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Arizona GOP’s Kari Lake to Announce Senate Bid

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Arizona Republican Kari Lake, who was last year’s Republican gubernatorial nominee in the Grand Canyon State, will announce her candidacy for U.S. Senate during an October 10 rally in Phoenix.

The Wall Street Journal’s Elia Collins first reported on Lake’s plans on Thursday, having spoken with Lake about her forthcoming announcement.

“We need to get a senator in there who is going to fight back and put America first,” Lake told the outlet.

Lake, a former Fox 10 Phoenix anchor who left the news industry over liberal bias, joins Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb in the Republican primary field. Arizona’s 2022 GOP Senate nominee Blake Masters was reportedly weighing a run, but Collins noted former President Donald Trump spoke with Masters via phone call “and walked through Lake’s strengths in a GOP primary, according to people familiar with the call.” (Read more from “Arizona GOP’s Kari Lake to Announce Senate Bid” HERE)

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What’s Going On in Arizona? Here’s Why GOP Official Had to Step in as ‘Acting Governor’

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By Eden Villalovas. Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee stepped in as acting governor for less than 24 hours without an explanation for why Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) was absent.

Yee announced in a press release on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she would temporarily serve as acting governor of Arizona from Wednesday evening until mid-morning Thursday, stating she’s “pleased to step into this role.” No explanation has been provided as to why Hobbs is absent.

A top Republican, Yee vowed not to use her interim new power to appoint 13 nominees as state agency directors and will refrain from calling the Arizona legislature into session to confirm them.

“While I am pleased to step into this role, I will refrain from naming directors to the 13 agencies that currently have vacancies and will not call the Arizona Legislature into session to confirm them,” Yee wrote. “That being said, I do hope when the Governor returns to Arizona, she will promptly name qualified directors to these important state agencies.”

Yee has been critical of how the Democratic governor bypassed the Senate confirmation process for heads of state agencies by reassigning her 13 picks as “deputy directors.” Hobbs announced on Monday that she was ditching the long-standing Senate vetting process, stating she was fed up with the “political circus” that has caused stalled appointments and will pursue “other lawful avenues” to appoint nominees. (Read more about the acting governor appointment HERE)

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Where Hobbs Was (Allegedly)

By Townhall. On Thursday, the Arizona Republic reported that Hobbs “was in Washington D.C. Wednesday for a meeting about border issues with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas following a week-long visit to Taiwan, an important Arizona trade ally. She flew back to the state Thursday to meet with President Joe Biden, who arrived Wednesday night for a visit that promoted his campaign messages.”

The report not only sought to address “an erroneous news report” from Fox News about Hobbs, which was later corrected, but sought to downplay the speculation about where Hobbs was. “Hobbs didn’t disappear,” the report claimed, also noting that Treasurer Kimberly Yee “was acting governor for less than 24 hours,” though that’s still a noteworthy 24 hours.

The Arizona Republic revealed Hobbs’ whereabouts at 4:54pm Mountain Standard Time, so people can be forgiven for wondering what was going on when there was so little known for so long.

Further, if Hobbs was indeed “meeting about border issues,” and we have no evidence she wasn’t, wouldn’t that be something Democrats would promote, given how they’ve been rightfully criticized for how the party–the Biden administration especially–has handled the issue?

(Read more from “What’s Going On in Arizona? Here’s Why 4th in Line Had to Step in as ‘Acting Governor'” HERE)

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Arizona Secretary of State Says Trump Cannot Be Kept off State Ballot

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Democratic Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes claimed Wednesday that he does not have the power to keep former President Donald Trump off the ballot next year as critics argue Trump violated a constitutional amendment that would disqualify him.

Some legal scholars and critics of the former president claim Trump violated the 14th Amendment during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The amendment bars those who’ve taken an oath to support the Constitution from holding office again if they’ve “engaged in insurrection” against the United States or “given aid or comfort” to its enemies.

Fontes referred to a state Supreme Court ruling last year that determined the disqualification clause of the Constitution can only be enforced through Congress.

