TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," IT'S THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES, INCLUDING A RECAP OF TUESDAY'S PRIMARY ELECTIONS IN ARIZONA.

THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE IS NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

IT'S FRIDAY, AND THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

AND JOINING US TONIGHT, JEREMY DUDA OF AXIOS PHOENIX.

DENNIS WELCH OF CBS 5 AND 3TV AND WAYNE SCHUTSKY FROM KJZZ RADIO.

PANEL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

JEREMY, START WITH YOU, WE'LL GO TO INDIVIDUAL RACES THROUGHOUT THE SHOW HERE REGARDING TUESDAY'S PRIMARY, BUT JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW.

ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THAT PARTY IS STILL VERY MUCH IN THE GRIP OF DONALD TRUMP, MAGA AND TURNING POINT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

BETWEEN TRUMP ENDORSEMENTS, TURNS POINT ACTION ENDORSEMENTS, IT WAS A CLEAN SWEEP.

ANDY BIGGS, EVERYONE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, ABSOLUTE BLOWOUTS.

ELECTION DENIERS PUT OUT WILD IDEAS WHAT HE WANTED TO SEE HAPPEN WITH ELECTIONS.

KIM YEE BACKED BY TURNING POINT AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RACE.

NORTON TREASURER.

IT WAS CLEAN, WE GOT RALPH HEAP ON ONE OF THE CORPORATION COMMISSION RACES.

TED: WAS IT A SURPRISE?

IT'S OBVIOUSLY A PRIMARY, AND I GET THAT, A SURPRISE NOT ONLY FOR THE WINS BUT THE MARGINS OF VICTORY.

>> PARTICULARLY FOR THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, THE MARGIN OF VICTORY WAS HUGE.

YOU HAD TWO SITTING CONGRESSMEN FACING EACH OTHER OFF IN THAT PRIMARY, AND GOING INTO IT, I THINK ALL OF US HERE WOULD AGREE THAT ANDY BIGGS WAS THE ODDS-ON HEAVY FAVORITE ON THIS.

HE HAD THE MONEY, MOST IMPORTANTLY THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, WE SAW HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS WITH THE OVERALL RESULTS OF THE CONTEST.

BUT SCHWEIKERT HAS BEEN ON THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE HERE IN ARIZONA FOR DECADES, AND YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT HE COULD HAVE WAGED A BETTER EFFORT.

AT THE END, THE LAST TOTAL I SAW ABOUT 60 POINTS HE WAS BEATEN BY ANDY BIGGS.

THAT WAS A SURPRISE.

>> I WANT TO GET TO THE GOVERNOR'S RACE A LITTLE CLOSER IN A SECOND.

LAST POINT AS OVERVIEW HERE, TURNING POINT DID NOT HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH THE SRP ELECTIONS THERE.

EVERYONE THOUGHT TURNING POINT HAD REACHED A TURNING POINT.

DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT NOW.

>> THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT ANIMALS.

SRP WAS DIPPING THEIR TOES INTO SOMETHING THEY'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.

MIGHT BE A SMALL RACE, BUT A SMALL PECULIAR RACE, AND TRIED TO INJECT POLITICS IN SOMETHING BROADLY POLITICS PLAYED A ROLE IN THE PAST, THEY TRIED TO GET REALLY POLITICAL WITH IT.

HERE, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO BREAD AND BUTTER, PARTISAN POLITICS, THEY HAD A STRANGLEHOLD ON THE HARD CORE REPUBLICAN VOTER IN ARIZONA FOR BETTER PART OF A DECADE AND DOESN'T SEEM TO BE CHANGING.

>> THE SRP RACE, TURNING POINT, GALVANIZED A LOT OF CONSERVATIVE VOTERS AND LIBERAL VOTERS.

TURNING POINT, IF I'M THESE PEOPLE, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THESE PEOPLE.

SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT?

THE PRIMARY IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

TED: IT IS DIFFERENT, AND WE'LL LIKELY SEE VERY CURIOUS IN SOME OF THE RACES.

GOVERNOR'S RACE, A COMPLETE AND UTTER BLOWOUT.

THAT BEING SAID, REPUBLICANS OBVIOUSLY LIKE ANDY BIGGS.

