Trump endorses Arizona governor ahead of primary

President Trump endorsed Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) ahead of the state’s Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday. 

“Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona is doing a great job. It would be really nice to show your support tomorrow by voting for him in Tuesdays Primary,” Trump tweeted. “Doug is strong on Crime, the Border, and our Second Amendment. Loves our Military & our Vets. He has my full and complete Endorsement.”

Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona is doing a great job. It would be really nice to show your support tomorrow by voting for him in Tuesdays Primary. Doug is strong on Crime, the Border, and our Second Amendment. Loves our Military & our Vets. He has my full and complete Endorsement.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2018

{mosads}The endorsement came in a string of tweets, in which Trump reiterated his support for Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) in his gubernatorial bid and for Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), who’s challenging Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) for his Senate seat.

Ducey is facing a primary challenge from former Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, but is expected to win the GOP nomination on Tuesday.

Scott, meanwhile, is facing only a nominal GOP challenge in his Senate bid, while DeSantis is locked in a primary race with Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. Florida’s primaries are also slated for Tuesday.

Absent from the list of presidential accolades tweeted by Trump was any mention of Arizona’s bitterly contested Republican Senate primary.

Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) is competing against two conservative firebrands — former state Sen. Kelli Ward and former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio — in a primary that has threatened to divide the state’s conservative base.

Trump has so far stayed out of the Arizona GOP Senate primary, but the candidates have raced to tie themselves to the president. McSally is considered the front-runner, but challenges from Ward and Arpaio have pushed her to the right, particularly on issues like immigration and her support for Trump.

The winner is expected to face presumed Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D) in November. Sinema faces little primary opposition, allowing her to focus on the general election to replace retiring Sen. Jeff Flake (R).