A bipartisan panel on KJZZ recently slammed Katie Hobbs for her $2.75 million racial discrimination scandal and her campaign’s tone-deaf response. Both Democrat panelist Chris Herstam and Republican Lorna Romero blasted Hobbs, calling her recent moves “troublesome,” “embarrassing” and “sad.”
Bottom Line: When both Democrats and Republicans agree that Katie Hobbs’ candidacy is in serious trouble, you know it’s bad. Katie Hobbs’ racial discrimination saga is a destructive force tearing apart her campaign. AZ Dems now seem worried that Hobbs’ baggage could hurt their other vulnerable candidates like Mark Kelly.
Highlights from the panel:
“I think she's in real trouble. I think Katie Hobbs needs to apologize profusely and compassionately, and she hasn't really done that yet. Frankly, she should have apologized very directly when she announced her candidacy — that long ago — and tried to inoculate herself politically from what was to come from the second jury trial. And she didn't do so. And I think that was a bonehead political move by her team, not to do so.” – Democrat Chris Herstam
“100 percent Republicans are going to use this against Katie Hobbs […] Her primary opponents are going to use it against her as well. And I think the most embarrassing part of this is the fact that she and her team were so ill prepared to respond to this. They’d already lost in court once, they knew they were facing a second court date when she announced that she was going to run for governor. To not have an actual response and apology before-hand, it’s just embarrassing. And then to take this long, and to then go on MSNBC or whatever she was on this week, and kind of say that she apologizes for her role in it. It’s just kind of sad.” – Republican Lorna Romero
“The anti-Hobbs storm, it’s still to come, in my opinion… The average voter doesn’t really understand it yet, but they will. Because if the Democratic primary opponents don’t go on TV with this, you can bet that if she’s the nominee in the general election, there will be a blizzard of Republican ads basically claiming that she has committed racial and sexual discrimination, as well as retribution against a Black female Senate employee. And frankly because of the results of two federal trials, those are facts. Those aren’t exaggerations, and they will be a real blow to her candidacy, as well as the entire Democratic ticket.” – Democrat Chris Herstam
“Yes, it’s going to continue to be an issue. It’s going to be an attack ad. And Chris is right, the majority of the viewing public is not aware of this situation yet […] The second it’s in a hit piece, on TV ads, talked about, it’s really going to hurt her and her team. And yes, Republicans are going to use it. They’re going to use it wisely. And outside groups are going to use it as well.” – Republican Lorna Romero
“Let me just say that, in my opinion, white liberal friends and MSNBC interviews are not enough for a Democratic gubernatorial nominee to win in November of 22. You need a much broader coalition to get it done, including independents, but also persons of color, Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, Native Americans. And these charges of racial and sexual discrimination will eat into the confidence of those persons of color and diminish your chances in a general election.” – Democrat Chris Herstam
“Regardless of who the Republican primary winner is, they're going to use this against her. Andit's going to be pretty effective in a general election campaign.” – Republican Lorna Romero
“Lorna is right. Everyone on the Democratic ticket from Senator Mark Kelly running for re-election to all the statewide offices, if these ads in a general election against Hobbs are running claiming sexual and racial discrimination, all those candidates are going to be asked about it. Is this serious? Is it true? And as I said, it's very factual based on two federal jury verdicts. So it’s going to be very troublesome for many Democratic candidates if Hobbs is the nominee.” – Democrat Chris Herstam
