by Matthew Holloway | Oct 24, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
President Donald Trump’s glowing endorsement of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ09) for a safe CD-9 re-election is raising eyebrows in the 2026 Arizona primaries. The president’s move casts a spotlight on the unconfirmed Trump endorsement of AZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda’s jump into the toss-up CD-1 race.
“Dr. Paul Gosar has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, hailing the eight-term Congressman as a “fearless Warrior” who’s ridden with him “from the very beginning.”
In full, President Trump wrote:
“Congressman Paul Gosar, D.D.S., is an America First Patriot, who is doing a fantastic job representing Arizona’s 9th Congressional District!
A MAGA Warrior, who has been with us from the very beginning, Paul is working hard to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Support our Brave Military/Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment.
Dr. Paul Gosar has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
The blast on Truth Social, posted on October 21st, lands amid murmurs that Gosar is likely to run unchallenged in his primary, with a recent 2024 margin of 22 points. No real competition has materialized for the incumbent Congressman as of this report. Still, President Trump has rewarded Gosar’s long-term loyalty, creating a solid fundraising basis for him and boosting the congressman’s campaign early on.
Contrast the President’s thunderous endorsement of Dr. Gosar, however, with his apparent radio silence around AZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda, despite her announcement of his backing at the launch of her candidacy.
As AZ Free News reported, the Arizona GOP leader vaulted into the open CD-1 race, controversially opting to chase Rep. David Schweikert’s seat in a district that was narrowly won by 3.8 points last cycle, while stating she is not stepping down as AZGOP chair until January. Swoboda publicly announced an endorsement from President Trump upon launching her campaign. However, it has yet to materialize on any of the President’s social media feeds or official campaign statements.
Swoboda shared a quote from the President stating, “Gina will be a tremendous champion… She will never let you down!” Outlets from AZCentral to The Hill ran with the endorsement as gospel.
In full, the quote attributed to President Trump reads, “Gina Swoboda has my complete and total endorsement for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District! Gina will be a tremendous champion for Arizona in Congress. She will never let you down!”
The last post on President Trump’s Truth Social account about Swoboda dates to January 26, 2024, in which he endorsed her for AZGOP Chair.
With no original post or official statement and no proxy quote from a campaign surrogate, online commenters are casting doubt on the validity of the endorsement.
The situation has not been lost on Arizona’s political movers. Tyler Bowyer, COO of Turning Point Action, posted a suggestion on Wednesday that former NFL player Jay Feely, already a declared candidate for Congressional District 5 since April, would be “great to run in CD-1 in Arizona.” Bowyer added, “He’s a great Christian, well-known name in AZ sports & supported by a ton in the business community. President Trump loves him and I think would really like to have both him AND Sheriff Lamb in Congress!”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | May 9, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson’s campaign just lost three key allies from President Donald Trump’s circle.
The three to depart Robson’s campaign according to Axios sources were Chris LaCivita, Tony Fabrizio, and Chris Grant.
LaCivita and Fabrizio were advisors to Robson’s campaign for the 2026 election; both men were considered key “architects” for Trump’s comeback campaign.
Prior to joining Robson’s campaign, LaCivita was co-campaign manager for President Donald Trump’s successful election bid last year. LaCivita is also employed by former Democratic Party of Albania leader and former prime minister Sali Berisha to advise on their country’s parliamentary election. LaCivita made a name for himself in the political world for crafting the Swift Boats Veterans for Truth which lended to the defeat of 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry.
Fabrizio served as the pollster for Trump’s 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns. In the final weeks leading up to the 2016 election, Fabrizio wrote an internal memo encouraging a greater campaign presence in blue-leaning states — a move that would assist Trump in securing both states.
Grant presided over the Trump-aligned super PAC, MAGA Inc., and works for the political consulting firm Big Dog Strategies. Fabrizio, along with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, were part of the PAC prior to joining Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Trump endorsed Robson in the days leading up to Christmas while speaking at Turning Point USA’s Americafest in Phoenix. Then, last month, Trump dropped a dual endorsement for Congressman Andy Biggs.
