls---. They are not owed that.
Obviously, Masters and Tuberville are of the same deluded mindset when it comes to Democrats and crime. Tuberville's "the people" is a reference to Blacks.
On May 14, 2022, on "The Ben Shapiro Show" (Ben Shapiro is a conservative political commentator), regarding "the border situation" Masters said:
I think it's literally criminal, what Biden and the administration has done.
They [Biden and Democrats] just want this open border. This is their policy program. From the Democrat's perspecitve they like it, it's good.
Masters goes on to talk about how drug cartels are trafficking fentanyl across the border, the "humanitarian crisis" caused by that, and how the situation is bad for Arizona and the whole country. Masters then says:
But this is the way Democrats like it.
They're doing this so they can amnesty these people and make them voters who they expect will vote Democrat.
This is an electoral strategy for Democrats. Their policies are so bad and so unpopular that this is the only way they think they can shore up political power in the future.
Source:
Master, Blake. (May 14, 2022). "Evan Hill | Tweet | Blake Masters | The Ben Shaprio Show". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-10-13
What's most interesting about what Masters said is how sets up his closing statements by first talking about drug cartels, fentanyl, and the "humanitarian crisis," and then immediately says "But this is the way Democrats like it," followed immediately by making the claim that it's an "electoral strategy" for Democrats.
He's trying to make it sound like Democrats WANT drug cartels, fentanyl, and the "humanitarian crisis," which of course is total B.S. It's also total B.S. that it's an "electoral strategy" for Democrats.
Democrats want to resolve the border situation just as much as Republicans. The problem, which I noted previously in this post, is that Democrats and Republicans can't agree on how to fix it. Both parties share equal responsibility for the southern border situation and to claim anything else is B.S.
U.S. demographics have been shifting for a long time, resulting in an increasing percentage of minorities. This isn't an "electoral strategy" for Democrats, it's just the natural result of people coming to America seeking a better way of life. Master's false claim is just another, of many statements he's made and continues to make, in an attempt to vilify Democrats.
On June 9, 2022 Andrew Anglin posted the following on his "The Daily Stormer" website regarding Blake Masters:
I cannot give a more forceful endorsement. I demand that anyone in Arizona (who is not some kind of known neo-Nazi or whatever) get in contact with his campaign and see what kind of help he needs. This is exactly the kind of man this country needs.
Andrew Anglin (born July 27, 1984) is an American neo-Nazi and conspiracy theorist, and editor of the website The Daily Stormer. Through this website, Anglin uses elements of Nazism combined with Internet memes originating from 4chan to promote white supremacy, fascism, and antisemitic conspiracy theories such as Holocaust denial to a young audience.
Source:
Kassel, Matthew. (July 1, 2022). "Neo-Nazi publisher Andrew Anglin gives 'forceful endorsement' of Blake Masters' Senate bid". Jewish Insider. Retrieved 2022-10-15
Anglin Andrew. (June 9, 2022). "Andrew Anglin 'The Daily Stormer' Post". Jewish Insider. Retrieved 2022-10-15
Weiss, Elias. (Jul 6, 2022). "Endorsed for Congress by a Neo-Nazi? No Worries, Just Blame the Media". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2022-10-15
Whenever a political candidate is supported by a white supremecist or a neo-Nazi it should be a "red flag" to all of us. It should make all of us pause and ask "What is it about this candidate that garners the support of an extremist?"
On August 25, 2022 it was discovered that certain changes had been made to Blake Master's official campaign website:
- "I am 100% pro-life" verbiage was removed
- Masters' support for "a federal personhood law (ideally a Constitutional amendment) that recognizes that unborn babies are human beings that may not be killed" was removed
Source:
Smith, Allan; Caputo, Marc. (August 25, 2022). "In Arizona, Blake Masters backtracks on abortion and scrubs his campaign website". NBC News. Retrieved 2022-10-05
It's obvious why Masters changed his website. Because abortion has become such a hot topic leading up to the 2022 midterm election, Blake is trying to "soften" his position on abortion in order to get more votes. This shows a lack of integrity. If you believe in something, then take a stand, don't mince words, and don't try to "pull the wool over the eyes" of voters.
On August 29, 2022 Masters posted a video to his Twitter account. The title of the post reads: "I'm declaring war on Joe Biden's dysfunctional affirmative action regime". The post was in response to an August 27, 2022 article published by the Assoicated Press entitled "Fed tackles inflation with its most diverse leadership ever". Here's part of what he said in the video:
If you want to see the affirmative-action regime on display, just look at Biden's White House. Biden promised that he would choose a woman for his VP, then, of course, he chose Kamala Harris—so incompetent she can't even get a sentence out. But I've never spoken to anyone who can say with a straight face that Kamala was somehow the most qualified candidate for that job.
