Why did MAGA candidates do so well in Arizona but not Georgia?

[Tekken_Guy]

Why did MAGA candidates do so well in Arizona’s GOP primaries but not Georgia’s?

[Spectator]

Can’t spell crazy without (R-AZ)

[ProgressiveModerate]

Another thing too is in GA, there was some effort for Dems to crossover and vote for Raffensberger specifically, which could’ve had a greater impact statewide. We didn’t really see that kind of effort in AZ.

[GALeftist]

Another thing too is in GA, there was some effort for Dems to crossover and vote for Raffensberger specifically, which could’ve had a greater impact statewide. We didn’t really see that kind of effort in AZ.

Anecdotally, of the college-educated D leaners I know, probably a majority of them voted in the Republican primary. Probably didn't make the difference for Kemp but honestly probably did for Raff.

[Cyrusman]

Because they were incumbents. Also POLICY WISE, Kemp pretty much falls in line with Trump. He is not a RINO by any means. He is a true conservative and the GOP voters in GA saw that. The only reason Trump hates him is because he did his job and certified the election.

Had Ducey been up for reelection he would have won too. He won in a landslide in 2018 in a much worse environment.

[Orange is back]

Incumbency is the main reason. Especially considering Herschel Walker and Burt Jones both won.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Because they were incumbents. Also POLICY WISE, Kemp pretty much falls in line with Trump. He is not a RINO by any means. He is a true conservative and the GOP voters in GA saw that. The only reason Trump hates him is because he did his job and certified the election.

Had Ducey been up for reelection he would have won too. He won in a landslide in 2018 in a much worse environment.

I keep mentioning how Kemp was extremely wise to not join in on the Big Lie because it now gives him "moderate" bona fides in his increasingly swingy state in spite of still being right wing in nature. And now he looks favored for re-election. The same probably would have been true of Ducey this year had he been able to run again. Though Governor approval ratings suggest he is less popular than Kemp is currently, for whatever reason.

[Cyrusman]

Because they were incumbents. Also POLICY WISE, Kemp pretty much falls in line with Trump. He is not a RINO by any means. He is a true conservative and the GOP voters in GA saw that. The only reason Trump hates him is because he did his job and certified the election.

Had Ducey been up for reelection he would have won too. He won in a landslide in 2018 in a much worse environment.

I keep mentioning how Kemp was extremely wise to not join in on the Big Lie because it now gives him "moderate" bona fides in his increasingly swingy state in spite of still being right wing in nature. And now he looks favored for re-election. The same probably would have been true of Ducey this year had he been able to run again. Though Governor approval ratings suggest he is less popular than Kemp is currently, for whatever reason.

Yeah exactly, and what’s funny is Kemp isn’t even a “moderate” he’s a pretty conservative Republican IMO. Funny how just doing your job and not going along with crazy stolen election nonsense can make you look so much more moderate. Seriously the GOP is so dumb to be nominating some of these other candidates. Ducey would’ve won but most likely by a much smaller margin than 2018 I’m guessing.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Because they were incumbents. Also POLICY WISE, Kemp pretty much falls in line with Trump. He is not a RINO by any means. He is a true conservative and the GOP voters in GA saw that. The only reason Trump hates him is because he did his job and certified the election.

Had Ducey been up for reelection he would have won too. He won in a landslide in 2018 in a much worse environment.

I keep mentioning how Kemp was extremely wise to not join in on the Big Lie because it now gives him "moderate" bona fides in his increasingly swingy state in spite of still being right wing in nature. And now he looks favored for re-election. The same probably would have been true of Ducey this year had he been able to run again. Though Governor approval ratings suggest he is less popular than Kemp is currently, for whatever reason.

Yeah exactly, and what’s funny is Kemp isn’t even a “moderate” he’s a pretty conservative Republican IMO. Funny how just doing your job and not going along with crazy stolen election nonsense can make you look so much more moderate. Seriously the GOP is so dumb to be nominating some of these other candidates. Ducey would’ve won but most likely by a much smaller margin than 2018 I’m guessing.

If Kemp and Raffensperger win while all the lunatics in Arizona lose, maybe then the GOP will finally get the hint. Of course, that still won't matter much to their base; they're too far-gone.