“Does a 25-year-old get to be on the ballot in Arizona for president?” Fontes asked the Arizona Republic. “According to the logic of the Arizona Supreme Court, they do. That having been said, can the Arizona Supreme Court be overturned? If somebody brings a lawsuit? Well, any law can be overturned in a judicial action. Now, I’m not inviting someone to sue me, although it probably will end up happening.” (Read more from “Arizona Secretary of State Says Trump Cannot Be Kept off State Ballot” HERE)

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Arizona Federal Judge Temporarily Rules Males Can Compete in Girls’ Sports

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Last week, a federal judge in Tucson, Arizona, ruled in favor of the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction blocking a state law that would prevent males from participating in girls’ sports. Arizona’s Save Women’s Sports Act was passed in 2022 and signed into law by then-Gov. Doug Ducey, ensuring that “…athletic teams or sports designated for ‘females,’ ‘women,’ or ‘girls’ may not be open to students of the male sex.”

Prior to the law’s passage in 2022, the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) had a policy allowing males to play on girls’ sports teams if they submitted a request that was approved by a “committee of medical and psychiatric experts, and consistent with AIA health and safety policy and if not motivated by an improper purpose.”

Arizona is not the only state to pass a law protecting girls’ sports. At least 20 other states have passed similar laws, most of which are also facing legal challenges. . .

However, the order, written by Obama-appointed Judge Jennifer Zipps, makes numerous “findings of facts and conclusions of law,” most of which sound like gobbledygook pulled straight from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) website.

According to Judge Zipps, the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claims that the Arizona law is unconstitutional because the two transgender plaintiffs, 11 and 15 years old, respectively, have taken medication that prevents them from going through male puberty. (Read more from “Arizona Federal Judge Temporarily Rules Males Can Compete in Girls’ Sports” HERE)

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Dem Governor Vetoes Trans Student Bathroom Bill

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This week, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, vetoed a bill backed by Republicans that would have put requirements in place regarding which bathrooms transgender students can use.

The legislation, Senate Bill 1040, would have required transgender students to use public school bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their biological sex instead of their gender identity. Legislation like this would protect women’s spaces from males who identify as women, which Townhall has covered.

In her veto letter, Hobbs described the bill as “discriminatory” and claimed that it “harms” transgender children.

“Senate Bill 1040 is yet another discriminatory act against LGBTQ+ youth passed by the majority at the state Legislature,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter. “I will veto every bill that aims to attack and harm children.” (Read more from “Dem Governor Vetoes Trans Student Bathroom Bill” HERE)

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WATCH: Democrat State Rep. Caught on Camera Hiding Bibles from Colleagues

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Arizona State Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (D-Tucson) was caught on camera hiding Bibles from her colleagues in the House members-only lounge at the Arizona State Capitol.

When Bibles started disappearing from the lounge, security officers set up a hidden camera to see who was behind the theft. Not too long after that, they discovered Stahl Hamilton was the culprit, according to a report by AZFamily.

AZFamily journalist David Caltabiano posted video footage of the state representative taking a Bible from a console table in the lounge and appearing to hide it.

Some of the missing Bibles were reportedly found under seat cushions in the lounge, and one was found in the refrigerator. (Read more from “WATCH: Democrat State Rep. Caught on Camera Hiding Bibles from Colleagues” HERE)

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New ‘Late Exit’ Poll Finds Eight Percent More Arizona Voters Said They Voted for Lake Over Hobbs

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Rasmussen Reports and College Republicans United issued the results of a type of “late exit” poll on Friday, revealing that likely Arizona voters said they voted for former Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake over Governor Katie Hobbs 51 percent to 43 percent.

Also, the poll found these likely Arizona voters voted for Abe Hamadeh and Mark Finchem over their Democratic opponents who won those respective state races. . .

In the gubernatorial poll, 5 percent said they voted for someone else, and 2 percent said they were unsure. Women voted for Lake over Hobbs by a 49 to 43 percent margin. Similarly, Arizonans have a more favorable view of Lake than Hobbs. Over 50 percent view Lake positively; 30 percent find her “very favorable,” and 21 percent “somewhat favorable.” In contrast, Hobbs’ favorability is at 44 percent, with 25 percent viewing her as “very favorable” and 19 percent as “somewhat favorable.”

