Trump heading to Arizona to speak at state GOP event

Former President Trump will head to Arizona later this month to speak at a state Republican Party event.

The Arizona Republican Party on Monday posted on X, formerly Twitter, an invitation that showed Trump as the special speaker for the state party’s Freedom Fest event, scheduled for Jan. 26 in Phoenix. 

The Freedom Fest event will take place three days after the New Hampshire GOP primary. 

Trump’s visit to the state highlights Arizona’s importance as one of a handful of critical battleground states that will determine the presidential election this fall. Trump won Arizona by 4 points in 2016 against Hillary Clinton, but he lost it to President Biden by three-tenths of a percentage point in 2020. 

Trump’s travel to Arizona is also indicative of his campaign’s mindset, as it has looked past the Republican primary and already focused on the general election against Biden. 

Arizona will also be home to one of the most competitive Senate elections this cycle with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) up for reelection.

Sinema has not yet said whether she plans to run again, but Rep, Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) in addition to Republicans Kari Lake and Mark Lamb are running for the seat.