[Spectator]

Because they were incumbents. Also POLICY WISE, Kemp pretty much falls in line with Trump. He is not a RINO by any means. He is a true conservative and the GOP voters in GA saw that. The only reason Trump hates him is because he did his job and certified the election.

Had Ducey been up for reelection he would have won too. He won in a landslide in 2018 in a much worse environment.

I keep mentioning how Kemp was extremely wise to not join in on the Big Lie because it now gives him "moderate" bona fides in his increasingly swingy state in spite of still being right wing in nature. And now he looks favored for re-election. The same probably would have been true of Ducey this year had he been able to run again. Though Governor approval ratings suggest he is less popular than Kemp is currently, for whatever reason.

Yeah exactly, and what’s funny is Kemp isn’t even a “moderate” he’s a pretty conservative Republican IMO. Funny how just doing your job and not going along with crazy stolen election nonsense can make you look so much more moderate. Seriously the GOP is so dumb to be nominating some of these other candidates. Ducey would’ve won but most likely by a much smaller margin than 2018 I’m guessing.

If Kemp and Raffensperger win while all the lunatics in Arizona lose, maybe then the GOP will finally get the hint. Of course, that still won't matter much to their base; they're too far-gone.

They won’t get the hint. They didn’t after all the avoidable losses in 2010/2012/2020

[Fuzzy Bear]

In Georgia, Democrats entered Republican primaries to support Kemp and Raffensberger.

Had Trump gone after Raffensberger, and only Raffensberger, he would have seen Brad go down in the primary.  But he went after Kemp, who (A) had been a Trump supporter and (B) was someone who took the DeSantis line on COVID-19 and was an anti-lockdown Governor.  Kemp had popularity, Perdue was hardly an inspiring candidate, there was no overwhelming reason for a GOP partisan to vote against Kemp, and ordinary GOP voters had enough independence to not jettison a Governor they basically agreed with just because Donald Trump wanted him gone.

[Politician]

Incumbency, plus the fact that Perdue basically ran only on "Stop the Steal" (which he didn't even believe strongly in) and Hice barely campaigned (assuming he had the race in the bag).

[Skill and Chance]

This is a fascinating question.  Arizona is not the place you would ever expect a hardcore populist sweep.  Georgia (like most Southern states) does have a totally open primary without partisan registration which probably helped the anti-Trump wing.  However, Arizona is not totally closed.  Registered independents can pick either primary. 

[President Johnson]

Kemp and Raffensperger were incumbents. Lake and Finchem were running in open races. Simple as that.

That's true, though I'm not sure whether Ducey could have won a primary against Lake. Maybe he would have, but narrowly and nearly not as a big as Kemp won his primary.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Because they were incumbents. Also POLICY WISE, Kemp pretty much falls in line with Trump. He is not a RINO by any means. He is a true conservative and the GOP voters in GA saw that. The only reason Trump hates him is because he did his job and certified the election.

Had Ducey been up for reelection he would have won too. He won in a landslide in 2018 in a much worse environment.

I keep mentioning how Kemp was extremely wise to not join in on the Big Lie because it now gives him "moderate" bona fides in his increasingly swingy state in spite of still being right wing in nature. And now he looks favored for re-election. The same probably would have been true of Ducey this year had he been able to run again. Though Governor approval ratings suggest he is less popular than Kemp is currently, for whatever reason.

Yeah exactly, and what’s funny is Kemp isn’t even a “moderate” he’s a pretty conservative Republican IMO. Funny how just doing your job and not going along with crazy stolen election nonsense can make you look so much more moderate. Seriously the GOP is so dumb to be nominating some of these other candidates. Ducey would’ve won but most likely by a much smaller margin than 2018 I’m guessing.

If Kemp and Raffensperger win while all the lunatics in Arizona lose, maybe then the GOP will finally get the hint. Of course, that still won't matter much to their base; they're too far-gone.

They won’t get the hint. They didn’t after all the avoidable losses in 2010/2012/2020

In public I'm sure they won't, but in private, as I'm sure has always been the case, they'll probably be cursing Trump and pulling their hair out about how much they have to lick his ass.

And there is the potential that the Arizona candidates, and many like them, if they lose will simply refuse to concede and go full-Big Lie, but I don't think their refusal to admit their losses will have the consequences that Trump's refusal had.