Katie Hobbs Archives - The Arizona Sun Times

Arizona State Officials Call Upon Katie Hobbs to Reject Universal ESA Law Referendum

September 30, 2022September 29, 2022 Neil Jones

Arizona officials are now calling out Secretary of State Katie Hobbs to expedite the signature counting process for the referendum against Arizona’s Universal Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) law, including the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Ben Toma (R-Maricopa).

“We expect that your office will have formally rejected the referendum petition as legally insufficient no later than the opening of business on Friday morning,” Toma said in a letter to Hobbs. “If the full and effective implementation of H.B. 2853 continues to be obstructed, the Arizona House of Representatives will exercise its constitutional oversight function in order to find facts and ultimately to determine what, if any, legislation may be required to prohibit, deter, and penalize such dishonesty in future campaigns and administrations, and to ensure that the statutory procedures for filing and processing ballot measure petitions cannot be manipulated to enable such misconduct.”

Kari Lake’s First TV Ad of the General Election Sheds Light on Her Background

September 29, 2022September 28, 2022 Neil Jones

Arizona’s Republican Gubernatorial Candidate, Kari Lake, sheds light on her upbringing and why she supports Arizona in a new TV ad launched Tuesday entitled “Origin Story.”

“While the media and the establishment have spent millions of dollars lying about Kari Lake with fake news reports and headlines, Kari has spent the past year bypassing the corporate media and successfully delivering her message directly to the people of Arizona. That’s what she’ll continue to do in the final weeks of this campaign,” said Lake’s Communications Director, Ross Trumble, in a press release.

Lake Completes Two Stops on ‘Ask Me Anything’ Tour

September 23, 2022September 22, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee, who just this week announced that she would host an “Ask Me Anything” tour as her opponent continues to duck a debate, has completed the first stop on that tour.

“My ‘Ask Me Anything Tour’ has been an incredible experience so far,” said Kari Lake on Twitter. “I’ve been meeting patriots from all over Arizona, who are so excited to hear my plans for this state.”

Kari Lake Blasts Opponent Katie Hobbs for Dodging Interview Regarding Refusal to Debate

September 23, 2022September 22, 2022 Neil Jones

Kari Lake, Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee, blasted her opponent Katie Hobbs for walking away from an interview questioning why she refused to debate Lake.

“The world is not an easy place, and if she can’t stand up and debate me, then she can’t stand up against the cartels, she can’t stand up against the forces that are working against the people of Arizona. She needs to show that she has courage and get on that stage,” Lake shared in a press release.

Kari Lake Launches ‘Ask Me Anything’ Tour After Hobbs’ Refusal to Debate

September 21, 2022September 20, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee says she will conduct a wide-ranging tour to answer voters’ questions while her Democrat opponent remains noticeably absent from the campaign trail.

Kari Lake said in a video posted to her Twitter account that she is announcing an “Ask Me Anything” tour in response to Secretary of State Katie Hobbs’s refusal to share a stage with her, escalating what has been a one-sided war in that arena.

Kari Lake Still Waiting for Katie Hobbs to Denounce Organizations Which Oppose the Police

September 21, 2022September 20, 2022 Neil Jones

Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake and the Arizona Police Association (APA) have received radio silence from Democrat Katie Hobbs since sending her a letter six days ago demanding she denounce her allies who support defunding the police.

“Arizona voters are finally seeing who Katie Hobbs really is – a radical BLM activist who signs pledges denouncing law enforcement and fraternizes with dangerous ‘defund the police’ activists on the Left. Maybe that’s why she’s so afraid to share a debate stage with me, because she’ll be forced to defend her extreme anti-public safety positions,” Lake said in a press release.

‘Arizona Sun Times Sunday’ Debuts on AZTV 7

September 20, 2022September 19, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

On Sunday evening, “Arizona Sun Times Sunday,” a half-hour news show produced by The Star News Network, debuted on AZTV 7, the state’s largest independent broadcast entity.

Michael Patrick Leahy, editor-in-chief at Star News and its Arizona Sun Times newspaper, hosts the new Phoenix-based program at 10 p.m. on Sundays. Episodes can also be seen on demand at The Sun Times’s website.

Lake Widening Margin Against Hobbs in Latest Trafalgar Poll

September 20, 2022September 19, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

The latest poll in Arizona’s high-profile gubernatorial race shows Republican Kari Lake widening her margin of victory over Democrat Katie Hobbs.