The dual endorsement marked the fifth for the president, and a second in a major Arizona race. In last year’s primary for the eighth congressional district, Trump endorsed both Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh.
In his endorsement announcement for Biggs, Trump explained he endorsed Robson because she had no other competitors running against her for the Republican primary.
“I like Karrin Taylor Robson of Arizona a lot, and when she asked me to Endorse her, with nobody else running, I Endorsed her, and was happy to do so,” said Trump. “When Andy Biggs decided to run for Governor, quite unexpectedly, I had a problem — Two fantastic candidates, two terrific people, two wonderful champions, and it is therefore my Great Honor TO GIVE MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT TO BOTH. Either one will never let you down. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Sources told Axios that advisors departed in part because Robson opted to not listen to them on running campaign ads featuring Trump’s endorsement immediately. Per the advisors, Robson ran an ad featuring the president’s endorsement nearly a week after Biggs received the second endorsement.
“She won’t listen to anyone else, so she can run her own campaign now,” one source reportedly told Axios.
The departure of the three key Trump affiliates follows another considerable blow to Robson’s campaign. Last week, Trump issued an executive order to end a policy supported by Robson: in-state college tuition for certain migrants.
Robson’s campaign didn’t comment on the departures of LaCivita, Fabrizio, or Grant.
Recent polling shows Biggs with a major lead over both Robson and incumbent Governor Katie Hobbs.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Oct 21, 2024 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A Republican running for Maricopa County School Superintendent picked up a key endorsement ahead of the November General Election.
Late last month, Shelli Boggs announced the endorsement of Riley Gaines for her campaign for Maricopa County Superintendent. In her endorsement statement, Gaines said, “My advocacy has brought me to Arizona multiple times and I have gotten to really know Shelli Boggs. She is genuine. Kids and education are her passion. She believes in empowering students with knowledge and skills.”
Gaines added, “Shelli will always put students and their academic needs first! That is why I fully endorse Shelli Boggs for Maricopa County School Superintendent.”
Over the past few years, Riley Gaines has shot to national prominence over her flawless defense of the integrity of women’s sports as ladies around the country battle the encroachment of biological men within their events. Gaines was a twelve-time NCAA All-American Swimmer, and she serves as an Ambassador for the Independent Women’s Voice.
Boggs responded to the endorsement from Gaines, writing, “I am honored to have Riley Gaines’ endorsement! Riley has been a strong advocate for protecting girls’ sports and ensuring fairness for female athletes. I am grateful for her support as we work to uphold integrity in education and create opportunities for all students in Maricopa County schools. Together, we will protect what matters most in both academics and athletics.”
On her website, Boggs describes herself as “a proud Arizona mom, mimi, teacher, and education leader who got started in Arizona politics when she saw firsthand the decline in education quality and the invasion of radical politics into the classroom.” In 2018, Boggs won a seat on the Governing Board of the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), where she served as its Vice President and then President. She states that under her leadership, “EVIT has seen enrollment double, administration costs decrease, radical politics and activism removed from classrooms, and more dollars going directly towards student success WITHOUT raising taxes.”
The Republican nominee for county superintendent promises to “ensure that the school children of Maricopa County get the education they need to succeed in life, politics are removed from classrooms, parental rights are defended, fiscal accountability is restored, school board vacancies are filled with responsible leaders, and that good teachers are being supported.”
Boggs vows to protect boys and girls in schools “because we recognize the difference between them.” She intends to “always fight to protect girls’ sports from those who want to allow biological boys to compete against our female athletes.”
Running against Boggs is Dr. Laura Metcalfe, a Democrat and an EVIT School Board Member. Metcalfe lists a number of endorsements on her campaign website, including from Arizona List, Save Our Schools Arizona, Maricopa County Young Democrats, Young Democrats of Arizona, National Organization for Women Arizona PAC, and former Democrat State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman.
The winner will replace Steve Watson as the Maricopa County School Superintendent. Watson is a Republican.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Oct 5, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanksi |
Arizonans looking for more information about a ballot measure that addresses the state’s growing homelessness issues can access vital research from a local think tank organization.
