In a competitive race like the current Republican primary for Arizona Governor, it is difficult to get the various camps to agree on much, but the embrace and retweet of a recent attack on Matt Salmon has seemingly everyone agreeing that Kari Lake and her campaign has crossed a line that should not be crossed.
The issue being debated is Lake’s proposal for cameras in every Arizona classroom, which has set off alarm bells from civil libertarians with privacy concerns, child safety advocates who warn that the camera feeds will become must see TV for child predators, and conservatives opposed to Big Tech getting its tentacles further into the K-12 system.
One of Lake’s rivals, Karrin Taylor Robson, issued a statement pointing out that a kindergartener will accumulate over 10,000 hours of classroom footage by the time they escape Lake’s “Communist China” style surveillance program.
Another candidate, and Lake’s main rival according to the polls, is former Congressman Matt Salmon, who wrote a lengthy op-ed laying out his arguments against the proposal (https://westerntrib.com/matt-salmon-cameras-in-classrooms-would-be-a-gift-to-big-tech-big-government/), arguing that it would be a gift to Big Tech, government bureaucrats, child predators, and others, all at a tremendous cost that Lake had yet to provide details on.
For criticizing Lake, Salmon became the target of the usual, and some not-so-usual attacks via social media, including one tweet from Connor Clegg, whose Twitter profile lists him as a producer for The Charlie Kirk Show:
The tweet and its accusation that Matt Salmon was “okay with special needs kids being raped” earned a retweet from Kari Lake herself, crossing the line according to several of the other campaigns and Republican activists across the state.
Congressman Andy Biggs tweeted in part that “…Cameras in classrooms may be worth discussion by parents + leaders but smearing anyone opposing that effort shows a lack of ideas, judgment, and character. One more reason why Matt is the right pick for Governor.”
Arizona State Rep. Kelly Townsend called for an apology from Lake to Salmon.
Not going to debate the issue but will focus on mudslinging which is dirty & I will oppose it vehemently. Retweeting it is just as bad. I want character and spine, not spine and slime. I am calling for an apology & a retraction. Play fair or get out. @MattSalmonAZ @KariLake pic.twitter.com/FjLk6KKShY
— Senator Kelly Townsend (@AZKellyT) December 8, 2021
Former Congressman Frank Riggs pointed out that “@MattSalmonAZ has been a champion of special needs children & worked with me in #Congress on the reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals With Disabilities Education Act) to protect the rights of children with learning disabilities & special needs, & their parents.” and added that “@KariLake should be ashamed for endorsing & retweeting [Clegg’s] baseless accusation.”
What an irresponsible misrepresentation of @MattSalmonAZ’s stance. Cameras in classrooms may be worth discussion by parents + leaders but smearing anyone opposing that effort shows a lack of ideas, judgment, and character. One more reason why Matt is the right pick for Governor. pic.twitter.com/TbFF2pHsqz
— Andy Biggs (@andybiggs4az) December 7, 2021
For his part, Salmon issued a lengthy statement that included, ““There is too much at stake to roll the dice with an unproven and erratic candidate who has gone from supporting Barack Obama and Joe Biden, to claiming to represent conservatives despite being unable to convincingly articulate policies, to accusing her primary opponents of sanctioning criminal comportment.”
“Republicans seem to love Kari Lake’s presentation and attacks on the fake news media, even if she was the fake news media just a few months ago. The problem for Republicans is that she has a liberal track record and her entire campaign is based on her word that she is now a real conservative who can beat the Democrats. Claiming a character guy like Matt Salmon sanctions the rape of special needs kids makes her look crazy, and crazy Republicans can lose to Katie Hobbs.” said one GOP consultant who is not working for any of the governor candidates.
For her part, Lake has not yet responded to criticism, instead tweeting yet another statement reminding voters that she is endorsed by Donald Trump.