Trump, Pence Hold Dueling Rallies in Arizona for Rival GOP Candidates for Governor

Former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence held dueling rallies in Arizona on July 22 for rival candidates in an upcoming GOP primary for governor.

Trump has thrown the weight of his endorsement behind former TV anchor Kari Lake and stumped on her behalf at a Friday rally in Prescott Valley, calling her a “smart, tough, and very good person.”

“No one understands better than Kari how to fight back against the fake news media and the radical left,” Trump said at the event.

Trump also took the opportunity to once again tease a run for the presidency in 2024, expressing confidence that his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement will retake the White House.

“We will make America powerful again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And we will make America great again,” Trump said.

Former President Donald Trump points to the crowd as he arrives to speak at a rally in Prescott, Ariz., on July 22, 2022. (Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo)

Pence and current Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey are backing housing developer Karrin Taylor Robson and talked up their preferred candidate at separate events in Peoria and Tucson.

“I’m a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican in that order,” Pence said from the stage in Peoria. “And I’m here because Arizona and America need Karrin Taylor Robson as the next governor of Arizona.”

“Karrin knows what Arizona needs in the days ahead. She knows there’s no greater threat to Arizona and to this country than the crisis on our southern border,” Pence added.

This combination of photos shows Republican candidates for Arizona governor Karrin Taylor Robson (L) and Kari Lake (R) prior to a televised GOP