Former Governor Doug Ducey Backs Trump and Lake in Bold Endorsement

By Matthew Holloway |

Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has officially endorsed President Donald Trump and Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake as the 2024 election approaches. This announcement comes after Ducey’s contentious relationship with Trump and Lake’s supporters following his certification of Arizona’s Electoral College results in 2020. Since leaving office in early 2023 due to term limits, Ducey has maintained a low profile in political circles.

In a post on X, Ducey emphasized the stakes of the upcoming election and urged Arizonans to prioritize crucial state and national issues. “I will be voting for Republicans up & down the ballot in November — and both Donald Trump and Kari Lake have my endorsement,” he stated.

Ducey elaborated on his endorsement in a subsequent thread. He highlighted concerns regarding border security, citing new data from the Department of Homeland Security indicating that 99 individuals on the FBI terror watchlist were released into the U.S. He insisted that inflation must be addressed and featured a claim from Biden’s Press Secretary about inheriting a declining economy.

On foreign policy, Ducey stressed the importance of American respect on the global stage, referencing a report on Vice President Kamala Harris’s stance on an arms embargo against Israel amid its current conflict with Iran. He also expressed opposition to any attempts to restructure the Supreme Court driven by political motives, saying, “The Supreme Court should not be restructured by Chuck Schumer.”

Shifting back to domestic issues, he advocated for the permanent extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and voiced support for universal school choice, recounting a vow from Trump at a rally. “Differences aside, there is too much on the line and only a Republican in the White House and a majority in the House and Senate can ensure it,” he concluded.

Ducey’s endorsement drew criticism from the group Republicans Against Trump, who expressed their disapproval of his decision. “Have you no shame?” they tweeted in response.

Historically, Ducey and Trump have not seen eye to eye, particularly after Ducey ignored a phone call from Trump during the certification of Arizona’s election results. Trump had publicly reprimanded Ducey for this act, suggesting that it facilitated a Democrat’s ascent to office.

Despite their past conflicts, Trump has not yet commented on Ducey’s endorsement as of this report. Ducey had also been critical of Kari Lake following the 2022 gubernatorial race, where he opposed her unfounded claims regarding electoral integrity and supported her opponent, Karrin Taylor Robson.

In contrast, Lake received Ducey’s endorsement positively, praising his tenure and urging a united front against Democratic opponents. “For eight years, Governor Ducey transformed our economy and our education system,” she noted in her response on X.

However, her supporters expressed uncertainty about the endorsement, with some questioning its value and suitability for her campaign.

Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.