Republicans in Arizona are grappling with a significant challenge as their campaigns become overshadowed by the shadow of President Donald Trump and the persistent fallout from the 2020 election. Party insiders express growing concerns that their fixation on Trump will hinder their electoral success in critical battleground districts.

As the midterms approach, GOP operatives in Arizona are finding it increasingly difficult to distance themselves from Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 election. This ongoing controversy forces candidates to address questions about their own ties to election denialism, diverting attention from key issues that resonate with voters.

“If I could wave a magic wand and make these questions go away, I would. But we can’t. It’s baked in,” said one Republican strategist involved in competitive races, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Another strategist echoed that sentiment, stating the party cannot escape the burden of Trump’s actions. “We can tell people we want to move on, but that doesn’t stop it from coming up over and over,” he lamented.

The impact of Trump’s influence is evident in the profiles of candidates on the Arizona ballot. The GOP ticket is packed with individuals linked to efforts aimed at overturning the 2020 election results, including Rep. Andy Biggs, who objected to the electoral count during the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021.

In addition, Secretary of State nominee Alex Kolodin faced disciplinary action from the state bar for his involvement in challenges to election integrity, while Attorney General nominee Warren Petersen pressured former Vice President Mike Pence regarding the certification of the election results.

Despite these troubling associations, candidates largely avoid discussing the 2020 election, preferring to focus on pressing voter concerns, yet Trump continues to bring the issue to the forefront.

In a recent appearance at a GOP convention in Dallas, Trump proclaimed, “We won the presidency three times,” a remark that stirred unrest among GOP strategists focused on winning back swing voters.

Former Arizona Senator Jeff Flake emphasized the need for the party to move past the 2020 election narrative. “A lot of the country wants to move on, frankly, from the 2020 election. But the problem is the president keeps bringing it up,” he said.

Democrats, meanwhile, are seizing the opportunity to exploit the GOP’s entanglement with Trump. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs pointed out the implications of having candidates like Biggs in power, warning that “if he’s the governor, Arizona is the first swing state with an election denier in charge.”

The shadow of Trump looms large over Arizona’s electoral landscape, as strategists and candidates alike are caught between their loyalty to a figurehead and the need to appeal to a broader electorate during the midterms.

For example, Biggs, Kolodin, and Petersen have not directly addressed requests for comments from Politico regarding their positions on the election controversy, indicating a reluctance to engage with the issue openly.

As the campaign heats up, these candidates are poised to face a barrage of questions related to their past statements and actions regarding election integrity, further complicating their messaging strategies for the upcoming election.

The implications of Trump’s continued influence are not just limited to electoral strategies; they also impact candidate viability in a state that could determine the balance of power in Congress.

Arizona’s GOP finds itself at a crossroads, forced to navigate a treacherous political terrain influenced heavily by Trump’s narrative. This situation could alienate moderate voters who are weary of the election denialism that continues to dominate the conversation.

Analysts warn that unless the party can effectively shift its focus away from Trump’s rhetoric and back to pressing issues such as the economy and public safety, it may face significant challenges in securing wins in the battleground state.

What happens next in Arizona will likely set the tone for the Republican Party nationally, as other states grapple with similar dynamics initiated by Trump and his supporters.

The upcoming midterm elections could serve as a crucial test of whether the GOP can break free from Trump’s enduring grip or if they will continue to be chained to the past, to the detriment of their electoral prospects.