'It has become very toxic': Arizona GOP terrified infighting will cripple their ability to win

On Saturday, CNN reported that officials in the Arizona Republican Party are privately worried that disunity and infighting will damage their election prospects going forward.

"The infighting in Arizona offers a clear picture of why some Republicans fear that if Trump continues stirring up and directing his followers once he's out of office, the party may cripple itself at the state and local level," reported Bob Ortega. "The discord within the party could quickly hamstring the GOP as it enters a crucial election cycle: Republicans have lost both of Arizona's Senate seats in the last two elections, and are entering 2022 with both the governor's office and a Senate seat on the ballot. The divides between more moderate Arizona Republicans and Trump allies like state GOP chairwoman Kelli Ward could lead to bitter primaries that could hurt the party's hopes of fielding strong candidates in the fall."

"It has become very toxic," complained an anonymous GOP state lawmaker. "Eighty percent with you isn't enough for some people ... Trump is so popular in the party and such an influence, that anyone who tries to purge Trump himself or his memory will utterly fail and go nowhere."

In recent weeks, the Arizona Republican Party has displayed chaotic behavior in the wake of President-elect Joe Biden's narrow victory in the state, with the official Twitter account of the party, proclaiming they were sending a legally baseless "alternate" slate of pro-Trump electors, and even asking in a tweet whether Trump supporters are willing to die for the cause.