According to her tweet in advance of Saturday’s Turning Point Action “Rally to Protect Our Elections!” State Senator and candidate for Secretary of State Michelle Ugenti-Rita was looking forward to speaking before thousands of Trump supporters who were rallying to support election integrity efforts that include the high-profile audit of the 2020 Maricopa County election results.
However, after being booed from the stage by a crowd that was still upset at her for votes against election integrity efforts and bills to rein in the Governor’s executive powers, Ugenti-Rita appears to have had a change of heart.
PHOENIX AZ: @MichelleUgenti booed off stage the moment she walked out at The Turning Point Action Election integrity event with President Donald J Trump
Brutal pic.twitter.com/KJKJO9CKv7
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) July 24, 2021
https://twitter.com/DrewHLive/status/1419039118663634945
Shortly after the rally ended, Ugenti-Rita did an about face and publicly spoke out against the election audit she had previously voted for.
There’s too much at stake. Our election system is under constant assault by the left, and I won’t support bills that fail to strengthen our election system.
The same holds true for the audit. I supported the audit, but I do not support the Trump audit any longer. (3of5)
— Michelle Ugenti-RITA (@MichelleUgenti) July 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/MichelleUgenti/status/1419112068658069512
Her remarks didn’t just criticize the audit but went after Senate President Karen Fann, attacking her competence over the last five months.
I wanted to review our election processes and see what, if anything, could be improved. Sadly, it’s now become clear that the audit has been botched. The total lack of competence by @FannKfann over the last 5 months has deprived the voters of Arizona a comprehensive…(4of5)
— Michelle Ugenti-RITA (@MichelleUgenti) July 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/MichelleUgenti/status/1419112069899583490
accounting of the 2020 election. That’s inexcusable, but it shows what can happen when Republicans do not take election integrity deadly serious. (5of5)
— Michelle Ugenti-RITA (@MichelleUgenti) July 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/MichelleUgenti/status/1419112070797152260
“The sudden turn around would be remarkable if it were real, but this just looks like Ugenti being typical Ugenti” remarked one Capitol observer. “She gets bitter, she lashes out, and she tries to punish people. But why she’s going after Fann is a total mystery. Fann’s the one that gave her the Government Committee chairmanship so she could hear election bills and position herself to run for Secretary of State in the first place.”
“Suicide. Just political suicide.” wrote another campaign worker who shared her thoughts with ADI. “She went to rally with Trump and celebrate the audit and just hours later went after Trump and the audit.”
The hundreds of voters responding to her tweets seemed to largely agree.
You made your choice and you were held to account tonight. You will NOT win a primary
— Mike 🐗 (@michaeljashmore) July 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/michaeljashmore/status/1419117087486849029
Wow wow wow. You sound like Katie Hobbs. This is not Trump’s audit, this is the people’s audit. Only thing botched about it is the crimes committed by the board of supervisors and some corrupt politicians. You took a wrong turn. I suppose if you want to still win, you can cheat.
— suzy (@Suzy1776) July 25, 2021