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President Donald Trump visited the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona, on Aug. 22, 2017. He greeted Marines before leaving for a rally in Phoenix, Arizona. Tom Tingle/azcentral.com
Gov. Doug Ducey will attend President Donald Trump’s political rally in Mesa on Friday and provide “brief remarks,” according to the governor’s re-election campaign.
It was not immediately clear whether Ducey would greet the president on the tarmac before the gathering. As of Thursday morning, a Ducey spokesman said the “arrival plan” was still being finalized.
Trump’s evening event aims to galvanize Republican support for Rep. Martha McSally — the two-term congresswoman involved in a cutthroat battle for outgoing U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake’s seat — and other Republicans on the Arizona ballot.
Last month,after preliminary plans for a late-September rally circulated, Ducey told reporters he looked forward to welcoming the president and making it “a productive trip.”
MORE: Trump rally: What airport passengers, drivers and protesters need to know
At that point, the governor was engaged in a tighter race with Democratic challenger David Garcia and declined to detail his potential involvement in the president’s visit.
The president put his tentative Arizona plans on hold until last week, when his team announced Friday’s rally.
Balancing act
Friday’s event, set to begin at 6:30 p.m. near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, will mark Trump’s 10th trip to Arizona since launching his presidential bid in 2015. (The rally initially was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.)
During previous visits, Ducey has been polite but largely kept the president at arm’s length, walking the line between conservatives who fervently back Trump and others who find him too extreme.
In 2015, when Trump visited Phoenix as a candidate during primary season, Ducey did not personally welcome or meet with him.
In 2016, after Trump won the Republican nomination, the governor spoke at his Phoenix campaign rally.
In 2017, Ducey greeted the president when he arrived but did not attend his campaign-style event.
‘Distinct from Trump’
The governor has forged a closer relationship with the president this year, appearing at at least two White House functions.
During one event, which honored immigration and border officials, Trump thanked Ducey by name and applauded the “great job” the governor had done securing the Arizona-Mexico border.
At the time, a Governor’s Office spokesman said Ducey’s participation in the event should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Trump’s more controversial immigration strategies, such as the zero-tolerance policy that separated thousands of migrant children from their families at the southern border.
MORE: Arizona Republic poll: Gov. Doug Ducey leads Democrat David Garcia
When Trump publicly lent his support to Ducey’s re-election bid, the governor said the president understood “the importance of securing our border, supporting law enforcement and making public safety a top priority.” He said he was “very grateful” for the endorsement.
Even before Ducey held what appears to be a comfortable lead in the governor’s race, Republican strategists said they saw little risk associated with Ducey participating in a Trump event, even with a splintered GOP.
Political consultant Meghan Cox told The Arizona Republic Trump’s actions and approval rating would likely have a more direct effect on McSally’s race.
“Ducey has his own brand, and it’s distinct from Trump — that’s part of why he’s outperforming him (in the polls),” Cox said.
READ MORE:
President Donald Trump may not be on the ballot this year, but he is having a big affect on Arizona’s elections this year.
William Flannigan and Carly Henry, Arizona Republic
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