The poll, conducted by the Trafalgar Group between September 14 and September 17 among 1080 likely 2022 voters, shows Lake with a lead of 50 percent to 45.6 percent.

Blake Masters Campaign Celebrates Momentum in ‘Dead Heat’ Race Following New Poll Results

September 20, 2022September 19, 2022 Neil Jones

A new poll from the Trafalgar Group shows Trumped-endorsed Republican Senate nominee Blake Masters making momentum against his opponent, incumbent Mark Kelly (D-AZ).

“This race is a dead heat despite Mark Kelly spending $60 million to paint himself as some type of moderate, when he’s been nothing more than a rubber stamp for Joe Biden’s failed agenda. Blake Masters is gaining momentum every day as voters learn about Kelly’s extreme voting record and reject him,” said Blake Masters’s press contact Zachery Henry to the Arizona Sun Times.

Kari Lake Says She Will Be the Governor to Back the Police

September 17, 2022September 16, 2022 Neil Jones

Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake spoke at a press conference Thursday in support of Arizona police.

“I want these men and women behind me to know that on your darkest day, on your toughest day, when you’re in the middle of that storm, I will be standing right there by you as your governor,” Lake said. “I will not step away. I will not waiver. I will support you until you have due process. That’s what these men and women deserve.”

Another Law Enforcement Group Endorses Kari Lake

September 15, 2022September 14, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Wednesday announced that she has received an endorsement from yet another law enforcement organization.

“I have been endorsed by the Maricopa County Deputies Law Enforcement Officer Association The McDLEA seeks to ‘promote the positive role of the law enforcement profession’ throughout the county. Our law enforcement officers will have my full support & I’m honored to have theirs,” Lake said on Twitter.

Lake Asks Debate Commission to Extend Deadline for Hobbs to Accept Invitation

September 14, 2022September 13, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake is continuing her onslaught of opponent Katie Hobbs, the Democrat Secretary of State, who is refusing to debate.

The saga, which has been taking place for weeks, has mostly revolved around Hobbs’s unwillingness to share a stage with Lake.

Katie Hobbs Officially Declines to Debate Kari Lake

September 13, 2022September 12, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

After the Arizona Clean Elections Commission rejected Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs’s proposal for dueling town halls with Republican gubernatorial opponent Kari Lake, Hobbs has officially declined a formal debate.

“We must respectfully decline the invitation,” said a statement from Hobbs’s campaign.

Katie Hobbs’ Education Plan Bashes School Vouchers

September 13, 2022September 12, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, running for Arizona’s highest office, released an education plan that bashes school vouchers and calls for tighter restrictions on charter schools.

“Katie continues to oppose the universal expansion of school vouchers. As governor, she will work to roll back universal vouchers, which the legislature enacted against the will of voters this year,” according to the plan. “Vouchers should not have been expanded to provide an unaccountable means of enriching private schools and defunding our local public schools.”

Emerson Poll Shows Tight Races for Arizona Senate, Governor

September 10, 2022September 9, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

An Emerson poll released Friday shows that both the U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races in Arizona, are essentially dead heats.

The poll shows Sen. Mark Kelly (R-AZ) leading his insurgent challenger Blake Masters by only two points, 47 percent to 45 percent. Five percent of voters remain undecided, and four percent say they will vote for someone else. Meanwhile, 53 percent say they expect Kelly to win, regardless of whom they support.

Arizona GOP Disputes Katie Hobbs’ Portrayal of Herself as a Moderate in Her New Border Security Ad

September 10, 2022September 9, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Arizona Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who is running for governor, is pivoting her campaign ads to “clone herself as a ‘moderate,’” Arizona Republican Party Chair Jerimiah Cota contends. A new ad from Hobbs states that she will “keep our border secure,” but Cota said in a statement that “this is far from the truth.”

He said, “This statement is absurd implying that the border was secure to begin with. On top of that, Katie cannot expect the people of Arizona to forget her atrocious record when it comes to border security. … She has actively worked against securing Arizona’s border her entire career. We view Hobbs and her team’s attempt to trick an entire state into forgetting her anti-border security history as an insult to the intelligence of Arizonans.”