DO INDEPENDENTS LIKE ANDY BIGGS?

>> WELL, ANDY BIGGS IS DOING A LOT AND SAYING A LOT OF THINGS HE'S HOPING INDEPENDENTS LIKE HIM.

THE ANDY BIGGS WE'VE KNOWN FOR A LOT OF YEARS, HE LED THE FREEDOM CAUCUS AND CONGRESS, VERY RIGHT-WING STATE LEGISLATOR.

YOU HEAR HIM TALK NOW HE'S A BRIDGE BUILDER, WORKED WITH McCAIN, KYRSTEN SINEMA, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, PROVING UP THE AISLE CROSSING CREDENTIALS.

HE DID GOVERN FAIRLY PRAGMATCALLY, THE SENATE RAN PRETTY WELL.

BUT A LOT OF THAT IS BY NECESSITY.

THAT'S HOW HE WOULD GOVERN SAYS GOVERNOR.

HE DEFINITELY TRIED TO GIVE VOTERS THE IMPRESSION HE WOULD BE AN AISLE CROSSER AND MORE OF A CENTRIST.

>> UP TO A POINT HE'S TRYING TO BE MODERATE, THAT'S THE STRATEGY, AND ON THE RADIO, HE WAS ASKED POINT-BLANK WHETHER HE THOUGHT KATIE HOBBS WAS THE LEGITIMATE WINNER OF THE ELECTION?

A YES, NO ANSWER, HE GAVE A 45-SECOND RESPONSE.

HE AGREED SHE'S THE GOVERNOR, BUT COULD NOT SAY SHE WAS THE LEGITIMATE GOVERNOR, WHICH MAKES ME QUESTION, ARE YOU GOING DOWN THIS ROAD AGAIN?

IS THIS THE HILL YOU WANT TO FIGHT ON?

WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED FOUR YEARS AGO WITH THE CANDIDATES THAT DIDN'T GO WELL, AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE SAME RESULT OUT OF THIS.

>> THAT'S THE SAME ANSWER HE GAVE TO ME.

WE DID A WHOLE FEATURE ON HIS ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN JANUARY 6 AND NOT CERTIFYING THE ELECTION.

HE SAID, YES, SHE'S IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

IT'S AN EASY QUESTION AND HE WOULDN'T ANSWER IT.

NOT JUST THE ELECTION DENIALISM STUFF, BUT HISTORICAL POSITION ON ABORTION, HOW THEY ADDED PROTECTIONS TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION, SO WHETHER THAT FAR RIGHT BRAND OF CONSERVATISM IS POPULAR, I DON'T KNOW, AND THEN ON HIM BEING A BRIDGE BUILDER, I THINK SOMEONE NEEDS TO REMIND HIM THAT JOHN McCAIN WAS A REPUBLICAN.

HE KEEPS TALKING HE WORKED WITH JOHN McCAIN, LIKE THAT IS CROSSING THE AISLE.

THEY WERE ON THE SAME SIDE.

TED: JEREMY, THE PREEMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL PARDON, A VOTE TO OVERTURN THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL -- THE WHITE SUPREMACY ANTI-SEMITISM CHARGES THAT SCHWEIKERT, NOT TO ANY GREAT EFFECT, THREW AT HIM IN THE PRIMARY.

DO THESE THINGS REAR THEIR HEAD IN THE GENERAL?

>> 100%.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE MILLION DOLLARS IN ADVERTISING FROM KATIE HOBBS, FROM THE DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION AND PRO-HOBBS SUPER PACS, AS MUCH AS THE McCAIN THING, REMEMBER, TALKING ABOUT WORKING WITH HIM MAYBE A NECESSITY AFTER THE KARI LAKE INCIDENT FROM FOUR YEARS AGO, BIGGS CAN SAY WHATEVER HE WANTS, BUT HOBBS IS GOING TO ADD EXTREMIST, EXTREMIST, EXTREMIST, THAT IS THE WAY SHE'S GOING TO PORTRAY HIM, MENTIONING ALL THE ISSUES.

THESE TWO ARE IN A RACE TO DEFINE HIM.

KATIE HOBBS DEFINES THE VOTERS.

SHE'S BEEN AROUND FOUR YEARS, PEOPLE KNOW WHAT SHE'S ABOUT.

