China to Stop Anal-Swabbing Visitors?

Editor 1
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China to Stop Anal-Swabbing Visitors?

(Headline USA) Travelers entering China will no longer need to provide a negative PCR test result starting Saturday, in another easing of China’s “zero COVID” policies.

Travelers can instead show a negative antigen test result taken within 48 hours before boarding, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters Tuesday.

The country, which gifted COVID-19 to the rest of the world, ironically became known for implementing the most draconian lockdown procedures of any nation, including some that have remained in effect years after the virus ran its course elsewhere..

Over the last three years, China imposed an array of anti-virus controls to try to eliminate the coronavirus from the country, including lockdowns and regular mass testing. But after the regulations hammered the economy and sparked protests, the government suddenly rolled back the onerous measures in December and made a major step to drop its quarantine rule in early January.

Last month, the country resumed issuing all types of visas as part of its efforts to revive tourism. Still, it kept PCR testing requirements for passengers arriving from some countries, a costly requirement that was a major deterrent for visitors.

China’s method for administering the tests, in some cases, was criticized for violating the comfort and dignity of its guests by relying not on nasal swabs but instead using rectal ones to collect DNA through stools.

In an early effort to test and embarrass the Biden administration, it required that U.S. diplomats submit to this procedure, forcing the new president to beg his Chinese benefactors to stop.

Judicial Watch later sued to obtain the records from the State Department and was able to confirm that the testing occurred.

PCR tests are highly accurate but cost time and money, while antigen tests are easier to obtain.

“To further facilitate cross-border travel, China is taking new steps to refine pre-departure testing requirements guided by the principle of ensuring safe and orderly travel and keeping the measures science based and well targeted,” Mao said.

She added that airlines will no longer be required to check test results before departure.

At a briefing on Wednesday, He Qinghua, an official of the National Health Commission, said the number of COVID-19 cases in early April had dropped to the lowest level since December.

Although the figures have risen slightly since mid-April, massive outbreaks in the short term are unlikely, he said.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Trump, RFK Jr. Lead Growing Chorus Ripping Biden 2024 Run

Mark Pellin
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Trump, RFK Jr. Lead Growing Chorus Ripping Biden 2024 Run

(Mark Pellin, Headline USA) Less than 24 hours after officially launching his reelection campaign, President Joe Biden was under fire on multiple fronts, from Democrat scion Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to MAGA king Donald Trump.

Kennedy Jr., who had already announced his 2024 bid, chastised the incumbent for hiding behind the party’s decision to skip primary debates and its rigging the electoral calendar in ways favorable to Biden.

“The Biden administration is riddled with Neocons, war hawks, Wall Street people, and former corporate lobbyists,” Kennedy Jr. wrote. “That’s what the party elite has become. But I know the rank-and-file — and the American people as a whole — don’t share their priorities. It’s time to return our party and our nation to the people.”

That would include, he said, “a primary election that is honest, civil, and transparent,” adding that he looked “forward to engaging him in debates and town hall meetings.”

The Democratic National Committee announced earlier this month that it would not hold primary debates, while moving the voting schedule to place South Carolina ahead of New Hampshire, a state where Biden has floundered.

Kennedy Jr.’s criticism was harsh for a fellow Democrat, but not nearly as blistering as Trump’s evisceration of a Biden/Harris 2024 ticket.

“You could take the five worst presidents in American history, and put them together, and they would not have done the damage Joe Biden has done to our nation in just a few short years. Not even close,” Trump said in video posted on Truth Social.

That sentiment was reflected in Biden’s slumping poll numbers, where a whopping 70% of Americans said he should skip a reelection bid. Only 26% of respondents to a NBC poll said Biden should run for another term.

Even Biden’s personal mouthpiece, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, seemed apprehensive about her boss being able to complete another term, if reelected.

But Biden, in his campaign announcement, promised he was ready and able to “finish the job,” a claim that prompted many to wonder exactly what job.

“Joe Biden will ‘finish the job,” cracked MAGA Inc. spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. “He will finish our economy with a historic depression, finish our domestic energy industry, and finish our standing as a global superpower. We literally cannot afford 4 more years of this weak man in the White House.”

