The Round Up: Arizona Reacts to Trump’s Conviction
The former president’s conviction almost immediately (and unsurprisingly) sparked an intense partisan reaction at both the national and state levels.
On this special edition of the Round Up: Late last month, former President Donald Trump was convicted by a New York City jury on 34 counts of fraud and falsifying business records. The former president’s conviction almost immediately (and unsurprisingly) sparked an intense partisan reaction at both the national and state levels. For Republicans writ large, the conviction mainly served as a representation of a “politicized” justice system. Across the aisle, Democrats have almost unanimously praised the jury’s decision as a long-overdue step toward justice.
Given Arizona’s status as a key battleground state, Trump’s conviction could play a significant role in determining who returns to the White House next January. In 2020, President Joe Biden won a narrow victory in Arizona, capturing 49.36 percent of the state’s popular vote compared with Trump’s 49.06 percent. With such a slim margin, even a slight shift in voter sentiment could sway the 2024 outcome.
GOP
Arizona Republicans have largely unified behind former President Trump, condemning what they view as a “politically motivated” prosecution. Each Republican member of Arizona’s Congressional delegation, with the exception of Representative David Schweikert, released statements criticizing the New York court’s decision. (Schweikert has yet to comment as of June 15.) Longtime Trump allies Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar, for example, were quick to voice their disapproval on social media. Similarly, fellow House members Eli Crane and Debbie Lesko accused the New York jury of engaging in “election interference.”
Notably, GOP Senate candidates Kari Lake and Mark Lamb were also emphatic in their support for the former President. With Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema set to retire following the conclusion of her term in January, control of the U.S. legislature’s upper chamber could ultimately come down to who wins the Arizona seat. It is a safe assumption that both Lake and Lamb will continue to stand behind the former President — especially in the leadup to the July 30 primary — to ensure base support. Given the former President’s 80 percent approval rating among Arizona Republicans, his conviction will likely remain a key issue in the primary, as well as the general election.
Here’s what AZ Republicans are saying:
Representative Eli Crane: “They shamelessly weaponized our ‘justice’ system against their political opponent with a rigged trial. Unjust and un-American. I stand with President Donald J. Trump . . . . Turns out that when the ruling class of Democrats ‘defends democracy,’ it looks a lot like election interference.”
Representative Andy Biggs: “This politically motivated prosecution has been tainted from the start and spewed forth a stench of prosecutorial persecution until this managed verdict. Prosecutor Bragg’s star witnesses are proven liars, the presiding judge is a Biden donor, and the jury pool overflowed with Trump Derangement Syndrome. District Attorney Alvin Bragg ran on a campaign pledge to indict President Trump. Bragg took the unprecedented action of converting alleged minor business misdemeanors to 34 individual felonies in an attempt to put President Trump behind bars and humiliate him and his supporters. Today’s verdict is the result of a corrupt DA, a corrupt trial, a corrupt judge, and a corrupt system. President Trump is a fighter, and he will not back down from this challenge. He and conservatives across the nation will continue to defend the Constitution at all costs. We will not be deterred by the radical Left’s weaponizing and corrupting of the judicial system similar to the former USSR to attack all political opponents. I will always fight for our Republic and stand with President Trump.”
Representative Juan Ciscomani: “Given the political motivation behind it, the outcome of this trial was never truly in doubt. In Arizona, the voters I talk to every day — Republican, Democrat, and Independent — aren’t interested in these games. This is exactly why the American public is losing faith in our judicial system. People want a government that protects them, is accountable, and is transparent. But that is not what we saw today.”
Representative Debbie Lesko: “Very few people thought Trump would receive any fair treatment in NYC, & the judge & prosecutor proved us right with their historic & unprecedented efforts to interfere in the 2024 election. Americans see through this distortion of justice & will render their own verdict in November.”
Representative Paul Gosar: “I completely disagree with this shameful verdict. This trial has been a sham from the beginning & while I am angry with the decision, I am not at all surprised by the Democrats’ actions & efforts to silence & destroy their greatest political opponent & threat.”
Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda: “This conviction is a blatant assault on the principles of justice. President Trump’s trial was marred by bias and a predetermined agenda, stripping him of the fair trial to which every American is entitled to. We stand resolutely behind President Trump and the Arizona Republican Party will not waver in our fight to uphold justice and ensure that political opposition is not silenced through judicial overreach.”
