Combination images of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (left) and Gov. Brian Kemp
Opinion: Georgia proves there is a lane for a non-Trumpian conservative candidate to win in a GOP primary. So, why isn’t anyone in Arizona taking that path?
By Robert Robb | Arizona Republic
The victory of Brian Kemp and Brad Raffensperger in the Georgia Republican primary, despite the fierce opposition of Donald Trump, was stunning.
It also underscored what is missing in the Republican primary here in Arizona: independent conservative candidates. In this context, independent meaning not adhering or catering to Trump’s narcissist and destructive claim that he actually won the 2020 presidential election.
Trump has made support of his assertion a requirement for his endorsement. Trump is widely perceived as the most influential force in Republican primary politics.
As governor and secretary of state respectively, Kemp and Raffensperger resisted Trump’s attempt to pressure them into altering or ignoring the actual count and delivering Georgia’s Electoral College votes to Trump rather than Biden, who actually won the state.
Trump has been on a warpath against the two ever since. He endorsed and strongly supported primary election challengers to them.
The primary results were a rout. Kemp bested his Trumpian opponent by a stupefying 74% to 22% margin. In the lower profile secretary of state race, Raffensperger nevertheless prevailed by an impressive 52% to 34%.
The Trump lane isn’t the only path to victory
