Beau Lane, candidate for Secretary of State/Courtesy Beau Lane for AZ
By Mary Jo Pitzl |Arizona Republic
Gov. Doug Ducey is picking sides in the open Republican primary for Arizona secretary of state, throwing his support to advertising executive Beau Lane.
“Beau is a businessman, not a politician,” the Republican governor posted on social media Wednesday. “He’s demonstrated results, and will help restore confidence in our elections.”
The endorsement further highlights the divide in the Republican Party, following Ducey’s endorsement last week of Karrin Taylor Robson in the gubernatorial primary.
Ducey’s backing of Taylor Robson, and now Lane, contrasts with the endorsements former president Donald Trump has made of their opponents: Kari Lake for governor and Mark Finchem for secretary of state.
Late last month, at a campaign stop in Chandler, Finchem said he would not concede his race if there was any suggestion of wrongdoing.
“There ain’t gonna be no concession speech coming from this guy,” Finchem said. “I’m going to demand 100% hand count (of ballots) if there’s the slightest hint of any impropriety. And I would urge the next governor to do the same thing.”
Lake seemed to share that sentiment, as she started to say “absolutely” but didn’t finish the word, instead pivoting to note that Trump never conceded. She called that “really smart.”
In his endorsement, Ducey alluded those comments.
“The 2022 elections haven’t even been held yet, and already we’re seeing speculation doubting the results — especially if certain candidates lose,” the governor wrote. “It’s one of the most irresponsible things I can imagine.”
That’s a key reason, he said, why voters should support Lane.
“The way to restore faith in elections and the outcomes is to put good people in charge,” he wrote. “Beau Lane can’t be bought … he can’t be bullied … and he isn’t a politician who will always be lusting after the next job.”
