Arizona GOP censures Flake, Ducey and McCain
The Arizona Republican Party sent a clear signal Saturday that its leadership remains loyal to former President Donald Trump when it voted to publicly punish Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jeff Flake and Cindy McCain, all of whom opposed Trump’s efforts to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory, or in the case of Flake and McCain, endorsed the Democrat before the election.
The decision to censure those three Republicans in addition to re-electing controversial chairwoman Kelli Ward solidified the rightward shift of the official party, while also reflecting the deep fractures among Arizona Republicans over the future of the GOP, which suffered bruising defeats at the ballot box in 2020 in this increasingly purple state.
Arizona Republicans voted Saturday to censure Cindy McCain and two prominent GOP officials who have found themselves crosswise with former President Donald Trump.
Jan. 24, 2021
Arizona Republicans voted Saturday to censure Cindy McCain and two prominent GOP members - including their own governor - who have found themselves crosswise with former President Donald Trump.
The censures of Sen. John McCain’s widow, former Sen. Jeff Flake and Gov. Doug Ducey are merely symbolic. But they show the party’s foot soldiers are focused on enforcing loyalty to Trump, even in the wake of an election that saw Arizona inch away from its staunchly Republican roots.
Reactions of shock and disbelief came from all corners of the political world. Democratic political strategist David Axelrod commented, that is “how to turn a purple state blue.” Former Republican congressman and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough wrote, “If you liked the Republican civil war in Georgia, you’ll love the one in Arizona. What idiots.”