WASHINGTON — The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is announcing three new additions to its GOP Hall of Shame, a tool that spotlights controversial stances and statements that Republican legislators and candidates would prefer to sweep under the rug. This round includes a slate of Arizona Republicans who are neck-and-neck in the race to be the biggest embarrassment to their party.
“Arizona is a top target for us this year, and with Republican candidates like these, it’s not difficult to see why Democrats are about to flip the legislature,” said Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Jessica Post. “These Hall of Shame inductees are conspiracy-peddling, anti-health care, hate-promoting extremists who are more concerned with pushing their agendas than prioritizing the needs of their constituents. Arizonans deserve to know exactly who their candidates are, and we’re happy to help.”
The Arizona legislature is a top target in the DLCC’s $50 million Flip Everything campaign this cycle. The candidates with the dubious distinction of joining this class of Arizona honorees are:
- Senator J.D. Mesnard (LD-17, Senate), a former speaker of the House who has spent his time in the legislature working to block health care for those who need it most, underfund public education, and make it harder for Arizonans to vote.
- Wendy Rogers (LD-6, Senate), an anti-government extremist who supports eliminating Social Security, peddles conspiracy theories about coronavirus, and can’t even earn the support of members of her own party.
- Representative Walt Blackman (LD-6, House), who, along with questioning the existence of police brutality after the police killed George Floyd, has falsely claimed that wearing masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus causes people to inhale their “own carbon monoxide.”
Democrats need to win two seats in the Arizona House and three seats in the Senate this November to flip both chambers from red to blue. After losing four House seats in 2018, the Arizona GOP is scrambling to hold onto its fragile majority.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is the official Democratic organization dedicated to winning state legislative seats. Since Trump’s election, the DLCC and state partners have flipped over 450 seats and 10 chambers from red to blue.
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