When I was elected GOP Chair of Maricopa County, I met with Sen McCain out of respect for his office & service. In the first, short meeting in his Senate office, he tried to buy me off by offering local chamber money he said he controlled

He wasn’t shy about it.

It didn’t work.

I was very young. I believe he and then-Senator Flake thought they could influence me. Sen Flake called me regularly after, until I decided to host Trump for what became the 1st Trump Rally in July ‘15

Then they attacked me. Fervently. It’s everything that was wrong with the GOP

I always wonder how many people through the years got bought off or scared off by this kind of stuff.

If the GOP decides to leave this kind of behavior behind, it will unite a movement that is totally unbeatable.

I think that’s the most misunderstood battle from the Trump era.