The Republican National Committee picked up that theme, producing a devastating AI-enhanced video showing a bleak future under another Biden term.

“Thanks to Joe Biden’s socialist spending calamity, American families are being decimated by the worst inflation in half a century,” Trump said, noting that the crisis was just as bad internationally as domestically.

“Russia is teaming up with China. Iran is days away from a nuclear bomb – not even thinkable. Ukraine has been devastated by an invasion that would never, ever have happened if I was president. And Joe Biden has led us to the very brink of World War III,” Trump warned.

“They say Trump was right about everything. Well, I’m not predicting World War III, but I will say this: We’re very close and they’re only talking about nuclear weapons.”

Is There an Outstanding Arrest Warrant for Jan. 6 Provocateur Ray Epps?

Ken Silva
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Is There an Outstanding Arrest Warrant for Jan. 6 Provocateur Ray Epps?

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Jan. 6 Provocateur Ray Epps made headlines again this week in the wake of his appearance on CBS’s 60 Minutes, as well as for his purported daughter coming out of the woodwork to levy abuse allegations against him.

But Epps still hasn’t addressed questions about a warrant for his arrest that was issued in 2016.

The warrant for Epps’s arrest was discovered by this reporter last year, and is detailed in a Sept. 1, 2022, article in The Libertarian Institute.

According to Pennsylvania police and court records, Epps was arrested in Pennsylvania in 2015 for criminal trespassing.

A Pennsylvania State Police report states that on Nov. 21, 2015, at 9:12 a.m. “[Epps] entered the victim’s private roadway despite seeing signs and knowing he was not privileged to do so. [Pennsylvania trooper Richard Williams Jr.] had to arrive and tell the accused to leave the property.”

Epps apparently didn’t show up to his court date, leading a warrant to be issued for his arrest on Jan. 26, 2016.

At the time, his attorney, ex FBI agent John Blischak, declined to comment on the matter.

Epps’ alleged victim, whose name is being withheld out of respect for her privacy, also declined to comment. Williams Jr., the trooper who arrested Epps, could not be reached for comment.

Since then, Epps has hired a new attorney, former Perkins Coie lawyer Michael Teter.

In light of Epps’s 60 Minutes appearance and allegations from Epps’s purported daughter—who made bizarre claims that Epps was incarcerated in Mexico for an unknown matter—Headline USA asked Teter for an explanation about the criminal matter in Pennsylvania. Questions included what exactly happened in Pennsylvania, and whether the warrant for Epps’s arrest is still outstanding.

Teter has yet to respond.

Epps is the controversial figure seen on camera on Jan. 5 and 6, 2021, urging protestors to enter the Capitol. He initially appeared on the FBI’s wanted list in relation to the Capitol rioting, only to be removed in the summer of 2021 with no explanation.

More damning information about Epps has come out since then, including a text message he sent to his nephew saying, “I was in front with a few others. I also orchestrated it”—referring to the initial breach of the Capitol grounds.

Epps also reportedly admitted to the FBI that he trespassed on Capitol grounds—a crime other J6ers have been arrested for—and made a bizarre comment about expecting a bombing to happen that day.

But despite this, liberal institutions such as 60 Minutes, the New York Times and the Jan. 6 Commission have come to Epps’s defense—raising more questions among those who suspect he may be a federal asset.

“Ray Epps is the only person I’ve seen on video January 5th and January 6th urging and directing people to go into the Capitol,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said after the 60 Minutes interview aired. “In a text message on January 6th he bragged that he orchestrated it. Why do democrats and the media portray him as the victim? So bizarre.”

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

Mich. School District Sued for Banning ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Shirts, Touting LGBT

Luis Cornelio
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Mich. School District Sued for Banning ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Shirts, Touting LGBT

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Two students slapped a Michigan school district with a lawsuit after they were barred from wearing sweatshirts that featured the phrase “Let’s Go Brandon,” an expression used to criticize President Joe Biden.

