General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHostile takeover: Turning Point USA and the remaking of Arizona's Republican Party
Link to tweet
Brahm Resnik
@brahmresnik
·
Follow
MUST READ @ruelaswritings pulls back the curtain on one of the most important stories in AZ politics: Turning Point USA's takeover of the Arizona Republican Party.
azcentral.com
Hostile takeover: Turning Point USA and the remaking of Arizona's Republican Party
Determined to turn Arizona red, Turning Point USA is playing a long game. If it succeeds here, it will roll out its formula in other states.
1:19 PM · Nov 2, 2022
https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona-investigations/2022/11/02/turning-point-helped-kelli-ward-trump-republicans-seize-arizona-gop/8172376001/
No paywall
https://archive.ph/2eR4P
The buzz among attendees at the 2019 meeting of the Arizona Republican Party was that the machines being used to vote for party chair couldnt be trusted. And that, instead, everyone should state their preference out loud in a voice vote.
At the end of that noisy, chaotic process, Kelli Ward, a former U.S. Senate candidate, who twice couldnt escape the Republican primary, became leader of the party that she felt had shunned her.
Helping Ward get there, The Arizona Republic would report weeks after her election, were two people with connections to Turning Point, the umbrella name given to a group of organizations whose clout within the party has grown in recent years.
The Turning Point employees who served as unofficial advisers to Ward were Tyler Bowyer and Jake Hoffman.
Hoffman was the former communications and media director for Turning Point USA. He also ran a company called Rally Forge that was paid more than $1 million by Turning Point USA. In 2020, Facebook banned Rally Forge from its site because its investigation found the company created fake profiles to comment on news stories ahead of the election.
*snip*
jimfields33
(19,382 posts)We can go in the states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and try to make them blue. I dont think it would be that hard considering all three states have a huge African-American population.
Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)... by a non-Party organization no less!
?
What makes you think the Democratic Party is not working to increase the blueness of the three states?
jimfields33
(19,382 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)I know there is the election Tuesday, but your response completely dodges the question.
jimfields33
(19,382 posts)Was working hard in those states. I was thrilled to hear you say that and cant wait until Tuesday. About time theyll be blue.
Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)ChazII
(6,448 posts)An anchor for NBC in the Phoenix market and has his own talk show on Sunday mornings. He knows what he is talking about.
walkingman
(11,152 posts)They are very active in Texas as well and I can only assume that the college students (who are politically engaged) who support these folks are listening to their shitkicker parents? Surely the youth of today are more idealistic than that - if not, pretty sad.
Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.