Late last month, the Common Sense Institute Arizona (CSI) released a report “on the economic and fiscal impact of Proposition 312, finding that there is indeed a link between the increase in homelessness and declining property values.”
According to CSI, “Proposition 312 is aimed at tackling Arizona’s growing homelessness crisis, offering property owners the opportunity to receive tax relief for costs incurred due to unmitigated public nuisances, such as homelessness, vandalism, property crime, and drug use.”
The report from CSI found “that under the status quo, property owners in areas with unmitigated public nuisances are seeing their values decrease in real value [while] homelessness is on the rise.”
“The rising rates of crime, homelessness, and drug activity in key areas of Phoenix appear to have taken a toll on property values and overall economic activity,” said Glenn Farley, Director of Policy & Research for CSI. “In this kind of environment of declining relative property values and higher crime rates, there are ongoing problems requiring mitigation – like security and cleanup costs. In practice, though, the real impact is likely to be preventive: local governments may ultimately be more proactive about mitigating these nuisances if this proposal is enacted than they are today.”
The Arizona-based Goldwater Institute took a position in support of Proposition 312 ahead of the November General Election. On its website, the influential organization wrote, “We saw it in Phoenix’s homeless Zone when the city allowed lawlessness to run wild. We saw it in Tucson, too. Amid rampant homelessness, hardworking Arizona taxpayers are being forced to bear the burden of a city’s refusal to do its duty to protect public health and safety, paying out of pocket to install fences, hire security, clean up garbage, human waste, and other hazardous materials themselves. Prop 312 ensures that when government fails to enforce existing laws regarding illegal camping, loitering, pollution, and other nuisances, taxpayers will no longer be forced to foot the bill.”
Proposition 312 was made possible by the Arizona State Legislature earlier this year, when Republicans led the way to pass HCR 2023, which, if eventually passed by state voters in November, would “allow a property owner to apply for a primary property tax refund if the owner documents expenses caused by a city, town or county adopting a policy, pattern or practice which declines to enforce existing laws or the maintaining of a public nuisance” – according to the overview provided by the state House.
In a statement after the successful passage of the bill out of his chamber, Senate President Warren Petersen said, “There are instances where local governments routinely and repeatedly fail their citizens by not enforcing laws. An example of this would be the City of Phoenix’s handling of the former homeless encampment known as ‘The Zone.’ This area was not only a public safety and public health disaster for those who camped there, but it was also a detriment to the livelihoods of small business owners who set up their shops in the area.”
Petersen added, “Money talks, and as a way to encourage municipalities to enforce the law, Speaker Toma and I teamed up to sponsor HCR 2023/SCR 1006. This measure is a ballot referral that would protect law-abiding citizens. If approved by voters, property owners would be allowed to request a refund for expenses incurred to mitigate the problem, up to the amount of their property tax liability. The funds would be deducted from the local government’s state shared revenue.”
The chamber’s president also noted that “all Senate Democrats voted ‘no’” on the referral.
The key findings from CSI about Proposition 312 are as follows:
- “Problem increasing: Crime, drug overdoses, unsheltered homelessness, and other public nuisances have risen dramatically in Arizona and the greater Phoenix area since 2019. But the impacts are disproportionate: the problem has become more visible in certain parts of the city. This creates a negative economic impact for those parts of the city where local officials have failed to enforce existing laws
- “Property Value Loss: Commercial properties in Phoenix affected by unmitigated public nuisances have seen market rent appreciation fall to just 15.7% between 2019 and 2023, compared to the citywide rate of 30.2%. This represents up to $2.1 billion in lost property value due to slower appreciation in areas with high levels of homelessness, crime, and public nuisances.
- “Increased Crime: In areas with high public nuisance activity, the average crime rates for drug offenses, burglaries, robberies, and arson were between 3 to 5 times higher than the Phoenix average, driving up costs for property owners due to increased security measures and property damage.
- “Impact on Businesses: Businesses located in areas with elevated public nuisance levels experience significantly lower property appreciation and higher vacancy rates. The economic toll of unmitigated public nuisances has made it harder for businesses to thrive in these areas.”