BIGGS IS GOING TO RAISE THE UNSAVORY ASPECT OF HER ADMINISTRATION, THEY'RE IN A RACE TO DEFINE WHO ANDY BIGGS IS.

>> THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRIMARY BIGGS WAS IN AND THE GENERAL HE'S HEADING INTO.

HE DID COME OUT WITH ACCUSATIONS HE LIKES TO PAL AROUND WITH RACISTS AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE MONEY WITH THE MESSAGE.

THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH THE GOVERNOR.

THIS GOVERNOR HAS ALL THE MONEY SHE NEEDS OR WANTS TO PUSH THE MESSAGE TO DEFINE ANDY BIGGS.

TED: SECRETARY OF STATE, ALEXANDER KOLODIN OVER GINA SWOBODA, KOLODIN IS AN ELECTION DENIER THAT REPUBLICANS WANT TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE STATE'S ELECTIONS?

AM I GETTING THIS RIGHT?

>> NOT SUPER SURPRISING, THEY NOMINATED MARK FINCHEM FOUR YEARS AGO IN THE SAME VEIN AS ALEXANDER KOLODIN.

IT WAS A CHOICE BETWEEN A MORE ELECTABLE CANDIDATE IN GINA SWOBODA WHO WORKED IN THE OFFICE BEFORE, TAKEN A MUCH LESS AGGRESSIVE TACK ON THE ELECTION DENIALISM STUFF, AND A PARTY DARLING IN KOLODIN WHO SAYS THE THINGS THE DIEHARDS LOVE BUT STUFF THAT LOST REPUBLICANS GENERAL FLECTION THE PAST.

TED: THIS IS A TRUE TEST OF ELECTION DENIALISM THIS PARTICULAR RACE?

>> THIS RACE AND ADRIAN FONTES'S LAST RACE FOUR YEARS AGO AGAINST MARK FINCHEM, THE REPUBLICANS WHO GET WRAPPED UP IN THE ISSUES AND THE POSITION, IT'S EASY TO CONVINCE YOURSELF THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR LD MEETINGS AND HANGING AROUND ACTIVISTS BUT THE PUBLIC ISN'T DOWN WITH THAT AND FONTES WAS QUICK TO SEIZE ONTO THAT WITH THE FIRST AD TALKING ABOUT I'VE PROTECTED THE INTEGRITY OF ELECTIONS, HERE'S ALEX KOLODIN WHO IS AN EXTREMIST AND WANTS TO TAKE AWAY VOTE BY MAIL.

80 OR 85% VOTE BY MAIL.

UNPOPULAR POSITION TO HANG YOUR HAT ON.

>> YOU GOT TO REMEMBER, HE WAS ADMONISHED BY THE BAR FOR ROLE IN THE LAWSUITS.

HE WAS PUT ON PROBATION AND FORCED TO TAKE AN ETHICS, A COURT-ORDERED ETHICS CLASS ON THIS AFTER ALL THIS.

SO HIS INVOLVEMENT IN ALL THIS STUFF WASN'T INSIGNIFICANT.

HE WAS A POINT PERSON ON THAT WHOLE THING.

TED: THAT SAID, DID KOLODIN WIN THIS RACE OR GINA SWOBODA LOSE IT?

>> I THINK WITH TURNING POINT'S HELP, WITH THEIR SUPPORT AND BACKING HELPED WIN HIM THAT RACE, THAT'S WHERE THE ENERGY WITH THE PARTY, WITH THE PRIMARY VOTERS IS RIGHT NOW.

I WAS SURPRISED.

I THOUGHT GINA SWOBODA WOULD MAKE IT CLOSER RACE, BUT TURNING POINT MADE IT CLEAR THEY DON'T LIKE HER BRAND OF POLITICS AND HAVE BEEN AGGRESSIVELY WORKING AGAINST HER.

TED: ALEXANDER KOLODIN, MOST OF THE STATE, THEY DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS, AND MORE PEOPLE CAN'T PRONOUNCE HIS NAME.

HE'S GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO OUT THERE?

>> HE HAS TURNING POINT BEHIND HIM, HE WILL HAVE MONEY TO GET HIS NAME OUT THERE.