Kari Lake Accuses Opponent Katie Hobbs of Hiding as the Clean Election Commission Rejects Her Request for Town Hall-Style Debate

September 10, 2022September 9, 2022 Neil Jones

Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake slammed her opponent Katie Hobbs Thursday after the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission (AZCCEC) rejected Hobbs’s request for an unorthodox debate format.

“It’s becoming clearer everyday that Hobbs’ strategy is to hide from me, the Press, and Voters throughout the entirety of this campaign and run out the clock on the people of Arizona. Fortunately, the Clean Elections Commission refused to play inter her game and voted down her proposal for a town hall safe space,” said Lake. ” I will take part in the debate format that I already agreed to, and if Katie Hobbs grows a spine between now and October 12th, she is welcome to join me!”

Lake Rips Hobbs for ‘Safe Space’ Town Hall Proposal

September 9, 2022September 8, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee laid into her Democrat opponent in a letter to the Citizens for Clean Elections Commission, claiming that the town hall proposed by that opponent is an unacceptable forum for the pair to meet on stage.

Kari Lake has been calling on Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, the Democrat party’s nominee for Arizona’s highest office, to debate her. For weeks, Hobbs was silent.

Hobbs Refuses to Share Stage with Lake at Chamber of Commerce Forum

September 9, 2022September 8, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

At a Wednesday night Chamber of Commerce event, the Democrat Party’s nominee for governor of Arizona refused to take the stage with Republican nominee Kari Lake.

“I was supposed to be up on stage with [Katie Hobbs] at this Arizona Chamber of Commerce forum. Instead, I’m watching from the Audience because she’s a coward. I’ll be speaking next, stay tuned!” Lake said on Twitter during the event.

Hobbs Paying Google to Redirect Searches from Lake Campaign

September 8, 2022September 7, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

In what her Republican opponent Kari Lake is calling a “dirty trick,” Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, also Arizona’s Democrat nominee for governor, is paying Google to redirect internet users who search for Lake to her own donation page.

Lake posted the following screenshot in a fundraising email:

Arizona GOP Gubernatorial Nominee Kari Lake Blasts Dem Opponent Katie Hobbs for Ducking Debate

September 6, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee is thrashing her Democrat opponent over that Democrat’s refusal to debate her before the November general election.

“13 days ago, I offered up the sweetest debate offer in history. [Secretary of State Katie Hobbs] waited until 2 hours before the official [Arizona Clean Elections Committee] deadline & denied my offer. She has disdain for us, Arizona. She thinks we are beneath her. We’re going to beat her like a drum in November, folks,” Kari Lake said on Twitter Friday.

Pinal County Sheriff Slams Katie Hobbs over New Border Campaign Ad

September 1, 2022August 31, 2022 Neil Jones

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb blasted a new border security campaign ad from Democrat gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs in a statement Tuesday, claiming Arizona can’t afford to have her as governor.

“Katie Hobbs has openly opposed filling the border wall gaps and supported ending Title 42, which makes our jobs harder and puts us in the line of fire,” Lamb said in a release from the Kari Lake Campaign. “We cannot afford a Governor who will do nothing to stop the unprecedented human trafficking and drug trafficking at our southern border.”

Lake, Hobbs Duel over Border Security

September 1, 2022August 31, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Gubernatorial candidates Kari Lake, a Republican, and Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, are dueling over border security after Hobbs launched an ad claiming she will secure the border.

“Katie Hobbs will deliver whatever resources are needed to keep you safe, my team safe, our state safe. She’s not here to politicize the border. Katie Hobbs has a plan and solutions,” says Democrat Sheriff Chris Nanos of Pima County in the ad.

Kari Lake Celebrates Momentum as New Poll Shows Her in Lead over Opponent Hobbs

August 30, 2022August 29, 2022 Neil Jones

The Trafalgar Group recently unveiled new survey results involving the Arizona governor seat race, showing Trump-endorsed Kari Lake with a slight lead over her gubernatorial rival, Democrat Katie Hobbs.

“Katie Hobbs had every advantage heading into this race after she faced an easy primary. Instead, despite a tough GOP primary, Kari Lake has seized the lead before Labor Day,” said the Lake campaign in a press release. “Katie Hobbs is simply too much of a Biden-supporting liberal extremist for Arizona. Our campaign will only continue to build on this momentum as Republicans keep uniting around Kari Lake, and Arizonans learn more about her plans to put Arizona First, fix our economy and secure the border.”

