US presidential election: Four years of denial in Arizona
During the 2020 US presidential election, Arizona emerged as a pivotal state. Joe Biden won a narrow victory there, marking one of the rare occasions when this traditionally Republican state swung to the Democrats. In the aftermath of the election, while Donald Trump continued to claim victory, Arizona Republicans and the candidate's lawyers attempted to have the vote annulled in court – citing fraud and irregularities – but all these legal challenges were dismissed by the courts. Four years later, the state of Arizona remains more decisive than ever. Our reporters Valérie Defert and Pierrick Leurent followed the particularly tense campaign in Phoenix.
In the upcoming November 5 US presidential election, the vote in Arizona, which is shaping up to be more uncertain than ever, will be under close scrutiny. Security checks will be stepped up to avoid any suspicion of cheating, as was the case in 2020.
In this state, 60 percent of ballots are counted at the Maricopa County election centre. The site of protests and intimidation during the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 midterms, it has become a maximum-security fortress. Local authorities are trying to rebuild trust with voters and are even offering public tours to show transparency. But for now, voters seem unconvinced.
The trial of the 11 "fake electors" in Arizona – who certified a victory for Trump and attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election result – will not take place until 2026, as Joshua Kolsrud, the lawyer for one of the defendants, confirmed to FRANCE 24 in an exclusive interview. The charges could just as easily be dropped if a Republican attorney general is elected.
Impact on Republicans
Kari Lake, a former journalist, is a major figure among those Republicans denying the 2020 election results. The unsuccessful candidate for Arizona governor in 2022 is now running for a Senate seat in Congress. When questioned during a debate with her Democratic opponent, she still refused to concede her own defeat from two years ago or to say whether she has confidence in the current electoral system.
The ongoing fallout from the past two elections and alleged disinformation campaigns are impacting voters. During a campaign rally for Trump's running mate JD Vance in Tucson, all of the former president's supporters who spoke to FRANCE 24 expressed doubts about the validity of the last elections.
However, some Republican voters are breaking away from their traditional party. They are now openly calling to vote for Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic rival, in the November 5 presidential election, which promises to be tighter than ever.
