TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona’s had a big week when it comes to prominent Republicans passing through. Thursday, America’s Second Lady made a visit to Tucson.
As the days tick away to Election Day, Arizona is becoming a popular place for high-level Republicans to visit. In this case, it was the wife of Vice President Mike Pence, coming to Davis Monthan Air Force Base.
Karen Pence was traveling with the Secretary of the Air Force and the wife of the top General in the Air Force---visiting Davis-Monthan and Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix. Their audience was women whose spouses are away from their families on deployment.
The Second Lady says with a son in the Marines and a son in law in the Navy she sees the challenges for military spouses.
“And it's a lot of times it's the person at home that keeps everything running. I want you to know that we see you. We hear you. and we stand with you.”
For about two years Karen Pence has worked to support military families on issues like how to maintain good careers when they often move to new assignments every two years.
While she did not talk about the election, her visit is a profile raiser at a time when Republicans are paying a lot of attention to Arizona in what could be a close race for the state.
Just look at this week:
-President Trump in Phoenix on Monday.
-His daughter Ivanka in Phoenix Wednesday.
-Karen Pence in Arizona Thursday
-And Mike Pence in Phoenix on Friday.
Arizonans have voted Republican for every President since Eisenhower with the exception of 1996 when Bill Clinton carried the state.
John McCain carried the state by about nine percent in 2008.
Mitt Romney carried Arizona by about the same in 2012.
But in 2016 Donald Trump carried Arizona by about 3.5 percent.
The latest statewide voter registration gives Republicans about a 2.4 percent edge over Democrats in registered voters. Independents will probably decide who takes Arizona. Close to 32 percent have not declared for either party.