The non-partisan Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which is representing the two students, alleged that the Michigan school district discriminated against the two young students.

“In Feb. 2022, two Tri County Middle School students wore sweatshirts to school with the phrase ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ a political slogan critical of President Biden with origins in a more profane chant,” the non-profit said Monday. “Even though the political slogan is widely used — multiple members of Congress used it during floor speeches — an assistant principal and a teacher ordered the boys to remove the sweatshirt.” 

FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick argued that the pro-Biden order violated the student’s First Amendment rights to political speech, adding that the school is cherry-picking what speech to censor.

“Criticism of the president is core political speech protected by the First Amendment,” Fitzpatrick said. “Whether it’s a Biden sticker, ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ sweatshirt, or gay pride T-shirt, schools can’t pick and choose which political beliefs students can express.”  

The school district reportedly allows students to wear pro-LGBT clothing. On a “relaxed” dress code day, a school official forced the student to stop wearing a Trump flag as a cape but allowed another student to wear a gay pride banner in the same manner. 

The pro-free speech non-profit said the school district is relying on school ordinances that prohibit “profane” clothing.  

“The slogan exists as a way to express an anti-Biden message without using profanity,” Fitzpatrick explained. “A public school district cannot censor speech just because it might cause someone to think about a swear word.” 

Allegiant Airlines booted a man off a flight for wearing a face mask with the anti-Biden slogan on claims that the political message violated Federal Aviation Administration rules related to appropriate attire on airlines. Jared Schmeck went viral after he called into a White House live stream and wished President Joe and First Lady Jill a “Merry Christmas,” a message he followed with “Let’s go Brandon.” A seemingly unaware Biden responded, “Let’s go Brandon, I agree.” 

The ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ chant went viral when an NBC Sports reporter interviewed NASCAR racer Brandon Brown, who had won a racing contest. The crowd behind the reporter and Brown loudly chanted “F— Joe Biden,” which the reporter misinterpreted the clearly anti-Joe Biden chant as “Let’s go Brandon.” 

Read the full FIRE lawsuit here. 

Leftist Professor Tied to CNN Charged in Gay App Child Sex Sting

Luis Cornelio
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Leftist Professor Tied to CNN Charged in Gay App Child Sex Sting

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) A California professor, who has been cited by CNN, was arrested by federal prosecutors for trying to arrange the rape of a 7-year-old girl in conservations with an undercover agent.  

Rodger “Rod” Githens, an associate professor at the University of the Pacific, sought to bribe the little girl with a Hershey chocolate bar and a Disney doll, according to a disturbing criminal complaint, first published by the Daily Beast. Githens and the agent, who pretended to be sexually active with his 7-year-old niece, began the disturbing conversations on a gay dating app called “Grindr” on March 25.

“Honestly I love chatting but would love to have a dad or uncle invite me,” Githens said after taking the gut-wrenching conversation to text messaging app Telegram. In those text messages, Githen admitted being gay but also attracted to babies. “How young you into?” Githens asked the undercover agent in reference to the children’s age he was attracted to. “Young, young. Wbu,” the agent answered, asking Githens’ age preference. “Babies,” the professor answered. 

Over the course of the messages, the University of the Pacific professor allegedly admitted to having previously molested his partner’s nephew, an alleged Mexican national, reported the New York Post. “You ever done light touching with any other kids,” Githen asked, later adding “with my husband’s 11 yo nephew I did.” When asked if the 11-year-old boy enjoyed being molested, Githen disturbingly said, “he kept coming to lay with me so I assumed he liked it.” 

A search warrant led by the Eastern District of California was executed on April 19, the NYPost reported. 

Githens, who has a Bachelor of Science in religious studies, reportedly served as an associate dean for Academic Programs and Innovation and is now the endowed chair for Leadership & Organization, which the Daily Beast reported has campuses in two California cities. 

The University of the Pacific told the Daily Beast on Monday that the indicted professor was placed on administrative leave. His official website biography was taken down from the university’s website. An internet archive of the professor’s bio, reviewed by Headline USA, confirmed he was listed as a staffer. “I strive to meet students ‘where they are’,” the indicted professor said, adding that his goal was “to provide individualized attention to students.” 