HE'S GOT THIS HISTORY THAT IS EASY TO DEFINE FOR FONTES WHO WILL HAVE ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE, AND IF WE LOOK TO HISTORY IN A GUIDE, IN A YEAR WE HAD A LOT OF CLOSE TOP OF THE TICKET RACES, THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S RACE WASN'T PARTICULARLY CLOSE, SO I KIND OF SEE A REPEAT HAPPENING HERE.

TED: WHAT ABOUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RACE?

AGAIN, STICKING WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WE HAD MORE RACES THERE THAN DEMOCRAT, WE'LL GET TO THE DEMOCRATS IN CD-1.

WARREN PETERSEN BEATS RODNEY GLASSMAN, WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THE MARGIN OF VICTORY?

>> I DID.

THIS HAS BEEN A NASTY PRIMARY, THE NASTIEST STATEWIDE.

LOT OF MUDSLINGING, LOT OF ATTACKS, STOLE SIGNS ALL OVER TOWN.

I EXPECTED PETERSEN TO WIN, BUT EXPECTED IT TO BE PRETTY NARROW.

TED: INTERESTING.

>> AND WHEN I FIRST SAW THE FIRST BATCH OF RESULTS, THIS IS WIDER THAN I THOUGHT, I THINK IT TOOK A DAY TO DECLARE VICTORY QUICKLY, AND ANDY BIGGS PARTY WASN'T.

>> THAT WAS A NASTY RACE, EVERY TIME I LOOKED AT TV, WARREN PETERSEN BREAKDANCING, THAT AD AT A PARTY, SEEMED LIKE IT WAS RUNNING FOREVER.

HE OVERCAME ALL OF THAT.

AND I THINK TOO, THERE WAS A BIAS WITHIN THE POLITICAL CLASS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW RODNEY GLASSMAN, HE'S BEEN AROUND, HE'S RUN FOR A LOT OF OFFICES AND LOST A LOT OF RACES, I WAS CURIOUS WHETHER THE AVERAGE VOTER NOT AWARE OF HIM OR THE BAGGAGE HE MAY BE CARRYING IN THE RACES MAY THINK OF HIM.

HIS ADS WERE WELL POLISHED, ON MESSAGE, AND I THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE THIS CLOSER AND IF THINGS BREAK HIS WAY, MAYBE HE PULLS OUT THE NOMINATION THERE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WASN'T THAT CLOSE.

>> I GOT TO TELL YOU, I WAS OPPOSITE, I WAS SURPRISED THE NUMBERS CAME IN AS THEY DID, AS CLOSE AS THEY DID.

I DIDN'T THINK RODNEY GLASSMAN WAS GOING TO GET AS CLOSE AS HE DID?

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE CLOSER, THAT WAS PURELY BASED ON SENATE PRESIDENT PETERSEN'S BEHAVIOR.

HE WAS RUNNING LIKE A GUY IN A CLOSE RACE WITH THE MUDSLINGING.

WE HAVE A SAYING IN ARIZONA POLITICS, DEATH, TAXES AND RODNEY GLASSMAN LOSES.

TED: ALL RIGHT, BUT WE GOT ANOTHER ELECTION DENIER WINNING A RACE, COMMON THEME ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, INVOLVED IN THE CYBER NINJA, VERY HIGH-PROFILE THERE WITH CYBER NINJA, JEREMY.

DOES THIS COME POPPING UP NOW THAT THE GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN SEASON IS UNDER WAY?

>> I'M SURE KRIS MAYES IS GOING TO UNDOUBTEDLY BRING THAT UP.

YOU SAY CYBER NINJA'S AUDIT, OUTSIDE OF THE HARD-CORE SUPPORTERS, GOING TO SNICKER AT THAT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A HECK OF A RACE.

THIS IS A PURPLE BUT STILL REPUBLICAN STATE, AND I'VE SEEN MAYES DECIDED TO HITCH A WAGON TO THE ANTI-TRUMP OPPOSITION, SHE'S THE FACE OF THAT AMONG STATEWIDE DEMOCRATS THAT KATIE HOBBS WANTED TO DO BECAUSE SHE'S TRIED TO MOVE MORE TO THE CENTER.

THIS IS NOVEMBER IN MIND.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING TEST OF THAT.

