Ducey, Garcia win nominations
National political picture could influence whether Arizona stays with Ducey
Doug Ducey soundly defeated challenger Ken Bennett in the Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, as longtime educator David Garcia beat out state Sen. Steve Farley and YWCA leader Kelly Fryer for his party's nomination.
“I am grateful and humbled by the continued support we've received from Arizonans tonight," Ducey, who has raised millions of dollars for his re-election campaign, said in a statement. "Now we must come together again to ensure we build on the significant gains of the last three years to secure Arizona’s future."
Analysts believe the Democratic primary winner will have a better-thanusual chance in the Nov. 6 general election, after the #RedForEd teacher walkout raised doubts about Ducey's dedication to public education. A national surge in progressive activism spurred by Trump administration decisions also could help Arizona Democrats. Indeed, Garcia said that momentum helped him "run an amazing campaign."
"We believed from the beginning that if we had candidates who were grounded in their communities, taking stances for those that didn’t have a voice, that would win the day, and we’re going to see that tonight," Garcia said at his watch party at Roland's in Phoenix .
"I’m very proud of what we’ve done, very proud of this turnout, and I think we’re looking at a new day in Arizona and we’re looking at an opportunity to invest in public education," he said.
A 'great job'?
Ducey, elected in 2014 after serving as state treasurer, won his first gubernatorial race by painting himself as a successful businessman who could revive the state's economy. He promised to cut taxes, attract entrepreneurs and support small businesses.
The 54-year-old has continued to focus on the economy in this campaign, touting the state's low unemployment rate and the expansion of high-profile companieswhile glossing over controversies related to Uber and the disgraced blood-testing company Theranos.
"We’ve delivered substantive reforms and made real progress these last three years in order to improve our state," Ducey said in his election-night statement. "We’ve done it by looking past labels and party."
Heading into the general election, Ducey will likely continue to focus on maintaining the positive trade connection with Mexico he feels he has cemented over the past three years.
He has also emphasized his dedication to border security by heralding the work of his multiagency Border Strike Force, which the White House recently invited him to discuss at a panel on borGov. der safety.
The governor has had less success selling his commitment to public-education funding, which some voters have called "disingenuous" after the #RedForEd teacher walkout.
Bennett, a former state Senate president, told The Arizona Republic he decided to challenge Ducey after watching the governor "panicking and flip-flopping" during the walkout.
The 58-year-old was popular among local supporters of the Trump administration.
Ducey declined to publicly debate Bennett in the months leading up to the primary because he considered him a "fringe candidate," according to Ducey's campaign manager. Bennett could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night.
'A working-class kid from Mesa'
Roland's was packed with Garcia supporters on election night. They bombarded him with hugs and handshakes after the first round of results came in, and their enthusiasm didn't waver throughout the night.
If the Arizona State University professor and education policy expert were to win the general election in November, he would be the first Latino in the Governor's Office in decades.
The 48-year-old Army native told The Republic his family represents Arizona's shifting demographics, and said his election could help the state reverse the anti-immigrant reputation related to the infamous Senate Bill 1070.
"You are looking at a working-class kid from Mesa who is one step away from being governor of his home state," he told supporters Tuesday. "How cool is that?"
Garcia largely eschewed big-name lobbyists and corporate political action committees in the months before the primary, focusing on drawing young and minority voters to the polls.
In recent weeks, Republicans and Democrats alike intensified attacks against him, forcing him to play defense while they portrayed him as a hypocrite and flip-flopper. The Republican Governors Association also has gotten involved in the race, funding attack ads against him.
Farley, a Tucson graphic designer and artist, played up his credentials as a finance and policy wonk, calling himself "the grown-up in the room" in an era of superficial political personalities. He was the top fund-raiser in the months leading up to the primary.
His priorities include improving the state's infrastructure and public-transit system, as well as restoring community college and vocational training funds.
Kelly Fryer, 56, traveled extensively throughout the state to meet with both rural and urban voters despite joining the race late. She vowed to involve all Arizona counties in her development plans and push for child-care tax credits and universal health care.
Fryer also stood out for resisting questions about border security, saying the current narrative espoused by officials amounts to race-based fear-mongering.