AP: “Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey spent much of Donald Trump’s presidency trying not to provoke confrontation with the president or his fervent defenders. He almost made it through. But when state law required Ducey to certify Arizona’s presidential election results and sign off on Trump’s defeat last week, four years of loyalty wasn’t enough to protect him from the president. ‘Republicans will long remember!,’ Trump tweeted in anger at the governor.”
“Since then, the episode has spiraled into a public and politically damaging dispute between Ducey and influential Trump loyalists in his own party. Those who believe Trump’s unproven claims of fraud and support his effort to undermine the will of voters say Ducey betrayed his party. His defenders have dismissed the critics as ‘nuts.’ The rift may be a preview the lasting political impact of Trump’s campaign to subvert the election results. As the president’s baseless claims gain traction with many GOP voters, Republican officeholders will be asked to take sides – back Trump or acknowledge the reality that Biden won an election with no proven claims of widespread fraud. Their choices could have long-term consequences for their own political futures.”