Making headlines recently, failed Congressional and Senatorial candidate, Blake Masters, is being considered to head up the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for President-elect Donald Trump.
According to Semafor, “Masters met with the incoming president’s transition team on Thursday and is interested in helming the regulatory agency, two people familiar with the situation told Semafor. He lost two races for Congress in Arizona, this past fall and in 2022, while running as a Trump loyalist.”
Although he is reportedly a Trump loyalist, former Vice President Mike Pence called Masters “one of the brightest stars in the Republican Party,” noted one supporter on social media.
The pick is not without its controversy though.
Some Second Amendment enthusiasts and Republican operatives in Arizona question why Masters. With his history of losing in Arizona and earning enemies along the way, they say Masters is the least likely candidate they would support.
“Because of his highly controversial campaign tactics in his latest failed power drive, Arizonans would like to see Masters leave the state, but certainly not wield power – especially power over their guns,” one campaign consultant told the Arizona Daily Independent.
“After losing to notorious gun-grabber Marrk Kelly in the 2022 Senatorial race, it was widely hoped that Masters would move back Silicon Valley and pay penance for handing more power over to the anti-Second Amendment lobby through Kelly by spending some of his money on funding viable candidates in Arizona,” the consultant said. “He didn’t do that. Instead, Masters threw his hat into the eighth congressional district race.”
Still, supporters say that although he didn’t live in the district and other than a few speeches he made there during his failed Senate race, he did make a few key connections in the West Valley.
“Blake would have been a great replacement for Congressman Paul Gosar, whose health is failing,” said the consultant. “At least Congressman Gosar’s district touches parts of southern Arizona, so he could claim some familiarity with his constituents. Blake is young and has a big, beautiful family which definitely would have appealed to residents in places like Buckeye.”
The fact that he didn’t live near CD8 didn’t stop Masters from running what many describe as “one of the most racist campaigns in Arizona history.” Something the Republican Primary voters of Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Sun City, Sun City West, Anthem, and New River rejected.
Blake Masters’ Ballot Shows He Didn’t Live in the District He Ran to Represent After All
“Masters was previously vying to lead the Presidential Personnel Office,” Semafor first reported. “That low-profile, influential role focused on administration hiring ultimately went to Sergio Gor, the president and co-founder of Donald Trump Jr.’s publishing company.”
“It is clear Masters wants power,” one gun owner told the Arizona Daily Independent on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal by Masters, “and that is why President Trump can’t give it to him. For sure not power over our fire power anyway. If President trump wants an Arizonan, pick a legit one. Pick Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, or someone who is not a psycho like Masters.”
Lamb, who earned praise from gun owners and others for his refusal to enforce unconstitutional restrictions on Arizonans during the COVID-19 pandemic, was recently tapped by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) as a Law Enforcement Advisor.
Lamb “will spearhead FAIR’s law enforcement outreach efforts, engaging officers and agencies across the nation on immigration issues,” according to FAIR.
FAIR is tasking Lamb with the expanding the organization’s “partnerships with local law enforcement and provide insight into the critical role these agencies play in addressing the challenges posed by illegal immigration. Sheriff Lamb will also serve as a media spokesperson and participate in FAIR’s podcasts to discuss current immigration issues.”
Lamb was also rumored to be in the running for the Drug Enforcement Agency in the Trump administration.
Wherever he lands, say politicos, Lamb will not bring unwanted attention to Arizona during the vetting process like Masters will, say politicos.
