Former President Donald Trump rallied at the Arizona Federal Theatre on Saturday to endorse Republican candidates for Arizona’s gubernatorial and Senate primary races in 2022.
Saturday’s visit was his first visit in Arizona after his defeat in the 2020 presidential race, and where the results continue to be audited months after the 2020 election.
The rally, dubbed “Rally To Protect Our Elections,” was hosted by Turning Point Action, an Arizona-based organization that supports Trump.
Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in Arizona in 2016 but lost to President Joe Biden last year by just 13,000 votes. Since his defeat, Trump and his fellow Republicans have been making false arguments that the election was rigged.
Throughout his Saturday speech, Trump praised the audit that is being held in the state and claimed that the crime will soon be “exposed.”
“The preliminary numbers are coming out, and the crimes of the century are being exposed,” Trump said Saturday.
During Saturday’s rally, Trump had also spent a good amount of time praising several Republican leaders in Arizona, including Arizona Senate President Karen Fann (R-Arizona) and Arizona Republican Party chair Kelli Ward.
“She’s been brave. She’s been strong,” Trump said of State Senator Fann, who has championed the state’s audit. “And I predict when the votes come in … I think they are going to be so horrible that she’s going to go three steps further than she ever thought she’d have to. Because they will be, in my opinion, and again I’m not involved, they’re involved, this is the Arizona State Senate, I think the results are going to be so outrageous … that they are going to go many steps further than they would have.”
Trump also praised Ward, one of Trump’s close allies in Arizona, whom Trump claims dared to go against her own governor.
Gov. Doug Ducey (R-Arizona), who has been serving as governor of Arizona since 2015, is one of the few Republican critics of the former President in his state.
“She’s really a fighter, and she fights your governor who doesn’t do a damn thing,” Trump said.
Trump ended his remarks without announcing if he’ll run again in 2024 but concluded with his signature “make America great again” speech.
“We will make America wealthy again,” said the former president. “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.”
Former President Trump attends rally in Phoenix
Former President Donald Trump is in Phoenix today to attend a rally, marking his first visit to the state following his failed 2020 presidential reelection campaign.
Posted by ABC15 Arizona on Saturday, July 24, 2021
