Arizona GOP Scraps Election Bash to Boost Candidates and Battle Ranked-Choice Voting

By Staff Reporter |

The Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP) has chosen to deviate from its traditional practice by not hosting a lavish Election Night celebration this November. Instead, the party has committed to allocating all its resources towards supporting candidates and opposing ranked-choice voting initiatives.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the AZGOP revealed that it has raised $9 million in just the last three months. “All of our resources are being dedicated to helping our candidates win and preventing the far-left from gaining control of our state,” the announcement emphasized. The focus this year prioritizes direct contributions over celebratory expenditures.

This strategic shift contrasts sharply with the 2022 election cycle when the party, under former chairwoman Kelli Ward, spent over $530,000 on a party and bus tour. That effort coincided with a significant Democratic win, capturing top statewide races not seen in decades. Under Ward’s leadership, the AZGOP raised about $3 million.

Recently, the AZGOP disclosed that it has provided financial backing for 22 Republican candidates in addition to initiatives aimed at defeating ranked-choice voting. Part of these contributions includes a “judicial mail campaign” designed to encourage voters to support judges more aligned with constitutional principles. Moreover, the party has launched a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) program to enhance early voting engagement among Republican supporters.

Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda expressed the heightened stakes surrounding this election. “We believe it’s more important to invest every resource we have into ensuring our candidates’ victories rather than hosting a party,” she stated. This determination reflects a united effort leading up to Election Day, focusing intensely on winning at all levels.

The AZGOP’s press release coincided with its filing for the post-primary election campaign finance report, indicating an $8,400 contribution to State Representative Matt Gress’s reelection campaign.

On another front, the party may be preparing for legal actions concerning the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voters. Swoboda revealed to Axios that counties have shown inconsistency in handling UOCAVA voters. Following this, she sent a letter to county recorders requesting verification of UOCAVA voters’ identities and insisting that registrations lacking proof of citizenship be rejected. Depending on the responses, the AZGOP or the Republican National Committee may pursue legal challenges regarding UOCAVA voters imminently.

Current voter registration statistics show over 4.1 million total voters in Arizona. The breakdown includes more than 1.4 million registered Republicans, nearly 1.4 million “other” voters, almost 1.2 million registered Democrats, over 30,900 registered Libertarians, over 29,000 registered No Labels voters, and over 3,000 Green voters.