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Former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence have thrown their weight behind competing GOP candidates within the Arizona race for governor in a transfer that additional highlights the space between two factions of the Republican following.
On Monday Pence introduced an endorsement for Karrin Taylor Robson, a former developer and Republican lobbyist, in a last-minute transfer forward of the Aug. 2 major.
“Karrin Taylor Robson is the one candidate for Governor that may preserve Arizona’s border safe and streets secure, empower dad and mom and create nice faculties, and promote conservative values,” Pence mentioned in a press release.
Final fall, Trump endorsed Kari Lake, a former native TV information anchor. Lake has centered her marketing campaign across the false perception that the 2020 presidential election was stolen — claims not embraced by the state’s present Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and different members of the get together, together with Robson.
Over the weekend, Ducey informed CNN’s Dana Bash that Lake is “deceptive voters with no proof,” noting that he’s additionally backing Robson.
This isn’t the primary time the 2 former operating mates have backed opponents this election cycle. Earlier this yr Pence rallied for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp forward of the state major, whereas Trump backed challenger David Perdue.
The transfer from Pence to rally for Kemp was seen on the time as essentially the most outward effort to dam Trump’s affect. Kemp in the end received the nomination.