SHE'S FILED THREE DOZEN OR MORE LAWSUITS.

TED: FOUR DOZEN.

>> YOU LOSE COUNT AFTER AWHILE.

TED: WHAT ARE NUMBERS.

>> IS THAT GOING TO APPEAL TO VOTERS AND PETERSEN IS THINKING, HEY, THIS IS STILL A SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE STATE.

STILL PREDOMINANTLY REPUBLICAN STATE, AND HE'S GOING TO MAKE HER LOOK LIKE A VERY OUT-OF-TOUCH LIBERAL.

>> FOUR YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A BIG SPLIT, REPUBLICANS HAD A BIG ADVANTAGE IN VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBERS, THAT HAS GROWN TO OVER 300,000.

IF YOU REMEMBER MAYES ONLY WON BY 280 VOTES, AND WITH THE MARGINS SPLIT BETWEEN REGISTRATION AND ADVANTAGE GOING TOWARD THE REPUBLICAN MORE AND MORE, I'M THINKING HE'S LOOKING AT THE MATH SAYING I GOT A GOOD SHOT AT THIS ONE.

TED: CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1 ON BOTH SIDES.

THE DEMOCRAT RACE WHERE, A LOT OF HOO HAU IS GOING ON.

SHAH WINS, A SURPRISE, THE FACT THAT THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE PUT SO MUCH INTO THAT RACE FOR MARLENE GALAN-WOODS AND DIDN'T FINISH BETTER THAN SHE DID, WHAT MESSAGE IS THAT SENDING?

>> DCCC, UNTIL SOMEONE PROVE ME WRONG, SHAH'S DOOR KNOCKING CAPABILITIES WOULD WIN OUT IN THE RACE.

HE'S CONTINUALLY WON COMPETITIVE PRIMARIES IN DISTRICTS IN THE AREA BY HITTING THE DOORS AND TALKING TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, AND I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE VOTE BASED ON HOW WASHINGTON, D.C.

DEMOCRATS TELL THEM TO, AND SO THAT DIDN'T REALLY HAVE MUCH OF AN IMPACT.

SOME OF THE ENDORSEMENTS MOVED THE NEEDLE A BIT.

MARK KELLY, PEOPLE LIKE HIM.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE CONNECTED BETTER WITH VOTERS.

TED: JEREMY, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MARLENE GALAN-WOODS?

YOU COULDN'T WATCH A DIAMONDBACKS GAME SAYING YOU CAN'T TOUCH AMISH SHAH OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND IT JUST DIDN'T WORK.

>> THE DOOR KNOCKING PEOPLE KNOW HIM, THE PEOPLE WHO MEET HIM LIKE HIM, AND I THINK HE PROBABLY HAD, THIS IS LIKE PETERSEN AND GLASSMAN, I THOUGHT SHAH WAS GOING TO WIN, BE A ONE OR TWO-POINT RACE, AND IT ENDED UP BEING A LOT WIDER IT.

NARROWED A BIT.

THERE'S $3 MILLION OF OUTSIDE MONEY SPENT AGAINST SHAH FOR THE MOST PART THAN FOR WOODS.

I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO CHIP AWAY AT THAT LEAD AND APPARENTLY DIDN'T, MAYBE THERE'S A LOT OF -- MAYBE PEOPLE SAW THAT THE NATIONAL PARTY, WHICH IS NOT PARTICULARLY POPULAR, THE ESTABLISHMENT IS NOT SUPER POPULAR AMONG THE DEMOCRATIC BASE PRIMARY VOTERS.

>> I THINK WITH WOODS, TOO, A LOT OF THE HELP CAME TOO LATE, THE ADS WERE COMING A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER EARLY BALLOTS AND EARLY VOTING HAD ALREADY STARTED.

I KNOW THAT MARK KELLY ENDORSEMENT CAME IN THE LAST WEEK OF THE CAMPAIGN.

WHEN YOU HAVE EARLY VOTING GOING ON FOR THREE WEEKS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HELP THAT IS GOING TO GIVE HER, BUT I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE DCCC GETTING INVOLVED IN ALL THIS.

WOULD HAVE LOVED TO OVERHEARD THE CONVERSATION THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE DCCC GIVES SHAH A CALL.