I don't care if every single employee at the Fed is a Black lesbian as long as they're hired for their competence and not because of what they look like or who they sleep with. News for Joe Biden: We are done with this affirmative action regime.
I can't think of a single policy [affirmative action] since the end of Jim Crow that's been worse or more divisive for race relations in this country.
Source:
Masters, Blake. (August 29, 2022). "Blake Masters | Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-10-10
To be clear, Biden did not "invent" affirmative action. It's a policy, not a law, first declared via executive order by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, and declared again via executve order by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. Those two executive orders stated that federal government contactors/employers must hire fairly, without regard to race, creed, color, sex, religion, or national origin.
In the video, Masters unequivocally states his disdain for Biden and affirmative action policy. Masters is a "hard ass" on this topic, and the way he delivers his message is extreme. If Masters is trying to court the minority vote, I don't think he's going about it the right way.
On September 9, 2022, speaking with host Tucker Carlson on the Fox News program "Tucker Carlson Tonight," Masters said:
When I speak to Hispanic voters in Arizona, they're just shocked and dismayed at what's happening. They send their kids to school expecting them to learn reading, writing and arithmetic. But then these kids are taught to call themselves "latinx" and "oh, here are your gender pronouns." They tell the little boys, "Hey, maybe you're not really a niño. Have you thought about becoming a niña instead?"
Source:
Media Matters Staff. (September 9, 2022). "Fox News guest claims schools are asking Hispanic boys 'have you thought about becoming a niña'?". Media Matters. Retrieved 2022-10-09
This sounds like Master's version of "Shock and Awe" (a reference to how the Bush administration referred to the initial bombing of Baghdad at the start of the Iraq war). It just amazes me how dire, outrageous, extreme, and utterly conservative Masters is. Reading his statement here makes it sound like schools are "indoctrinating" kids and perhaps encouraging them to question their gender. There's a HUGE difference between making kids aware of something and purposefully making an effort to make them gay or encourage them to change their gender.
The vast, overwhelming majority of kids have no gender identity issues. However, because the LGBTQ+ community exists, kids need to know and should be taught, in an age-appropriate way, that gay and transgender people are an integral part of American society. Masters is using scare tactics in an effort to influence voters.
And let's face a fact here. By and large, conservatives who have a problem with gay and transgender people are being very judgemental. They disapprove of that group of people because they don't align with their religious beliefs. Do a simple Google search about the Bible and homosexuality and you'll understand what I mean.
On another occasion, speaking with host Tucker Carlson on the Fox News program "Tucker Carlson Tonight," Masters said:
It all goes back to the Democrats trying to destroy the family. You know, whatever the issue is that the Dems are shrieking about today — maybe it's COVID, maybe it's climate change, maybe it's systemic racism — ultimately their goal is to separate, to drive a wedge between children and their parents. For the Left it's about creating this new red guard, right? Training this new generation of activists who are going to go and try and erase our history, and destroy our country.
Source:
Moore, Michael. (October 5, 2022). "Mike's Midterm Tsunami Truth #10". Michael Moore. Retrieved 2022-10-16
I was unable to find a direct link to any news source that mentioned this quote, which is why it's source is Michael Moore's website. I've verified several other quotes in Moore's "Tsunami of Truth" series and I have no reason to believe it isn't accurate.
This time Masters is railing about how Democrats are "trying to destroy the family." Really? How? No, Democrats are doing no such thing. This is just another line of Master's B.S.
Masters says that Democrat's goal is to "drive a wedge between children and their parents." What the hell is this guy talking about? And whatever it is, he's attributing it to all Democrats and stating it like it's some kind of Democratic strategy. What he's saying here is way over the top and completly ridculous. Again, just another line of Master's B.S.
His use of the phrase "red guard" is apparently a reference to militant Chinese university and high school students that formed paramilitary units as part of the Chinses Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976. Again, extreme and not an accurate description of reality.
Master's remarks highlight the over-arching fear among conservatives that their Christian, white nationalist, family-based way of life is in jeopardy. But their fear is unwarranted and irrational. Democrats and liberals dont' want to eliminate their way of life as Masters would have you believe. That's just a political talking point, a myth, and a conspiracy theory. In a nutsheill, what Democrats want is for conservatives to keep their religion out of our government. That's it. End of story.