Senate Candidate Kari Lake: “We just witnessed the most egregious example of election interference and an outright mockery of the rule of law in the 246-year history of our Republic. This entire process right down to the verdict itself has been nothing but a shameful political stunt. This is a non-crime that a Soros-backed DA conjured out of thin air and placed in front of a highly conflicted Democrat judge, all in an effort to imprison Joe Biden’s political opponent. The star witness in this case was a convicted perjurer, whose testimony before the court was one of the most embarrassing debacles ever seen in a courtroom. This conviction should be immediately reversed upon appeal, and this legal tyranny will be summarily rejected by the American people on November 5th.”
Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb: “For close to two decades in law enforcement, I have become increasingly troubled by the deterioration of the rule of law in the way of unequal application of justice and the political weaponization of our laws. This case is a perfect example of a politically motivated District Attorney who campaigned on prosecuting President Trump with the sole purpose of inevitably having an effect on the election. All Americans should be concerned about this weaponization of our justice system.”
Democrats
On the other side of the aisle, state Democrats have unsurprisingly found themselves united in support of the jury’s decision. In statements, Senator Mark Kelly and Representative Raul Grijalva expressed somber tones, emphasizing the notion that “nobody is above the law.” Representative Ruben Gallego, the expected Democratic nominee in the race to replace Senator Sinema, similarly highlighted the importance of accountability and the rule of law.
As of June 13, Representative Greg Stanton is the lone Congressional Democrat to have not yet commented on the ruling. Also of note, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes — the latter of whom just recently announced indictments against eighteen individuals involved in the 2020 alternate elector scheme — have yet to comment on the ruling.
What AZ Democrats are saying:
Senator Mark Kelly: “We are a country of laws, and nobody is above the law. It’s a sad day for our nation to see, for the first time, a former president convicted on criminal charges. I respect the independence of our justice system and the integrity of this trial.”
Representative Ruben Gallego: “I respect our justice system and the rule of law. The process played out, and we should always demand accountability from our elected leaders.”
Representative Raul Grijalva: “The felony conviction of a former president marks an unprecedented event in American history. It is a moment of profound reckoning. It also underscores the importance of accountability and the evergreen truth that no one, regardless of their position or power, is above the law. However, this recent ruling also highlights the fragility of our democracy as at the heart of the conviction was the purposeful deceit of the American people to aid Trump in his election to our nation’s highest office. This was not a witch hunt or rigged trial, but a stark reminder of the need to further safeguard our democratic institutions from deception, erosion, and abuse.”
Voters
According to both polling and anecdotal evidence, voters are sharply divided over the merits of the conviction and the potential implications for the upcoming 2024 elections. A recent Fox News analysis shows former President Trump with a slight lead over President Joe Biden. Among both registered voters (51-46 percent) and those who “say they are extremely motivated to vote” in the November elections (52-47 percent), Trump leads Biden by five points in Arizona. In this poll conducted after Trump’s indictment, his margin increased by one point since March, to 49-45 percent.
On the two biggest issues for Arizona voters — the economy and immigration — Trump maintains a sizable advantage over Biden, as he leads by 15 points on the economy and 20 points on immigration. Perhaps recognizing his weakness on immigration, just last week President Biden issued a border-related Executive Order and criticized Congressional Republicans for “put[ting] partisan politics ahead of national security.”
Fundraisers
According to the Trump campaign, almost $53 million was raised online during the 24 hours immediately following the former president’s conviction. This brought the total amount raised by the campaign during May to roughly $141 million. Combined with another $150 million donated by “organizations supporting President Trump,” last month’s total fundraising haul sits at around $300 million.
After months of outpacing Trump in fundraising, President Biden’s advantage has slowly dissipated. Through April, the Biden campaign’s war chest had a total of $195 million, while Trump’s held roughly $60 million less. Also, according to most reports, President Biden still holds a significant lead in terms of cash on hand over Trump. That said, it remains to be seen if Trump’s conviction will continue to have a large effect on fundraising totals moving forward.
This round-up was written by Jared (JJ) Cichoke. He currently works as a Policy Analyst after previously holding various roles with Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, he recently moved to Arizona after spending nearly his entire life in Portland, Oregon.