HEY, BUDDY, SORRY ABOUT ALL THAT.

MY BAD.

TED: WE COULD TRUST YOU NOW.

I COULDN'T TRUST YOU YESTERDAY, BUT CAN TODAY.

>> ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THERE, THE SERIOUSNESS IS THE ATTACK ADS FROM THE DCCC ON SHAH MAY HAVE HELPED HIM AS HE HEADS INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION BECAUSE THEY KEPT ALL ATTACKS HIM FOR BEING TOO CONSERVATIVE OR TOO FAR RIGHT.

NOW HE'S GOING INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO PAINT HIM AS THIS PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL.

SO THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A BENEFIT.

TED: LITTLE JIU-JITSU GOING ON?

>> MAYBE NOT A CONSPIRACY OR STRATEGY THAT WAS THOUGHT OUT, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE.

TED: SURE.

>> WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS INTENTIONAL, IMMEDIATELY YOU SAW NATIONAL REPUBLICAN GROUPS COMING OUT WITH THE SHAH IS A SOCIALIST AD.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

THIS IS D.C.

CONSULTANTS INSERTING THEMSELVES INTO RACES THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

WHEN I WAS COVERING LEGISLATURE AND SHAH WAS THERE, HE WAS GETTING IN TROUBLE FOR WORKING TOO CLOSELY WITH REPUBLICANS.

THE IDEA HE IS A SOCIALIST IS LAUGHABLE.

TED: GET ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE NOW.

JAY FEELY WINS, AND WASN'T NECESSARILY CLOSE.

JOSEPH CHAPLIK TOO RIGHT-WING FOR THE DISTRICT?

THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, ALL-KNOWING, ALL SEEN?

>> THE LATTER.

TRUMP ENDORSEMENT AND SLASH FEELY'S I.D.

AND CHAPLIK IS KNOWN WITH THE BASE.

EVERYONE ELSE, THEY KNOW WHO JAY FEELY IS, A KICKER FOR THE CARDINALS OUT HERE.

HE'S BEEN ON TELEVISION, AND YOU ADD THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TO THAT, THAT WAS A COMBO TOO MUCH FOR SOMEONE LIKE CHAPLIK, WHO WAS NEVER PARTICULARLY OUT THERE AND POPULAR AS A LAWMAKER.

TOO MUCH TO OVERCOME.

>> DON'T YOU THINK FEELY FITS THAT DISTRICT REALLY WELL?

HE LOOKS LIKE IT AND SOUNDS LIKE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-TYPE REPUBLICAN.

THIS IS, REMEMBER, IT'S A WEALTHY DISTRICT, ONE OF THE WEALTHIER CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS HERE, AND THEY'VE ELECTED DAY OF THE SCHWEIKERT FOR A LONG TIME.

THIS IS A MODERATE REPUBLICAN DISTRICT.

>> YES, YES, DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT DISTRICT THAN OTHERS.

>> AND DCCC COUNTERPART WEIGHED IN ON THIS AS WELL.

THEY DIDN'T SPEND MONEY FOR JAY FEELY BUT TRUMP'S ENDORSEMENT, THEY BACKED HIM.

A BIG PART OF IT IS HEY, WE'RE GETTING BEHIND THE PRESIDENT'S ENDORSEMENTS, PART OF IT IS LOOKING TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.

CHAPLIK WAS IN THE HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS, A GOOD FIT FOR THE MAGA BASE AND THE FREEDOM VOTERS IF HE HAD THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, HE'S BY FAR THE MORE MAGA CANDIDATE.

THIS IS A TOUGH YEAR FOR REPUBLICANS, WE WANT A SHOT, FEELY IS THE WAY TO GO THERE.

TED: FORECAST THE GENERAL.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE 18 GENUINE TOSS-UP DISTRICTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, NEITHER PARTY IS GOING TO WIN WITHOUT WINNING CD-1.

YOU WILL SEE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF SPENDING OUTSIDE.

DEMOCRATS HAVE ADVANTAGE IN A CLOSE RACE BECAUSE OF THE YEAR, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH.

TED: AROUND THE FIRST TURN, WHO'S GOT THE LEAD?

>> AROUND THE FIRST TURN?