The now-indicted professor was featured in a CNN Business article by Julia Carpenter, who now works at the Wall Street Journal. The article —published on March 5, 2019, and headlined “Employees are tired of their companies paying lip service to diversity. They want real change”—  appears to criticize corporations for not “walking the walk” in diversity and not making systematic changes. Githens also claimed to have been cited in HR People + Strategy Blog, Performance Improvement Quarterly, the Sacramento Business Journal and TD Magazine.

In a separate research paper, Githens appeared to call for higher “diversity and incivility.” In the abstract available in ResearchGate and reviewed by Headline USA, the indicted professor said that employees face “incivility” because of “perpetrators’ unconscious prejudice.” “Unconscious bias” is a phrase often used in leftist woke ideology to claim that whites are implicit in racism without even knowing. 

Federal prosecutors arrested Githens on April 21 and charged him with receipt and distribution of images of a minor and engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Githens could be sentenced to 20 years in prison if he is found guilty.

Democrat-Run State Decriminalizes Possession of Meth, Heroin, Fentanyl

Dmytro "Henry" Aleksandrov
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Democrat-Run State Decriminalizes Possession of Meth, Heroin, Fentanyl

(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) The Washington state legislature has decriminalized the possession of all illicit drugs.

Washington state lawmakers in the Democrat-controlled House and Senate were not able to reach an agreement on Senate Bill 5536 on Sunday, according to the Post Millennial. The bill would’ve provided harsher penalties for possession of illicit drugs.

Since legislators failed to reach an agreement, there will be no state law on the possession of illicit drugs after the current state law expires on July 1. Because of that, cities will now be forced to create their own laws that are related to the possession of drugs within their jurisdictions.

“In the absence of a Blake fix by the State, hard drugs such as meth, heroin & fentanyl will be legal in WA effective July 1,” Snohomish County Councilmember Nate Nehring wrote on Twitter.

Before the 2021 Washington State Supreme Court verdict in Blake vs. State of Washington which resulted in classifying the possession of drugs as unconstitutional due to both possession and unknowing possession being treated equally, the possession of illegal drugs was classified as a felony. According to station 610 Kona, it was ruled that the law violated due process at both the state and federal levels.

As a “temporary fix,” the Washington state legislature passed Senate Bill 5476 in 2021 as a response with an expiration date of July 1, 2023. The bill made possession of illegal drugs a misdemeanor on the third arrest. After the individual is arrested for the fourth time, one is subject to a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail and $1000 in fines.

Senate Bill 5536 would’ve been even harsher. It would classify possession of illegal drugs as a gross misdemeanor, which would have harshened the penalties to 364 days in jail and up to $5,000 in fines. The bill would also allow judges to order treatment programs for individuals charged with possession.

The Post Millennial reported that the bill was passed in the Senate, but failed in the House on Sunday night, right before the deadline.

Rep. Gaetz Introduces Bill to Pay Service Members if Govt. Shuts Down

Corine Gatti
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Rep. Gaetz Introduces Bill to Pay Service Members if Govt. Shuts Down

(Corine Gatti, Headline USA) As political wrangling continued in Congress over the debt ceiling, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced legislation on Monday to cover the pay of service members, including reserves, in the event of a government shutdown.

The bill, which was cosponsored by Rep. Nancy Mace, R- S.C., titled the “Armed Services Always Paid Act,” proposed amending Title 37 of the United States Code to allow service members to receive payment without delay even during lapses in appropriations, the Daily Caller reported. 

This would include “basic pay, bonuses and special pay, allowances and any other forms of compensation available for members of the armed forces under this title or otherwise paid from the military personnel accounts,” the document said.

“While President Joe Biden and lawmakers in Congress negotiate the debt limit plan, I hope we can all agree that our military service members should be paid without delay, regardless of how long their discussions may take,” Gaetz told the outlet.

