By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via Arizona Daily Star
Any Republican planning to run against President Trump next year might just as well skip Arizona.
House Speaker Rusty Bowers tucked a provision into the state budget that allows any political party to opt out of the state’s presidential preference primary simply by sending a notice to the Secretary of State’s Office by Sept. 16. And county election officials would be required to honor that request.
The Mesa Republican conceded to Capitol Media Services that the legislation came at the request of the Arizona Republican Party.
But he said there’s nothing undemocratic about the move. And he denied that Arizonans who are members of the GOP would be denied a choice.
