Two Weeks From Arizona Senate Primary, GOP Field Has Gone “Scorched-Earth” As Candidates “Slug It Out” In “One Of The Most Expensive” Intra-Party Fights

The Hill: Republicans go scorched-earth in Arizona Senate primary

KTAR: Arizona’s GOP US Senate debate gets heated between Blake Masters, Jim Lamon

With two weeks to go until Arizona’s Senate primary, Republicans have gone “scorched-earth” – the race has become “one of the most expensive” as “the ads have increasingly turned negative”; the candidates “began throwing jabs in the opening minutes” of a recent debate; and Masters and Lamon have faced a wave of brutal headlines highlighting everything from their fringe views to their ties to China. 

Here’s what you need to know two weeks out:

1. NASTY & EXPENSIVE AD WARS. As the primary enters its final weeks, “the ads have increasingly turned negative” and have turned the intra-party brawl into “one of the most expensive primary campaigns of this cycle.”

• The Hill: Republicans go scorched-earth in Arizona Senate primary. “Lamon has dumped millions of his own dollars going scorched-earth against Masters over his ties to PayPal founder and early Facebook investor Peter Thiel after Masters scored former President Trump’s endorsement earlier this month. Outside groups backing Masters, like the Club for Growth and a well-heeled super PAC seeded by $13.5 million of Thiel’s money, are responding in kind.”

• Breitbart: Exclusive – Ads Hammer Anti-Trump Arizona Senate Candidate Jim Lamon’s Chinese Business Ties. “A pair of brutal ads have hit television airwaves in Arizona exposing the Chinese business ties of businessman Jim Lamon.”

• Washington Examiner: GOP Senate candidate Blake Masters painted as antisemitic in new ad. “‘You think you know Blake Masters?’ a voiceover asks. ‘Did you know Blake Masters called World War II unjust and extensively quoted an antisemite who believes Jews and Zionists are bent on world domination? Did you know Blake Masters shared an article calling Israel ‘the North Korea of the Middle East’? Blake Masters even praised the Unabomber and unironically quoted a Nazi war criminal.’”

• Washington Examiner: New ad takes dig at Blake Masters over border security. “Arizona Senate candidate Jim Lamon is airing a new ad suggesting Republican Blake Masters is a ‘fake’ on border security following reports that he once spoke favorably of ‘unrestricted’ immigration.”

• CBS News: Arizona GOP Senate candidates hold debate as negative ads overtake airwaves“Republicans have already spent nearly $40 million on TV advertising, according to AdImpact, which keeps track of political ad spending. Lamon, who is self-funding his campaign and has pledged to spend $50 million, has poured $7.8 million into TV ads. Masters is backed by Saving Arizona, a super PAC funded by billionaire Peter Thiel that has spent over $8 million on ads this cycle.”

 2. BRUTAL HEADLINES FOR MASTERS, LAMON.

Blake Masters has faced scrutiny for his fringe views – including writings where he “lamented the entry of the United States into the First and Second World Wars [and] approvingly quoted a Nazi war criminal,” statements blaming gun violence on Black people, support for a national abortion ban and allowing states to ban contraception, backing a plan to privatize Social Security and more:

• New York Times: The Strident Writings of a Young Blake Masters Dog His Senate Run.

• Jewish Insider: The evolution of Blake Masters.

• NBC News: Trump-backed Senate candidate Blake Masters of Arizona blames gun violence on Black people.

• Mother Jones: Blake Masters Is Peter Thiel’s Dream Candidate—and a Total Nightmare for Democracy

• Business Insider: A Trump backed candidate suggests he wants to privatize Social Security.

• HuffPost: GOP Senate Candidate Blake Masters Embraces National Abortion Ban.

• CNN: Audio shows Trump-endorsed Arizona Senate candidate questioned whether January 6 attack was set up by FBI.

Jim Lamon accepted “billions of dollars in federal help throughout his career” while criticizing government spending and laying off workers, he’s faced criticism for his business ties to the Chinese government, he has “supported a ban on abortion even in cases of rape or incest,” and also wants to privatize Social Security.  

• Phoenix New Times: ‘No Handouts’ Jim Lamon Defends Accepting Billions in Federal Help at Former Solar Venture.

• Phoenix New Times: Amid Attack Ad Allegations, Anti-China Jim Lamon Defends Business Ties There.

• The American Independent: Arizona GOP Senate candidate wants to ‘save’ Social Security by privatizing it.

• Phoenix New Times: Arizona GOP Hopeful Jim Lamon’s Easter Savior Ad May Be Backfiring.

3. ATTACKS FLY ON THE DEBATE STAGE. Arizona GOP Senate candidates “faced off in a tense debate Wednesday night” as Masters and Lamon “began throwing jabs in the opening minutes” and “exchanged sharp words throughout the hour-long debate”

• CBS News: Arizona GOP Senate candidates sharpen attacks in final debate. “While the ads have increasingly turned negative, the final primary debate also featured plenty of attacks. Masters and Lamon exchanged sharp words throughout the hour-long debate.”

• KTAR: Arizona’s GOP US Senate debate gets heated between Blake Masters, Jim Lamon. “The two leading candidates began throwing jabs in the opening minutes of the hourlong debate, with Lamon accusing Masters of previously being for open borders.”

• Newsmax: Lamon, Masters Slug It Out at Newsmax Arizona Debate. “‘We cannot have someone who is inexperienced, someone who is young, who has not gone through the rigors, someone who is a global capitalist from California who, by the way, never answered the question of why did he write what he said about having open borders,’ Lamon told the crowd.”

• AZFamily: Three Arizona GOP Senate candidates face off in heated television debate. “Blake Masters and Jim Lamon went back and forth in the hours-long debate.”

• Fox News: Arizona Senate candidates Masters, Lamon, grapple over America First label as primary heats up. “During a debate earlier this week, Masters said Trump thought Lamon was a ‘bozo’ after meeting with him.”

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