FLORENCE, Ariz. — Former President Donald Trump stepped up his election-year effort to dominate the Republican Party with a Saturday rally in Arizona.
He castigated anyone who dares to question his lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, including Gov. Doug Ducey.
But 2,000 miles to the east in Washington, there are small signs that some Republicans are tiring of the charade.
A generally unassuming senator from South Dakota, Mike Rounds, is perhaps the boldest in acknowledging the reality that the election was in fact fair. Rounds has drawn Trump's ire but also support from some fellow Republicans.
On the Contrary, some fellow party members are trying to follow in Trump's footsteps.
GOP candidate for governor, Kari Lake responded to a personal endorsement from Trump with a speech similar to the former president's in past years.
Lake incited the crowd about continuing to build the wall and even locking up Dr. Anthony Fauci.
"...And when I'm elected, we will finish your big beautiful wall," Lake said.
Trump released a statement Friday announcing he'd never support Ducey's possible ambitions to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Ducey had been a supporter of Trump's during the election and campaigned for him in 2020. But their relationship soured after Ducey started to distance himself from Trump's fraud conspiracies.
Arizona Politics
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