To say that Master's is "out there" is a gross understatement. He's extreme and he exaggerates to the point of absudity.
On the Home page of the Blake Masters official campaign website (10/05/22) it states:
The Democrats in power have failed us. Joe Biden and his sidekick Mark Kelly have delivered chaos at our Border, skyrocketing inflation, failing schools, and widespread wokeness. They've quickly made America dangerous and unaffordable.
You'd think they'd feel bad about it. But they don't. The ruling class has given up on America. They have given up on you. It's because the Left believes that our country is fundamentally and irredeemably evil. That's why they denounce it and loot it. They want America to be unrecognizable. They want to destroy who we are.
That second quote from Masters shows just how extreme and far-right he is. He claims that the Left is "fundamentally and irredeemably evil," which is why they "denounce" and "loot" it, that they want America to be "unrecognizable," and that they want to "destroy who we are."
I'm sure that extreme, far-right MAGA Republicans believe every word of this. I'm also sure that the majority of Americans who read this would shake their heads and say "What the hell is wrong with this guy?" Masters is grossly misrepresenting what the vast, overwhelming majority of liberals stand for and believe in. Masters is supported by Trump and Masters is using the Trump playbook. He's unjustly vilifying the Left for political gain.
On October 6, 2022, during the debate with Senator Mark Kelly (Democrat-Arizona), and Marc Victor (Libertarian) Masters said:
He [Kelly] rejected hiring 18,000 more border patrol agents. Mark Kelly said no to 18,000 more border patrol agents but yes to 87,000 new IRS agents. That shows you what his priorities are.
Source:
Whedon, Ben. (October 6, 2022). "Masters hammers Kelly on border issues in Arizona Senate debate". Just the News. Retrieved 2022-10-16
Kelly did vote against an amendment proposed on August 6, 2022 by Senator Rick Scott (Republican-Florida) which would add 18,000 additional border patrol agents to the southern border. The amendment was voted on during a long "vote-a-rama" in the U.S. Senate which resulted in the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act on August 12, 2022.
A "vote-a-rama" is a process where senators bring up for a vote proposed amendments to a bill that's being voted on in the Senate. In addition to giving senators a chance to enact modifications to the bill, the vote-a-rama gives them a chance to put opposing party senators "on the record" as supporting or opposing an amendment.
According to Senator Thom Tillis (Republican-North Carolina), the "vote-a-rama" is "theater" and "dishonest." According to Senator Richard Blumenthal (Democrat-Connecticut), the "vote-a-rama" is "largely meaningless."
What Masters failed to mention during the debate is that Kelly co-sponsored a bill named the "Border Patrol Enhancement Act" which, according to the press release states:
This bill would create a 2,500 agent reserve force, increase the number of total Border Patrol agents to 20,500, and raise Border Patrol pay by 14 percent to be more competitive with other federal law enforcement agents, including other agents under the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation also standardizes professional development and training requirements for all Border Patrol agents.
This bill was introduced on August 4, 2022, prior to the debate, and prior to the Inflation Reduction Act "vote-a-rama."
Republicans knew going into the Senate vote on the Inflation Reduction Act that it was going to pass because it was known beforehand that it had sufficient votes from Democrats. They also knew that the vast majority, if not all, of the proposed amendments would be voted down by Democrats. But, they chose to conduct a "vote-a-rama" anyway to put Democrats "on the record" regarding certain political issues just a few months prior to the 2022 midterm elections.
In reality, it was just a political ploy. The amendment put forward by Senator Rick Scott wasn't really about making legitimate changes to the Inflation Reduction Act. It was put forward to protest the IRS funding included in the Act and to put Democrats "on the record" as opposing an increase in border patrol agents at the southern border.
During the debate with Kelly, Masters used Kelly's vote to full advantage, knowing that most Americans would have no clue about the "back story" and just take what he was saying at face value.
Once again, Masters is using political "smoke and mirrors" to push a narrative that is misleading and which leaves out an important fact. It's just another pathetic example of why Blake Masters has no business as Arizona senator.
Mark Finchem
On January 5, 2021, the day before the January 6 Capitol riot, Finchem addressed a crowd of Trump supporters at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C. In a short speech, here's some of what he said:
America is watching the people of God. America is watching 74 million people strong. America is watching. What is going on here?
When you steal something that's not really a win. That's a fraud.
By the way, Senator Hawley [Josh Hawley (Republican-Missouri], you're a rockstar man!
