(Gage Skidmore / Flickr)
By Kiera Riley & Reagan Priest | Arizona Capitol Times
Key Points:
- Republicans face divisive primaries amid shifting political dynamics, voter makeup
- Turning Point influence tested against independent voters’ growing electoral hold
- Conservative incumbents battle fellow Republicans across multiple statewide races
Thirteen Republicans are vying for statewide office this year, but before they can take on their Democratic opponents, they’ll have to navigate increasingly contentious and fragmented primary challenges.
There isn’t a single Republican running unopposed in a statewide primary this year, while most of the Democrats hoping to keep or flip those same seats will not face any meaningful competition within their own party. Even Republican incumbents have not been spared; three officeholders with proven conservative chops are facing challenges from the right.
“That’s a Turning Point thing,” said Chuck Coughlin, a Republican-turned-independent consultant. “Are they going to be able to marshal Republican voters in opposition to fairly conservative candidates?”