The lawmaker said ASAP is a critical piece of legislation that would ensure military members are never left without pay because of political brinksmanship or budgetary disputes.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has proposed the Limit, Save, Grow Act to reduce entitlement and discretionary spending as a way to raise the debt ceiling after the U.S. reached the $31.4 trillion limit on Jan. 19. McCarthy said on Fox News in January that Congress needs to sit down together.

“Let’s look at the places that we can change our behavior. Why would we sit back and be so arrogant to say, ‘No, there’s no waste in government?’”

McCarthy, who needs 218 votes in order for the Limit, Save, Grow Act to pass, requested last week to push federal spending to 2022 levels and capping annual increases at roughly 1% would save $4.5 trillion over the next decade.

Gaetz said he would support McCarthy’s plan, if Medicaid recipients work 30 hours per week, compared to 20 hours in the McCarthy plan.

Lawsuit Filed against Semi-Automatic Rifle Ban

Wire Editor
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Lawsuit Filed against Semi-Automatic Rifle Ban

(TJ Martinell, The Center Square) A coalition of gun rights advocacy groups and individual citizens have filed a lawsuit against a new Washington state ban on firearms deemed “assault weapons” as soon as the legislation was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.

The complaint filed by the Firearms Policy Coalition and Second Amendment Foundation in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington argues that HB 1240’s ban on certain types of semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendment.

Taking effect the moment it was signed by Inslee on April 25, HB 1240 bans more than 60 semi-automatic rifles along with other semi-automatic rifles based on either length [shorter than 30 inches] or whether it has one or more accessory or feature. Certain types of semi-automatic shotguns and handguns would also be banned. The legislation was proposed by Attorney General Bob Ferguson and sponsored by Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle.

The lawsuit alleges that by doing so “the State of Washington has criminalized one of the most common and important means by which its citizens can exercise their fundamental right to self-defense.”

The lawsuit cites the recent Bruen decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned a New York State law prohibiting people from carrying firearms outside their home without a license. The majority opinion stated that there were two metrics to apply to a gun law. “Whether modern and historical regulations impose a comparable burden on the right of armed self-defense, and second, whether that regulatory burden is comparably justified.” Another metric was whether the firearm is in common use.

The lawsuit asserts that HB 1240 does that, particularly regarding the AR-15, which it claims is “among the most popular firearms in the nation, and they are owned by millions of Americans.”

Speaking at an April 25 bill signing, Ferguson said that “we are a nation of laws and they [gun rights advocates] have the right to challenge that. We have defended a number of bills. Our record so far is pretty good. We plan to keep that record intact.”

Also signed by Inslee was HB 1143, which requires gun purchasers complete a background check and wait 10 business days after purchase to take ownership of a firearm. The purchaser must also show proof of taking a safety training course.

SB 5078 focuses on the firearms industry by making them legally liability for gun sales if they do not take “reasonable precautions” to ensure they’re not sold to people who are not legally allowed to own them. The bill also prohibits firearm manufacturers from marketing any gun products to minors.

Pedersen said at the April 25 bill signing that if a “manufacturer is going to target youth with a message about how cool it is to go shoot assault weapons, you may have some responsibility the next time there is a mass shooting.”

Biden Gaslights Republicans’ Debt Ceiling Plan

Wire Editor
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Biden Gaslights Republicans’ Debt Ceiling Plan

(Casey Harper, The Center Square) President Joe Biden blasted the Republicans’ recently unveiled spending plan to raise the debt limit and cut spending, calling it “a reckless attempt to extract extreme concessions as a condition for the United States simply paying the bills it has already incurred.”

The Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget released the statement, making clear the president would veto the Republicans’ recently unveiled bill, “The Limit, Save, Grow Act.”

Republicans are rallying votes and moving forward with a markup of the legislation, which would cut federal spending by $4.5 trillion and raise the debt limit by about $1.5 trillion or until March 31, whichever comes first.

As The Center Square previously reported, the bill would implement permitting reforms to formally block Biden’s student loan cancellation, and remove energy and environmental tax credits implemented in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The legislation would also would put work requirements in place for some federal social programs, such as requiring Medicaid recipients to work 80 hours per month.