THAT'S A HARD ONE.

I THINK YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE THAT'S GOING TO BE WITH YOU SEE GAS PRICES STARTING TO KICK BACK UP AGAIN, THE WAR IN IRAN CRANKING UP AGAIN.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE PRESIDENT'S POLL NUMBERS AND WHETHER THAT HAS A DRAIN IN THAT DISTRICT.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BE LOOKING AT.

I AGREE WITH JEREMY.

THERE IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH MONEY SPENT IN THE DISTRICT.

IT WILL BE CRAZY.

>> DEMOCRATS ARE ENERGIZE.

THEY'RE REALLY MAD, UPSET ABOUT PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING DONALD TRUMP DOES.

THEY'RE MOTIVATED TO VOTE, AND A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ARE NOT SO MOTIVATED, AND SO MANY PEOPLE WHO THEY'LL CRAWL OVER BROKEN GLASS TO VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP, IF TRUMP IS NOT ON THE BALLOT, THEY WON'T CARE.

>> IT'S AN INDEPENDENT GAME ESPECIALLY IN THIS DISTRICT.

AFFECTS THE STATEWIDE REGISTRATION SPLIT, AND DONALD TRUMP IS SO UNDERWATER WITH THOSE VOTERS AND FEELY IS ATTACHED TO THEM.

IS HE THE MORE MODERATE CANDIDATE TO THE PRIMARY?

SURE.

HE ATTACHED HIMSELF TO THE PRESIDENT AND IT COULD HELP SHAH.

TED: DOES FEELY ASK THE PRESIDENT TO CAMPAIGN FOR HIM?

>> I WOULD ASK HIM NOT TO.

TED: WHAT DO YOU THINK, JEREMY?

>> DONALD TRUMP DOES WHAT DONALD TRUMP WANTS.

HE'S HERE TO RALLY.

>> WHEN THE PRESIDENT COMES OUT HERE, HE GOES TO DREAM CITY CHURCH IN FEELY'S DISTRICT.

>> THE TRUTH SERUM, I WOULD THINK JAY FEELY RATHER THE PRESIDENT STAY OUT OF IT, AND LET HIS CAMPAIGN HANDLE THIS WHOLE THING AND NOT DEAL WITH THE -- IT'S A KNUCKLEBALL, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WHERE THIS IS GOING TO GO WHEN TRUMP COMES OUT HERE.

TED: ALL RIGHT, DENNIS, STICKING WITH YOU, LAST LOOK AT ELECTION AS FAR AS THE RACES THAT WERE HIGH-PROFILE.

CONGRESSIONAL DIRECT, MARK LAMB, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO NOT WIN IN A LANDSLIDE AND DE FACTO, THE GENERAL, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO?

>> IT SHOWS IF YOU GET THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT ISSUES IN THE RIGHT DISTRICT, YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH A WHOLE LOT, AND IF THIS IS ANDY BIGGS' OLD DISTRICT, YOU DON'T GET ANY MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN THIS TYPE OF DISTRICT OUT THERE.

SO I THINK YOU GET THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT BACK THERE, THAT'S GOING TO GO A LONG WAY, AND PLUS, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT A LONG HISTORY, FORMER SHERIFF HAS A LONG HISTORY WITH THE FOLKS OUT THERE.

USED TO VOTE FOR HIM IN BIG NUMBERS AND WON BY WIDE MARGINS.

I WAS A LITTLE SPEECHLESS TOO BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT MARGINS HERE.

I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE CLOSER.

>> I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 80/20 SPLIT HAD HE NOT IT THE CONTROVERSY.

DANIEL KEENAN, HAVING AN UNKNOWN AGAINST A STRONG CANDIDATE AND HAVING A SIMILAR SPLIT TO THE OTHER RACES.

TED: AND HE RAN GOOD ADS.

>> HE HAD MONEY AND WAS RUNNING ADS.

TED: ONE OF THE TEXT RECIPIENTS, BUILDING A NEW HOME IN TENNESSEE, APPARENTLY.

NONE OF IT MATTERS.

>> NONE OF IT.

MARK LAMB HAS A BRAND.

A LOT OF REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS, THE BASE, THEY LOVE HIM.