New Poll Shows Kari Lake with Small Lead, Blake Masters Down Three Percent

August 30, 2022August 29, 2022 Aaron Gulbransen

A new poll released by the Trafalgar Group shows Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake with a 0.7 percent lead over Democrat Katie Hobbs and GOP U.S. Senate nominee Blake Masters facing a 3.3 percent deficit to incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator John Kelly (D-AZ).

The poll was conducted from August 24 through August 27, had 1074 respondents that were likely general election voters, had a confidence rating of 95 percent, and had a margin of error of 2.9 percent.

Another ‘Defund Police’ Group Endorses Katie Hobbs

August 26, 2022August 25, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Another group that advocates for defunding the police has endorsed Arizona’s Democrat gubernatorial candidate, in what is becoming a pattern.

“As Arizonans grapple with an all out ban on abortion that [Kari Lake] has promised to defend, I’m proud to have [NARAL Arizona’s] endorsement. Arizonans deserve a governor who will fight to let them make their own decisions about their lives, families, & futures,” said Secretary of State and Democrat candidate for governor Katie Hobbs.

Bill Kristol-Led PAC Vows to Spend $2 Million Against Kari Lake

August 26, 2022August 25, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

An anti-Trump blogger who presided over the demise of The Weekly Standard and now works at a neoconservative outfit called The Bulwark is leading a supposed “Republican” effort against Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.

The Republican Accountability Project (RAP), which is funded by rich leftists and run by Trump hater Bill Kristol, will reportedly spend two million dollars through its Political Action Committee (PAC) to defeat Lake in the upcoming November election.

Kari Lake Accuses Mainstream Media of Biased Coverage, Ignoring Her Homelessness Plan

August 24, 2022August 23, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Kari Lake, the Trump-endorsed former news anchor running for governor in Arizona, expressed frustration about the mainstream media’s failure to cover her comprehensive plan to combat homelessness.

A news search reveals that other than one story in February from KTAR, the mainstream media has ignored her plan. KTAR, a radio station which politically leans right, is not considered a mainstream news outlet.

Lake issued her plan earlier this year.
“You choose to cover bogus stories to try and stir the pot,” Lake told reporters during a press conference about her homelessness policy on Aug. 12, directly addressing Brahm Resnik, a partisan local reporter for Channel 12. “And the people of Arizona are on to it, Brahm, that’s why they’re not watching you. That’s why you have just 2,000 viewers for your 10 o’clock newscast. “We have had this policy out for a number of months now, almost a year as a matter of fact. And none of you, not a single one of you, have tried to cover this story. You get caught up in a bunch of b.s. stories that the public doesn’t care about.”

Lake Slams Hobbs for Voting Record on Abortion

August 19, 2022August 18, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

In a series of tweets, Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake slammed her opponent, current Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, for Hobb’s record on abortion.

“[Katie Hobbs] supports Abortion up to the moment of birth & even 3 days after She also supports the gruesome, unimaginable act of leaving babies on a medical tray to die, should they survive a botched Abortion procedure,” Lake said. “This is the stuff out of nightmares & horror stories.”

Charlie Kirk Calls Arizona the ‘Battleground That Can Determine the Future of America’

August 16, 2022August 15, 2022 Neil Jones

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk spoke at an Arizona rally Sunday, telling the people that this is the battleground state that can determine the future of America.

“You live in the state that is now the battleground, 50-50, hundreds of millions of Democrat dollars are coming into this state because as Arizona goes, America goes,” Kirk said. “You live in the place where everything you do matters. You live in the state, where if America is going to survive as a Constitutional Republic, separation of powers, independent judiciary, respect for the unborn, protection of our children. It’s all going to happen here.”

Hobbs Says November Election Choice Between ‘Sanity and Chaos,’ Lake Calls Comparison ‘Laughable’

August 15, 2022August 16, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Arizona’s secretary of state and current Democrat nominee for governor says November’s election is a choice between “sanity and chaos,” suggesting that Democrats are the “sane” party.

“First and foremost, this race for governor is, I don’t think, about Democrats or Republicans. It’s really a choice between sanity or chaos,” Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) said on Sunday. “I’m someone who’s battle-tested as a statewide leader, with a track record of working across the aisle to get the job done for Arizonans.”

Lake Campaign Calls for Republican Unity After Winning Primary

August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Kari Lake’s campaign says it’s a new day in Arizona politics after the candidate was declared the victor in her primary race for the governor’s office.