These measures have been touted by Republicans but were called “extreme” by the White House. Biden has said for weeks that he would not negotiate with Republicans in Congress.

“The President has been clear that he will not accept such attempts at hostage-taking,” OMB said. “House Republicans must take default off the table and address the debt limit without demands and conditions, just as the Congress did three times during the prior Administration.”

For now, it seems Republicans and the president are far apart in negotiations, even with the deadline fast approaching.

“Altogether, this legislation would not only risk default, recession, widespread job loss, and years of higher interest rates, but also make devastating cuts to programs that hard-working Americans and the middle-class count on. The bill would make it easier for wealthy tax cheats to avoid the taxes they owe, even as House Republicans are advancing other proposals that would spend trillions more on tax cuts skewed to the wealthy and big corporations, undoing much or all of the deficit reduction in this legislation.”

Republican Ariz. Sheriff Mark Lamb Talks Immigration, Fentanyl and Sinema on Senate Campaign Trail

Wire Editor
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Republican Ariz. Sheriff Mark Lamb Talks Immigration, Fentanyl and Sinema on Senate Campaign Trail

(Cameron Arcand, The Center Square) Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb hopes his law enforcement acumen in a border state will make him stand out in a potentially crowded race for the GOP ticket in Arizona’s next U.S. Senate primary.

Lamb has been on the campaign trail as the first Republican Senate candidate in Arizona to declare candidacy for the 2024 election. He spoke with The Center Square to discuss the border and state of the race.

Although Pinal County is not geographically a border county, it’s close to the border and deals with many pursuits and apprehensions. Lamb said he would “call it out” with the Biden administration as a senator regarding the ongoing border crisis.

“I’ve consistently called out this administration for the human trafficking that’s happening and the slavery that’s happening every day. Yet we haven’t had that same reaction from our senators in this state. They have not vocally and outwardly opposed this administration and their inability to secure this border and do their job,” Lamb said, referring to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, the Democrat-turned-Independent who currently holds the seat he’s running for, and Sen. Mark Kelly.

“Look, I called out issues even during the Trump administration, things that were not going on. I was posting about border issues then. But they were listening to us. We had a seat at the table, and that’s something we haven’t had in the last two years,” he continued.

On the topic of fentanyl trafficking and deaths, the Republican said, “you have to enforce the law” at the southern border for the issue to truly stop.

In his campaign announcement, Lamb mentioned how his late son, who was killed in a vehicle accident in December, dealt with drug addiction and spent time in jail because of fentanyl.

He said that he supports programs to help addicts, except the root of the problem is border security.

“But until you secure the border, it’s like mopping the bathroom floor without turning off the tub,” he said. “You’re gonna continue, you can mop all you want, the water is gonna continue to flow, and eventually, you’re gonna get overrun by it.”

On the political side, Lamb said that independents would vote for him in a general election because he’s had a good working relationship with both parties at the state level, despite disagreements.

“I hope to run a steady course of authenticity, of common sense, and having an ability to sit down and work with everybody,” he said.

The Center Square also asked Lamb about the potentially crowded Republican field, with Kari Lake, Karrin Taylor Robson, Jim Lamon and Blake Masters considering jumping into the primary as well. The potential list, with the exception of Lake, met to discuss the primary earlier this month, according to The Washington Post. Lamb advocated for Lake and Masters, who were the gubernatorial and senatorial nominees, respectively, in the 2022 general election.

“I hope my campaign’s gonna be all about earning your vote so that you feel great about voting for me and not just feeling like you’re voting for the lesser of two evils,” he said.

“I have a proven conservative track record. I’ve been a proven conservative fighter. Of anybody that you’ve mentioned, I’m the only one that has actually served as an elected official and have a track record of actually doing what I say,” Lamb added. “And so I think the people of Arizona are gonna look at that and say, “Hey, this guy is a proven conservative fighter, and he’s stood the test, he’s weathered the storms, and we like the way he operates and we’re gonna vote for him.”

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