GOP Primary Contest for State Treasurer Could Be All About Trump

July 28, 2021 ADI Staff Reporter
trump
President Donald Trump during a rally in Phoenix in 2020. (Photo by Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons)

The contest for the GOP nomination for State Treasurer features two right-of-center legislators, both of whom are pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, have voted for multiple tax cuts, served as Appropriations Chairs in the State House, and have won re-election comfortably.  Where they differ however may matter more than the rest of their records put together.

State Senator David Livingston was a 2016 delegate to the Republican National Convention where he cast his vote for Donald J Trump for President, and he has been a vocal and visible supporter of the President ever since then.

Search Livingston’s social media and it is an endless parade of posts, shares, and retweets on Trump, border security, hits on President Joe Biden, and more.

State Representative Regina Cobb is considered by many around the Capitol to be a closeted Never-Trumper, who opposes the President but who has never formally taken an anti-Trump position.

Search Cobb’s Twitter feed (she’s been on Twitter since 2014) and there is only one single tweet that even has the name Trump in it, and it is a picture of herself at a 2020 event talking about the crowd size.

“She doesn’t seem to like him, or respect him, I don’t think she thinks he’s a quality person, although she’s smart enough to not publicly attack him or speak her mind.  She sees how well Sonny and Leo do at the clubs and meetings and she’s a smart lady,” said one lobbyist who asked not to be named in this story.  “Sonny and Leo” referred to State Senator Sonny Borrelli and State Representative Leo Biasiucci, who represent LD5 along with Cobb.

The Trump divide between the candidates also shows up when the topic shifts to the Senate’s audit of the Maricopa County 2020 election.  As a State Senator, only Livingston had the chance to vote for the audit (which he did), but both have had ample opportunity to support the effort.  As with Trump, Livingston’s social media is filled with audit updates and audit-related posts.

A search of Cobb’s social media reveals something very unusual for any GOP politician, particularly in Arizona – complete silence.


Nor can Cobb’s silence be attributed to her being in the State House instead of the State Senate.  Her House seatmate Biasiucci has been an extremely vocal supporter of election integrity efforts and the audit in particular.


“It is 2022 and every candidate in a Republican primary is going to be out there running as an America First conservative,” said a Southern Arizona campaign consultant, “but neither Cobb or Livingston are very well known down here, so when voters start doing their research, it is going to matter that Livingston has supported President Trump and the audit for years, while Cobb has done the opposite.”

And what about Trump himself?  Might the GOP’s national leader himself get involved in the race?  He has already inserted himself into the LD20 State Senate race where he labeled incumbent Republican State Senator Paul Boyer a “RINO” and heaped praise on his challenger Anthony Kern.  What might he do for a statewide office featuring a State Senator who has been a loyal supporter of his agenda and the audit?  “That would be game over,” said the consultant, “and it wouldn’t even be close.”

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