“It’s morning again in Arizona,” Lake Chief Strategist Billy Grant told The Arizona Sun Times Thursday. “Kari is totally focused on uniting this party and defeating Katie Hobbs.”

Democrat Gubernatorial Nominee Katie Hobbs Slammed for Poor Job as Secretary of State, Tuesday’s Primary Vote Count in Arizona Described as ‘Glacial’

August 3, 2022August 3, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

As vote counting continues in Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial election, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, the Democrat nominee, is being slammed for the slow vote count.

“Arizona’s glacial vote-counting isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for how Katie Hobbs would perform as governor,” said John Gabriel, editor-in-chief of Ricochet.

Katie Hobbs Sat on Board of Radical Far-Left, Soros-Funded Leadership Group

August 1, 2022August 1, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Disclosure forms submitted by Arizona Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs (D) show that she sat on the board of a far-left leadership group at least until 2015, when she was a state senator.

Arizona Leading for Change is a progressive group that has compared police to Nazis during the Holocaust, and suggested that police officers are “white supremacists.”

Democrat Gubernatorial Candidate Katie Hobbs Faces High Staff Turnover, Former Staffers Cite ‘Emotionally Abusive’ Environment

August 1, 2022July 31, 2022 Cooper Moran

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs has faced high campaign staff turnover, and former employees have pointed to an “emotionally abusive” environment, according to a new report.

The Arizona Agenda, which describes itself as “an insider publication for political outsiders,” spoke to former employees of the Hobbs campaign and originally detailed the controversy.

Arizona Democratic Party Chair Refuses to Denounce ‘Defund the Police’ Movement

July 26, 2022July 25, 2022 Cooper Moran

Arizona Democratic Party Chair Raquel Terán refused to denounce the “Defund the Police” movement in a recent interview.

Terán, who is running for state Senate, has often touted an endorsement from Planned Parenthood. On her website, she highlights the support and says the state must “elect a Democratic majority in our state to protect access to safe and secure abortions for those who seek care.”

Kari Lake, Blake Masters Up Double Digits in Their Races: Poll

July 21, 2022July 20, 2022 Rachel Alexander

The Arizona primary election is less than two weeks away, as large numbers of undecided voters contribute to wavering poll numbers. However, a new poll by Gateway Pundit/Cygnal on the U.S. Senate and gubernatorial GOP primary races shows the Trump-endorsed candidates, Kari Lake for governor and Blake Masters for U.S. Senate, leading by double digits.

Arizona Planned Parenthood Demands Candidates Denounce Police Support in Order to Obtain Endorsement

July 16, 2022July 15, 2022 Cooper Moran

Planned Parenthood Arizona’s political arm demands that candidates denounce the support of law enforcement groups in order to obtain the group’s endorsement.

According to a report from Axios, the group formally adopted a policy to require candidates to deny financial donations from law enforcement organizations and return any donations received.

Kari Lake Outraises Democratic Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs’ in Gubernatorial Race During First Quarter of 2022

May 22, 2022May 21, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Democrats are mostly resigned to supporting Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs as their candidate for Arizona governor, despite the fact she admitted to participating in furthering systemic racism, by firing a black staffer which resulted in a $2.5 million dollar jury verdict. Yet despite the near consensus supporting Hobbs, her fundraising numbers were stagnant for the first quarter of 2022.

Hobbs triumphantly issued a press release after compiling her total fundraising numbers for 2021, nearly $3 million. But she hasn’t gained any momentum despite the party starting to coalesce around her; during the first quarter of 2022 she raised about $750,000, which is in line with the same rate she raised money last year. A Democratic insider told The Arizona Sun Times in January that the party was resigned to Hobbs getting the nomination, yet there was no bump to reflect this.

Report: Yavapai County Has Unmonitored Ballot Drop Box Despite Arizona Attorney General Brnovich Stating Drop Boxes Violate Felony Law

May 18, 2022May 17, 2022 Rachel Alexander

State Rep. Shawnna Bolick (R-Phoenix) was driving through Skull Valley in Yavapai County, Arizona, two weeks ago when she noticed an unmonitored ballot drop box in the parking lot of the U.S. Postal Service. Unmonitored ballot drop boxes have become a big concern lately due to the new Dinesh D’Souza documentary 2,000 Mules, which traced GPS cell phone locations to show that around 2,000 people may have illegally transferred handfuls of ballots repeatedly from left-leaning nonprofits to these drop boxes in swing states including Arizona.