When asked who they voted for in the attorney general’s race, 49 percent of likely voters said Hamadeh, compared to 43 percent for Kris Mayes. In addition, 4 percent said someone else, and 5 percent were unsure of who to vote for.

In the Arizona Secretary of State’s race, 46 percent said they voted for Finchem to 43 percent who voted for Adrian Fontes. Furthermore, 5 percent saying they voted for someone else, and 6 percent were unsure. Women also preferred Finchem and Hamadeh over their Democratic opponents. (Read more from “New ‘Late Exit’ Poll Finds Eight Percent More Arizona Voters Said They Voted for Lake Over Hobbs” HERE)

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Decorated Navy SEAL Dies in Parachute Training Accident; Family Devastated

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A Navy SEAL died Sunday after a military freefall parachute training accident in Arizona, Military.com reported.

“Navy SEAL Mike Ernst was a courageous warrior, loving husband, devoted father, and steadfast teammate to his fellow SEALs,” Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), a retired Navy rear admiral tweeted Friday.

“Mike tragically died in a military parachute training accident while serving his country,” Jackson added.

Jackson included a touching photo of the father-of-two with his wife, children, and dog, encouraging people to consider donating to the sailor’s family.

(Read more from “Decorated Navy SEAL Dies in Parachute Training Accident; Family Devastated” HERE)

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Ariz. Rancher Charged with Mexican Man’s Murder Framed by ‘Traffickers’: Defense

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The elderly Arizona rancher charged with murdering a Mexican national on his property is being framed by violent traffickers who have been using his lands for illicit activities, his defense argued Wednesday.

George Alan Kelly, 75, faces one first-degree murder charge and two assault charges for the Jan. 30 death of Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, on his ranch on the border outside Nogales, Ariz.

In Santa Cruz County court, however, Kelly’s defense attorney Brenna Larkin said her client was being targeted by smugglers who were intimidating witnesses and skewing the investigation.

“Absolutely the least likely thing that happened in this case is that Mr. Kelly randomly decided to … start shooting at random people,” Larkin argued, noting that there was a “large incentive” for deceitful witnesses to come forward after “succumbing to pressure from traffickers.”

Larkin alleged the traffickers are interested in “securing their route” through Kelly’s property, and are using his case as a message to others not to challenge them. (Read more from “Ariz. Rancher Charged with Mexican Man’s Murder Framed by ‘Traffickers’: Defense” HERE)

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As Republicans Launch New Legal Strikes, Arizona’s Largest County Says 4,849 Ballots Not Counted

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Arizona Republican candidates Abe Hamadeh and Kari Lake have launched new legal maneuvers to contest the November election as the state’s largest county gave its most detailed explanation to date on why it did not count more than 4,800 provisional ballots cast two months ago.

Hamadeh, the GOP’s attorney general nominee. on Tuesday filed a motion for a new trial after a Mohave County Superior Court judge dismissed his and the Republican National Committee’s election challenge just before Christmas.

While Hamedeh lost Dec. 23, he forced into public new evidence of voting problems in Pinal County that even Arizona’s new Democrat secretary of state concedes was troubling. That new evidence is one focus of his request for a new trial.

“Today, I am filing a ‘Motion for New Trial’ after the shocking revelations from the recount,” Hamadeh tweeted Tuesday. “It’s simple, if the judge allows us to inspect and count the ballots – we win. Kris Mayes will either resign or be removed from office. Count the votes accurately.” . . .

Regarding the vote count discrepancy, Hamadeh told Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk on The Charlie Kirk Show, that the judge in his case “was pushed around by the secretary of state, Katie Hobbs’, and Kris Mayes’ legal teams. That’s what I mean when I say I give Democrats credit. They intimidated this judge. They basically withheld information. They snookered him.” (Read more from “As Republicans Launch New Legal Strikes, Arizona’s Largest County Says 4,849 Ballots Not Counted” HERE)

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