On Thursday, four Arizona Republicans duked it out in a gubernatorial debate that can only be described as clowns trying to out-clown each other on live TV.
Candidates Karrin Taylor Robson, Scott Neely, Paola Tulliani Zen, and Kari Lake gathered to make their pitch to voters, who will cast ballots to replace Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who is term-limited and cannot run again, in the Aug. 2 primary. The only televised debate of the primary election seemed like less of an opportunity to address the concerns of voters and more of an opportunity for the candidates to trash one another.
A highlight reel from Twitter user @endajodwod featured some choice quotes from the candidates, rife with childish interruptions.
“God they talk over me and I’m Italian, that shouldn’t happen,” Tulliani Zen says. Before she can finish her next sentence, she’s interrupted by Neely who replies, “I’m Irish.”
Other choice quotes include Lake, a former nightly news anchor for FOX 10 in Arizona, stating that “200,000 ballots were trafficked [into Arizona] by mules,” a claim that has been widely debunked by auditors and Maricopa County officials. Later in the video, after arguments about election fraud in 2020, Lake says she “feels like I’m in an SNL skit,” which many Arizonans probably wish were the case. Then Neely, who owns a concrete supply business in Mesa, notes “I haven’t been on a stage with this many women since I’ve been to a baby shower.” Yikes.
“I don’t know how that’s gonna go over Scott but I’ll let that hang,” responded Ted Simons, the debate moderator, who seemed at least moderately self-aware.
Reactions on Twitter ranged from disgust to horror and they came from voices on the left and right.
Chris Murphy, Democratic Senator
Alyssa Farah Griffin, White House director of strategic communications and former assistant to President Trump
Meghan McCain
Mike Murphy, Republican political consultant
Don Moynihan, Georgetown University professor
If there’s anything to take away from all this, it’s that it could be worse. Did you see Wyoming’s Republican primary debate? Actually, on second thought, it is a lot worse.
