Arizona Politics Continue to be Influenced by Election Deniers

The Arizona Republican Party is facing a resurgence of election deniers, despite the legal consequences some of its members are facing. The recent indictment of 17 people, including high-profile figures like Rudolph Giuliani and Mark Meadows, for their involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results has not deterred the party from embracing election deniers.

State Senator Jake Hoffman, one of the defendants charged, was elected to serve as one of the two national committeemen from Arizona, giving him a significant role in shaping the direction of the party. Another defendant, Tyler Bowyer, holds a high-ranking position at Turning Point USA, a conservative group with close ties to the state party.

State Senator Anthony Kern, also charged in the indictment, was elected as an Arizona delegate to the Republican National Convention and is running for Congress in Arizona’s Eighth District. Additionally, right-wing cable personality and lawyer Christina Bobb, who promoted false claims about election fraud, is now the senior counsel to the R.N.C.’s “election integrity” program.

Despite the legal troubles and controversies surrounding these individuals, they continue to play important roles within the Arizona Republican Party. This resurgence of election deniers within the party has raised concerns among scholars and Democrats, who fear the long-term impact of election denialism on the political culture and democratic processes in the state.