John,
President Trump has made at least three references to "canceling" the November midterms. Let that sink in.
In August, while sitting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, Trump said: "So if we happen to be at war with somebody, no more elections."
Earlier this month, he told Republican lawmakers: "Now, I won't say, 'Cancel the election. They should cancel the election,' because the fake news will say, 'He wants the elections canceled. He's a dictator.'"
Last week, he told a Reuters reporter he had accomplished so much that "when you think of it, we shouldn't even have an election."
The White House keeps calling these "jokes." Arizona is taking them seriously.
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Governor Katie Hobbs, and Attorney General Kris Mayes are working on contingency plans to respond if Trump attempts to cancel the election or seize ballot counting machines.
"We've got a whole bunch of scenarios we've been working through to make sure we're prepared for the types of processes that might be necessary to preserve our democracy," Fontes said. "So that if someone tries to cancel something, if somebody tries to take some stuff they are not entitled to, we can go to the courts and get the orders necessary so that we have the backup of law enforcement."
This is what's at stake when Arizonans go to the polls in November to decide who will be Attorney General.
Kris Mayes has sued Trump 35 times when he violates the Constitution. She's prepared to go to court to defend Arizona's elections if Trump tries to interfere. She's working with Fontes and Hobbs right now to protect democracy.
Warren Petersen? He's backing legislation to criminalize protesters and defending government agents who kill citizens. Do you think he'll stand up to Trump if the president tries to cancel the midterms?
The Constitution doesn't allow the president to cancel elections. But Trump's past actions prove nothing is off the table.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr testified Trump repeatedly pressured the Justice Department in 2020 to stop certification. Trump recently told the New York Times he should have used the military to seize vote tabulator machines.
The fact that Arizona's top officials are even planning for these scenarios tells you everything about where we are as a country.
Kris is fighting to protect your right to vote. She's preparing to defend Arizona's elections in court if necessary. But she needs to win in November to keep doing this work.
Can you chip in today to help elect an Attorney General who will defend democracy — not look the other way when the president threatens to cancel elections?
9 months until the midterms. Democracy is on the ballot.
Thanks for standing with us,
Team Mayes | 