During the legislative process this year, representatives from Barry Goldwater Institute for Public Policy Research, QuikTrip, Arizona Free Enterprise Club, Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, and the National Federation of Independent Business, indicated their support for the proposal on the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system. Representatives from the League of Arizona Cities & Towns, Living United for Change in Arizona, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, Arizona Association of Counties, County Supervisors Association of Arizona, Arizona Housing Coalition, and several state cities and towns, signed in to oppose the measure.
Interested voters can read the full CSI report regarding Prop 312 here.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Oct 4, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
When former Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris over President Donald Trump in an announcement posted to X on Sunday, many Arizona Republicans were not surprised. Dismayed? Perhaps. But not surprised. Flake, who was appointed Ambassador to Türkiye by the Biden-Harris Administration, has been a vocal critic of Trump since at least 2021 when he wrote a scathing op-ed against the President in The New York Times.
Given Flake’s well-known antipathy for Trump, AZ Free News reached out to Flake’s team to ask two key questions, which as of this report have gone unanswered:
- First: Did Flake receive a policy concession for this endorsement, such as protecting the filibuster, religious liberty, or SCOTUS? If not, why not?
- And as a follow-up: People think Flake was promised another ambassadorship or a cabinet post. To remove any doubt and make it clear that this is really country over party, would he commit to refuse any posting in the Harris administration?
The silence from the ex-Senator speaks volumes.
In both video and written statements posted to X, Ambassador Flake said, “I’ll be supporting Kamala Harris for President and Tim Walz for Vice President. I’ve served with Kamala in the U.S Senate. I’ve also served with Tim in the House of Representatives. I know them. I know first of hand of their fine character and love of country. I would encourage all Republicans who feel this way to do the same.”
In a written statement Flake appeared to attempt a moderate stance:
“I believe that we don’t have to agree on every issue or policy, but that we should use the political process created by our Founders to debate and persuade, not disparage and demonize.”
“I want to support a presidential candidate who seeks to unite our country, rather than one who divides us,” Flake said. “One who represents the ideals of new generation of leadership, not based on grievances of the past but hope for the future.”
“Having spent the past three years overseas as a United States ambassador, I’ve seen up close that we have very real enemies abroad,” he continued. “We also have vital and indispensable allies. I want to support a presidential candidate who understands and appreciates the difference.”
Claiming to be a “conservative Republican,” Flake added, “I would encourage all Republicans who feel this way to do the same. After all, in times like these there is nothing more conservative than putting country over party.”
Prominent Phoenix Republican Merissa Hamilton, co-founder of EZAZ.org, reacted to the announcement in a post to X, “Breaking: @JeffFlake supports Fascist Communism and no AZ voter is surprised at all.”
Conservative commentator Rogan O’Handley, known as DC Draino, replied, “We already knew you were a backstabbing RINO[.] None of this is surprising.”
As reported by Politico, Flake appeared on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday morning with host Martha Raddatz and repeated the Democrat talking point, accusing Trump of attempting to overturn the 2020 election, citing this as the reason he cannot support him. He claimed to want a candidate who “respects the will of the voters,” despite the well-documented policy of widespread political censorship imposed by the Biden-Harris administration.
“I think Republicans believe in the rule of law in particular, and it’s difficult to support a candidate who, having lost an election, tries to use the powers of the presidency to overturn that election,” He told Raddatz. “That is anything but respect for the rule of law. So I know that a lot of conservative Republicans feel the way I do, that you just can’t support a candidate like that.”
Flake also pointed to Trump’s position on the war in Ukraine, advocating peace rather than “hearing the former president not be able to even cheer for Ukraine.” He added, “That’s a big issue for me, and certainly for all of Europe who have spent a lot of time and blood and sweat and tears trying to help Ukraine deal with this Russian threat. We have to support and work with our allies, and [Harris] understands that.”
Following his terms as Senator, Flake was credentialed as U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye in January 2022. Many have viewed Flake’s ambassadorial appointment as a reward from Biden for siding against Trump, and this has left many Arizona Republicans wondering: What’s in it for Jeff this time?
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