Bolick tweeted, “Why does the Skull Valley, AZ US Post Office have an unmanned drop box for mail-in ballots in its parking lot when it has a blue mailbox in front of the post office that can already receive mail-in ballots?” She told The Arizona Sun Times she has a call scheduled with the Yavapai County Recorder Leslie Hoffman to discuss them.

2,000 Mules Revealed Alleged Massive Ballot Harvesting in Arizona, AG Brnovich Already Prosecuting

May 14, 2022May 16, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Conservative commentator and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza recently released a documentary, 2,000 Mules, which features the work of True the Vote tracking GPS cell phone locations from around the 2020 election period to track what they have named “mules,” people purportedly illegally transporting hundreds of thousands of ballots from left-leaning nonprofits and depositing them in unmonitored drop boxes in several key swing states, including Arizona. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich may have already prosecuted one of the mules discussed in the documentary, a Democratic former official in San Luis, and he is currently litigating in court with Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs over her attempts to allow unmonitored drop boxes in the state Elections Procedures Manual (EPM).

In the documentary, a whistleblower whose identity is disguised discusses a prominent Democratic official in San Luis — which is a small town of about 25,500 located in Yuma County — who engaged in ballot harvesting and even enlisted her to assist. Last year, Brnovich’s office prosecuted Guillermina Fuentes, who was a previous mayor of San Luis, a Democratic precinct committee person, and a member of the Gadsden Elementary School Board. A grand jury indicted her in December on one count of ballot abuse, also known as ballot harvesting, for collecting four ballots from people and turning them in. She has a change of plea hearing scheduled for June 2.

Gubernatorial Candidate Kari Lake Calls Arizona 2020 Election Audit ‘Death by a Thousand Knife Wounds’

May 9, 2022May 8, 2022 Addison Basurto

When asked what big takeaway there was in the Maricopa County election audit, Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake told The Georgia Star News, “There were so many. It’s like death by a thousand paper cuts. I call it death by a thousand knife wounds because these are so much bigger than paper cuts.”

“We had 34,000 votes that were counted two, three or four times, 740,000 ballots with no chain-of-custody. They shouldn’t have even been counted, and it goes on and on. The wrong paper stock was used,” she added.

Democrat Gubernatorial Candidate Katie Hobbs Seemingly Flip-Flops Position on Title 42

April 27, 2022April 26, 2022 Cooper Moran

Democrat gubernatorial hopeful Katie Hobbs is, again, facing intense blowback during her campaign, as she seemingly flip-flopped her position on Title 42.

Title 42 is a public health order from the Trump administration that allowed border officials to turn away individuals due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. President Joe Biden’s administration is seeking to end the policy.

Democrat Arizona Secretary of State and Gubernatorial Candidate Katie Hobbs Praises Biden for Removing Title 42 Restrictions at the Border

April 6, 2022April 5, 2022 Rachel Alexander

While many leading Democrats, including both of Arizona’s U.S. Senators, Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, are upset with the Biden administration’s decision to end the Title 42 COVID-19 restrictions on U.S. borders, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs praised the decision. The Title 42 order, issued by the Centers for Disease Control in March 2020 under the Trump administration, has been used by Customs and Border Protection to prevent 1.7 million migrants from entering the country. They are either sent back to Mexico or on flights to other countries.

When asked by 3TV about the change and how it would affect border security, Hobbs said, “Title 42 should not be a substitute for that. As governor, I will work to, with the federal government, make sure that Arizonans are secure, they need to put more resources and securing the border. We need more resources to address the influx of migrants coming to the border.”

Arizona Attorney General Brnovich Asks Cochise County Attorney for Felony Criminal Investigation into Arizona Secretary of State Hobbs

April 2, 2022April 1, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has come under fire for her handling of the electronic system used to collect online signatures for political candidates, E-Qual. The system was not updated to accommodate new redistricting, which has made it very difficult for campaigns to collect enough signatures in time to make the ballot this fall. On March 17, Hobbs took the entire system offline, making it impossible to collect any signatures at all online, so Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich asked Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre on March 29 to “investigate and take any appropriate enforcement actions (civil and criminal).”

McIntyre told the Arizona Sun Times, “I can confirm that we have received the request and begun the investigative process.”