But I want you to hear something from Americans. This ain't going away!
I suggest you watch the video of Finchem's speech, starting at timestamp 3:55:52 (link below) so you can get a sense of what kind of person Mark Finchem is.
Source:
Finchem, Mark. (January 5, 2021). "#LIVE: STOP THE STEAL Coalition Pre-Rally at Freedom Plaza Ahead of Tomorrow's Big Events in DC". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-09-18
On December 13, 2021 Arizona State House and Senate members met in Tucson to discuss election integrity concerns in Pima County. At the meeting, Mark Finchem read an e-mail, supposedly sent to the U.S. Department of Justice in 2020 after the November election. The e-mail is supposedly written by an anonymous Democrat "whistleblower" who states that 35,000 fraudulent votes were added to County, State, and Federal Election Democratic candidate vote counts in Pima county. There's more to this story (including the full text of the e-mail), which you can read about here.
According to a February 7, 2022 official news release:
State Representative Mark Finchem has introduced HCR 2033, a concurrent resolution calling for the elections of Maricopa, Pima and Yuma Counties to be set aside based on clear and convincing evidence that the elections in those counties were irredeemably compromised.
The news release also includes a statement by Finchem, part of which states:
The questions first raised over a year ago about the legitimacy of the 2020 General Election persist. Evidence and testimony collected since November 3, 2020, has reached the point of clear and convincing and is now in the hands of the Arizona Attorney General for action. Citations of various elements justifying the Resolution can be found in the body of the Resolution. We have debunked the 'baseless claims' narrative promoted by the propaganda pushing media and are now on to the business of providing specific relief to the People.
Red the text of the 8-page HCR 2033 resolution here.
On July 22, 2022, Finchem tweeted:
TRUMP WON
Decertify Yuma, Maricopa and Pima.
Arrest Fontes and Hobbs.
On August 8, 2022 Finchem tweeted:
The FBI just united the entire world behind President Trump.
The DOJ didn't just unite the Republican party, they united all Americans against their tyranny.
On September 14, 2022 Finchem tweeted:
Democrat politicians on the ballot in Arizona are liars and deceivers. They want total control over you and our state. Their loyalty is to George Soros and Mike Bloomberg. They want Arizona to be like California. Do not be deceived.
Regarding Finchem's tweet, Tim Eckstein, board chair with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix told the Arizona Mirror:
I think it is fair to say that context is everything. An attack on George Soros for some specific thing he has done or said is fine, or at least not on its face antisemitic.
Source:
MacDonald-Evoy, Jerod. (September 15, 2022). "Mark Finchem criticized for using antisemitic trope". AZMirror. Retrieved 20221-09-17
On September 16, 2022 Finchem responded with the following on his @realmarkfinchem Truth Social account:
Calling out Soros and Bloomberg and their political objectives is not anti-Semitic. This is a political discussion, not a religious one. I love the Jewish people. I do not love Marxists who hate America. The gaslighting of patriots must end NOW.
Also on September 16, 2022 Finchem posted the following on his @realmarkfinchem Truth Social account:
Tim Steller is a propaganda artist for the Marxist front. I've encouraged him for 7 years to seek professional help for his obsession. Instead, Tim should divert his attention from the Marxist dialectic & focus on fact. George Soros & Mike Bloomberg are a danger to America.
Tim Stellar is an opinion columnist for the Arizona Daily Star (which serves Tucson and the surrounding districts of southern Arizona). Finchem lives in the Tucson area.
In an interview with Victory Media Finchem said:
We've got a serious problem in this nation. There's a lot of people involved in a pedophile network in the distribution of children ... And, unfortunately, there's a whole lot of elected officials that are involved in that.
Finchem is referring to the QAnon conspiracy theory which claims there exists a global cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles (including Hollywood celebrities, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and others) who sexually abuse and torture children, often to obtain "adrenochrome" from their bodies.
Source:
Coaston, Jane. (August 21, 2020). "QAnon, the scarily popular pro-Trump conspiracy theory, explained". Vox. Retrieved 20222-09-20
Sommer, Will. (August 15, 2020). "QAnon Promotes Pedo-Ring Conspiracy Theories. Now They're Stealing Kids.". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 20222-09-20
Hitt, Tarpley. (August 14, 2020). "How QAnon Became Obsessed With 'Adrenochrome,' an Imaginary Drug Hollywood Is 'Harvesting' from Kids". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 20222-09-20
When Charlotte Alter, a reporter for Time, asked Finchem if Biden were to win the 2024 election, as secretary of state would he certify Biden's win, Finchem said:
If the law is followed, and legitimate votes have been counted, and Joe Biden ends up being the winner. I'm required under the law—if there's no fraud—to certify the election. I think you're proposing something that, quite frankly, is a fantasy.
