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Ducey Wins Republican Primary for Governor

Capitol Media Services photo by Howard Fischer

He wasn’t Jan Brewer's first choice. But, Doug Ducey walked away Tuesday with the Republican nomination for governor. Arizona Public Radio’s Howard Fischer reports.

Ducey combined his record as state treasurer, his 2012 opposition to the ballot measure to extend of the temporary one-cent sales tax, and a $4.3 million campaign to soundly defeat the other five Republicans hoping for the party’s nod. That included former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith who got Brewer’s endorsement, albeit somewhat late in the campaign. Brewer told Arizona Public Radio she’s always liked Ducey and does not doubt his ability to do the job.

“But I had to decide who I thought was going to basically — with the experience and the background, the vein, if you will — to carry on what I believe has been my policies. And so I had to make a decision,” Brewer said.

Ducey, unlike Smith, has not been a supporter of Medicaid expansion or Brewer’s support of Common Core teaching standards. Nor was he backing down Tuesday night after Brewer gave him her belated blessing and asked the party to unite behind him. 

“We’ll reform education in Arizona without more meddling from the federal government. The answer isn't Common Core. It’s common sense,” Ducey said.

Brewer did better with her backing of Michele Reagan for secretary of state and Mark Brnovich who had challenged incumbent Republican attorney general Tom Horne. But Randy Pullen, her pick for state treasurer, was trounced by Jeff DeWit.

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