‘Coach’ Walz set to recruit GOP players in Arizona

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Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz in his debate with JD Vance spoke of putting an oath of office above loyalty to a party or a candidate. Arizona has Republicans like that.

Arizona featured so heavily in the vice presidential debate it’s safe to call Gov. Tim Walz’ upcoming visit here a recruiting trip. One in which Democrats could land a lot of great players from the GOP team.

We know this first from the reference in the debate to one of the late Sen. John McCain’s greatest county-over-party moments.

It happened with Sen. JD Vance made the ludicrous claim that Donald Trump saved the Affordable Care Act – something Trump had been trying to eliminate since he took office.

Walz pounced on it, saying in part, "On day one, he (Trump) tried to sign an executive order to repeal the ACA. He signed on to a lawsuit to repeal the ACA, but lost at the Supreme Court, and he would have repealed the ACA had it not been for the courage of John McCain to save that bill.”

Vance gave a 'daming non-answer' about honoring an oath The second (less obvious) moment that Arizona figured in the debate was when Walz asked Vance point blank, “Did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?”

“Tim, I'm focused on the future,” Vance said.

To which Walz responded, “That's a damning non-answer.”

He added, “Look, when Mike Pence made that decision to certify the election, that's why Mike Pence isn't on this stage. America, I think you’ve got a really clear choice on who’s going to honor Democracy and who’s going to honor Donald Trump.”

Walz ended the exchange with a question, saying, “That's what we're asking you, America. Will you stand up? Will you keep your oath of office even if the President doesn't?"

Some of the honorable Arizona Republicans kicked to the curb by MAGA Arizona has a bunch of Republicans who did just that – kept their oaths – and who were kicked to the curb by MAGA zealots.

They’re just the kind of political players a former football coach like Walz would like to recruit to his team, and perhaps bring with them other disillusioned Republicans.

Individuals like former GOP stalwart Sen. Jeff Flake (most recently ambassador to Turkey), who announced he is supporting Kamala Harris for president, saying in part, “I'm a conservative. I believe in the rule of law. First and foremost, I want to support a presidential candidate that respects the rule of law, somebody who, if they lose an election, wouldn't try to use the presidential powers to overturn that election.”

There are many others who honored their oath and were cast aside by voters in their own party for doing so.

Former Republican Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, for example, who refused to bow to pressure from Washington to alter Arizona election results.

Where is the firewall for democracy? It's here. It's in Arizona And the Republicans on the Maricopa Board of Supervisors who dealt with pressure and threats while honoring their oaths. Clint Hickman. Bill Gates. Jack Sellers, who said after being defeated in the Republican primary, “To the election deniers who have dedicated so much time, energy, and money to defeat me and others, I say: be careful what you wish for. At some point, you will have to answer for your efforts to undermine our democracy.”

Republican state Sen. Ken Bennett also was dispatched in the primary after having blocked MAGA efforts that would have made it more difficult for people to vote.

And there is Republican Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer. For honoring his oath Richer was made to deal with what he called a “deluge” of death threats; was defeated in the primary, and had a Republican Party county official say at a public meeting, "But if Stephen Richer walked in this room, I would lynch him.”

Gov. Walz, during his exchange about honoring oaths with Sen. Vance said, "What I'm concerned about is where is the firewall with Donald Trump? Where is the firewall…?”

It’s here, coach. It’s in Arizona.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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