When asked by Alter why is it so impossible to believe that Biden won in Arizona in 2020, Finchem replied:
It strains credibility. Isn't it interesting that I can't find anyone who will admit that they voted for Joe Biden?
When asked by Alter whether it's possible that many people he doesn't know might have voted for Biden, Finchem replied:
In a fantasy world, anything's possible.
Read more about Finchem here:
Mark Finchem was much closer to the Jan. 6 insurrection than he claimed | AZMirror
From Charlottesville to Oath Keepers, Rep. Mark Finchem Is a Fringe Lawmaker | Phoenix New Times
Arizona Lawmaker Mark Finchem Struggles to Keep His Capitol Riot Story Straight | Phoenix New Times
Several Arizona Legislators Are Headed To Vegas — For A QAnon Conference | Phoenix New Times
I think what Finchem said in my reporting above speaks for itself, but there a few things I want to address, starting with his "fantasy" comments about Joe Biden and winning in Arizona.
Here we have a guy, who already, even before having won his election as Arizona secretary of state, is biased against Biden. If you think Biden winning in Arizona is a fantasy, even before the 2024 election (presumably against Trump), you have no business holding the office of secretary of state in Arizona.
To say that "It strains credibility" to believe that Biden won in Arizona in 2020 shows just how out of touch with reality Finchem is. In a post entitled 2020 U.S.Presidential Election | One America News Network Investigative Report 'Dominion-izing the Vote' dated June 27, 2021, I stated:
Apparently, Trump doesn't "get" just how many Americans dislike and literally hate him. What Trump doesn't "get" is that millions of votes for Biden were not so much for Biden, but against Trump.
When you're living in a "fantasy" world like, like Trump, Finchem, and so many other deluded Trump supporters, I suppose it's easy to become oblivious to how the "other side" feels, and to not recognize just how many people oppose everything that Trump and his behavior stands for. When you spend most of your time with like-minded people (which I'm sure Finchem does) and you're so damn sure the 2020 election was "stolen," I suppose it might explain how you could make a statement like, "Isn't it interesting that I can't find anyone who will admit that they voted for Joe Biden?"
This is what happens when you live in an altered state of reality, disconnected from facts, reason, and rational thinking. This is what happens when you allow belief to supersede fact. If Finchem is elected, a "fantasy" world is exactly what Arizona is going to get.
Regarding Finchem's August 8, 2022 tweet about the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago uniting the world behind Trump, and the DOJ's uniting all Americans and the Republican Party against their "tyranny," once again Finchem is in an altered state of reality. Uniting "the world" behind Trump? Really? Uniting "all" Americans? You've got to be kidding! It's obvious to anyone with a properly functioning brain that the raid is controversial, depending on how you feel about Trump. THIS is the kind of thing Trump himself would say. It's beyond ridiculous, just like Finchem.
To understand who and what Finchem is, all you have to do is watch the short speech he delivered to Trump supporters at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C. on January 5, 2021, the day before the January 6 Capitol riot.
Finchem is a radical and dangerous politician.
What Lake says in her video is a gross distortion and misrepresentation of facts.
It's painfully obvious that Lake posted the video in an attempt to pull at the heartstrings of Trump supporters, many of whom see themselves as very patriotic. Lake is lying and putting out a completely false narrative in order to get Trump supporters riled up and energized. She knew that her post would go viral. She also knew that her supporters would believe what she said about Hobbs, in the same way they believe, without a second thought, everything that Trump says.
What I find most disturbing about Lake's video is the manner in which she presents herself. You may recall that Lake was a Fox 10 Phoenix news co-anchor for 22 years prior to announcing her candidacy for Arizona governor in 2021. She has a smooth, polished, calm and collected professional demeanor and delivery, which she was able to develop and hone during her time with Fox. This makes her message even more convincing to MAGA Repubicans, and even more egregious to those who see through her lies.
Kari Lake is a MAGA Republican who fuly embraces Trumpism. In Trumpism it's not about facts, truth, and objective reality. In Trumpism it's doesn't matter what names you call your fellow politicians or how much you lie. In Trumpism it doesn't matter how much B.S. you spew from your mouth. Because in Trumpism all that matters is winning, at all costs.