State Rep. Richard Andrade Withdraws Endorsement from Secretary of State Hobbs Running for Governor

March 21, 2022March 20, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Fallout is continuing after a multimillion dollar jury verdict was awarded to a former staffer of Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs due to Hobbs’ racist and sexist treatment of her. Hobbs admitted, “I participated in furthering systemic racism.” Democrats immediately started dropping their support of her candidacy for Arizona governor, with most recently State Rep. Richard Andrade (D-Glendale) announcing his decision to switch his endorsement to former Nogales Mayor Marco Lopez.

The Arizona Sun Times asked Kari Lake, the leading gubernatorial candidate on the Republican side who recently joined a lawsuit against Hobbs, what she thought of this latest development. She responded, “The movement we are experiencing is so strong I don’t care who the Democrats put up against me, I will crush them in November.”

Democratic Former Maricopa County Recorder Running for Secretary of State Calls to Impeach Attorney General Brnovich

March 17, 2022March 16, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Democratic former Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes, who is running for Arizona Secretary of State, is calling for the Arizona Legislature to impeach Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich. The former county elections chief said it is due to Brnovich’s “grotesque political self-service, abuse of office, and other bad acts.”

Fontes declared, “It is well past time for Arizona’s legislative leadership to investigate, for possible impeachment proceedings, the increasing instability of our state’s top prosecutor.”

Kari Lake Joins Arizona GOP’s Lawsuit Against Secretary of State Hobbs to Stop Unmonitored Ballot Drop Boxes and Include Signature Verification Procedures

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Kari Lake may not be elected to office yet, but she is following through already on her vows to protect election integrity. The leading Arizona gubernatorial candidate filed an amicus curiae brief with the Arizona Supreme Court in the case Arizona Republican Party v. Hobbs, which asks the court to compel Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, to include signature verification procedures in the election procedures manual and remove the language she added authorizing the setup of unmonitored ballot drop boxes. Additionally, it challenges “no-excuse” early ballots as violating the Arizona Constitution.

Lake said in a statement, “Voters have made it very clear that they are demanding nothing less than completely secure elections and we’re going to give it to them come hell or high water.” She said a forensic investigation earlier this year along with a canvass of absentee voters, which uncovered tens of thousands of irregularities with ballots cast in the 2020 general election, compelled her to enter the lawsuit.

Arizonans for Voter ID Act Makes Ballot, and 15 Election Integrity Bills Have Passed the Arizona House

March 3, 2022March 2, 2022 Rachel Alexander

The Arizona Legislature has voted to send the Arizonans for Voter ID Act to the ballot as a proposition this fall, and 15 more election integrity bills have passed the Arizona House. The Arizonans for Voter ID Act was initially launched as a citizens’ initiative by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, which would have required 237,645 valid signatures to get on the ballot. SCR 1012, which passed along party lines, bypasses that time-consuming and often difficult process.

State Senator Kelly Townsend (R-Apache Junction), told the Arizona Sun Times, “Today the Senate Republican caucus met to discuss which bills they can support. We were able to get through much of what we have been proposing and received support from nearly all the members with two absent and not weighing in. I’m excited to see good election reform moving forward, ideas that will fortify election security so that voters can feel more secure about their votes. Bills deal with securing technology, ballot paper, chain of custody, removing drop boxes, improving signature verification, cleaning of the voter rolls, and many other items that we are looking to fix.”

Arizona GOP Sues Arizona Secretary of State Hobbs to Stop Unmonitored Ballot Drop Boxes, Include Signature Verification Procedures, and Even Challenges Mail-In Voting

March 2, 2022March 1, 2022 Rachel Alexander

The Arizona Republican Party, along with its secretary Yvonne Cahill, has filed a lawsuit against Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs over more actions she has taken that appear to be making it easier to commit voter fraud. The AZGOP’s Application for Issuance of Writ Under Exercise of Original Jurisdiction asks the court to compel Hobbs to include signature verification procedures in the election procedures manual and remove the language she added authorizing the set up of unmonitored ballot drop boxes, and challenges “no-excuse” early ballots as violating the Arizona Constitution.

AZGOP Chair Kelli Ward, who has been out on the forefront combating election fraud since the 2020 presidential election, told The Arizona Sun Times, “We want to make sure that our elections are secure so we can restore voter confidence and strengthen our representative republic.”