'Greatest self-own in GOP political history': Trump abandons right-wing candidate who 'misled' team

07 May

Karrin Taylor Robson speaking at an event in Phoenix, Arizona, Image via Gage Skidmore.

Axios reports three of President Donald Trump's top political lieutenants are vacating the campaign of Arizona gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson.

Trump essentially dismissed Robson’s campaign late last month and endorsed her GOP opponent Rep. Andy Biggs. The move amounts to an unusual simultaneous double endorsement for the Republican Arizona primary after Robson delayed running ads highlighting the president's endorsement of her back in December.

Trump aids working with her campaign urged Robeson to broadcast the president’s endorsement last year, and Robson indicated she planned to quickly finance the production and airing of the ads. Axios reports the ads did not appear on local stations until April 28, however, more than four months after Trump’s endorsement — and six days after Trump had moved on and backed Biggs.

Trump's team told Axios they “felt misled” with the delay.

"She won't listen to anyone else, so she can run her own campaign now," an anonymous source told Axios.

Another GOP strategist told Axios: “It's basically the greatest self-own in GOP political history."

“It takes special skill to botch a GOP primary with the Trump endorsement, but unfortunately that's what this candidate has single-handedly assured," the strategist said.

Robson, who is a lobbyist, was already attracting opposition from Republican commentators and conspiracy theorists who have Trump’s ear. Social media firebrand Laura Loomer says Robson isn’t conservative enough and prefers Biggs, who helped Trump try to overturn the 2020 election. Briggs also claims he won his election fair and square while insisting Trump’s race was stolen in the same election.

Read the full Axios report here.