Blake Msters/Gage Sizemore/Flickr
By Dan Nowicki and Ronald J. Hansen | Arizona Republic
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed Blake Masters for the U.S. Senate, giving the longtime associate of PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel a big boost in Arizona’s five-way Republican primary race.
Trump had long ago telegraphed his interest in Masters as the Republican nominee after pressuring Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich for nearly a year to file criminal charges that supported Trump’s false claims of a stolen election in 2020.
In a race where many Republican voters have told pollsters they remained undecided, Trump’s backing could take on added significance.
Trump’s endorsement prominently cited the border and the 2020 election as important factors in the Aug. 2 primary where the winner will face incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.
“Blake is Strong on Border Security, in particular, the disastrous Southern Border where people are pouring into the U.S. by the millions, and destroying our Country,” Trump said in a written statement issued by his Save America political-action committee. “Just two years ago, with the help of the Wall, we had the Strongest Border in the history of our Country, and now we have the weakest — Blake will turn that around quickly.
“Additionally, he will Cut Taxes and Regulations, be Tough on Crime, and Support our Military and our Vets,” Trump continued. “Blake will fight for our totally under-siege Second Amendment, and WIN!”
In a written response, Masters in turn called Trump “a great man and a visionary” who “saved this country from a Hillary Clinton regime and forever transformed American politics … and he’s not done yet.
