Mesa Mayor John Giles, a Republican, endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, citing the need to prioritize country over party in the 2020 election. He criticized President Donald Trump for his refusal to accept the outcome of the election and praised Harris as a competent and fair leader. Giles highlighted federal infrastructure funds allocated to Mesa under the Biden-Harris administration as a reason for his endorsement.
Giles also addressed Republican attempts to subvert the 2020 election results in Arizona, pointing to the discredited “audit” conducted by the state Senate. The battle over the audit resulted in indictments of 18 individuals, including Arizona Republicans and top aides to Trump, for falsely certifying election results. Giles urged other Arizona Republicans to choose country over party in the election.
The endorsement is significant as Mesa, a conservative suburb in a key battleground state, could play a crucial role in the upcoming election. Arizona, once a Republican stronghold, has become a toss-up state. Biden and Harris won Arizona by a narrow margin in 2020, with Maricopa County, where Mesa is located, playing a key role in the outcome. Harris has gained ground in the state since becoming the presumptive nominee, with Arizona Senator Mark Kelly emerging as a potential vice-presidential pick.
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