THEY'VE LOVED HIM FOR YEARS.

KIND OF A CELEBRITY IN A LOT OF THE CIRCLES.

LAST TIME HE WAS ON THE BALLOT TWO YEARS AGO, HE RAN IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY AGAINST KARI LAKE.

HE BEAT HER IN THAT DISTRICT.

PEOPLE LIKE HIM NO MATTER WHAT SEX SCANDALS OR WHATEVER ELSE.

TED: THE CAMPAIGN CALLED ALL THOSE CLAIMS LIES.

WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S WHAT HE SAID AND THE VOTERS THOUGHT.

I GOT A QUESTION, HUGH LIDDELL.

>> ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING RESULTS IN THE WHOLE THING.

REMEMBER HUGH LIDDELL CREATED A LOT OF DRAMA THROUGHOUT THE CYCLE, AND HE WAS PART OF THE ARIZONA INDEPENDENT PARTY, THE NO LABELS, TRYING TO REBRAND THEMSELVES AS THAT.

THE COURT SAID YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

SO THEY GO BACK TO THE NO LABELS PARTY.

HE SPENT ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE KNOW OF RIGHT NOW.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE ENTIRELY SPENT TO WIN THAT NOMINATION BECAUSE THERE WAS A PRIMARY IN THAT NO LABELS GUBERNATORIAL RACE, AND HE LOST TO A WOMAN WHO SPENT $28,000.

>> BADLY, TOO.

>> YEAH.

>> HE WAS HAND PICKED BY PAUL JOHNSON WHO TOOK OVER THE PARTY.

USED HIMSELF AS THE VOICE OF THE INDEPENDENT VOTER WHO HAD BEEN DISENFRANCHISED IN A LOT OF WAYS BY THE PRIMARY SYSTEM.

I THINK THEY ASKED HIM TO DROP OUT, HE DIDN'T DEBATE.

HE SPENT ALL THIS MONEY, SIGNS ALL OVER.

I'M BAFFLED.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

MAN, THAT WAS -- I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

>> I BROKE IT DOWN, TOO.

I BELIEVE IT WAS $450 PER VOTE IS WHAT LIDDELL SPENT, AND SHE SPENT $5.

TED: AND WE SHOULD MENTION, SHE COULD NOT WAIT TO SAY I DON'T WANT ANY HELP ANY ASSISTANCE FROM PAUL JOHNSON, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW HE EXISTS.

>> I SPOKE TO HER TODAY, HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THEM?

I KNOW YOU SAY YOU DIDN'T NEED THE MONEY IN THE PRIMARY, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT MORE VOTERS IN THE GENERAL.

NOPE, I'VE MADE IT CLEAR, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM.

SO SHE'S DOING IT ON HER OWN.

>> I TELL YOU WHO'S HAPPIER THAN TERRY IS KATIE HOBBS.

HE PUT $2 MILLION IN HIS ACCOUNT, WE DON'T KNOW IF HE SPENT MORE IN THE PRIMARY.

THAT COULD HAVE TAKEN A CHUNK OUT OF HER, KATIE HOBBS NEEDS EVERY INDEPENDENT VOTER SHE CAN FIND NOT ALREADY COMMITTED TO ANDY BIGGS.

ANYONE POTENTIALLY UP FOR GRABS, SHE NEEDS THAT VOTER.

AND HUGH LIDDELL WAS MAKING WAY FOR HER.

TED: DID HE MAKE MYSTERIOUS MONEY HELPING OUT A LITTLE BIT?

>> ONE MORE THING ABOUT LIDDELL, HE MUST HAVE BEEN SHOCKED AS ANYBODY.

HIS PEOPLE CALLING ME TRYING TO SET UP INTRODUCE FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION IN THE COMING WEEKS.

I THINK THEY WERE AS SHOCKED AS ANYBODY.

>> HE BOUGHT A LOT OF TV SPOTS AS WELL GOING INTO THE GENERAL, BUT ON THE MONEY SIDE, SHE TOLD ME SHE'S GOING TO REJECT PAC MONEY.

EVEN IF THESE PEOPLE TRY AND SWOOP IN, THEY HAVE TO DO IT THROUGH INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS.

>> YOU CAN HAVE AN I.E.

TED: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.