‘You were living in hell’: Trump focuses on Biden-era border policies in pitch for Arizona to vote Republican 

President Donald Trump told Arizona voters to remember how “bad it was” only a few years ago when they were “living in hell” under former President Joe Biden’s border policies.

“If the Democrats get back into power, they will immediately reopen your borders, sell out Arizona to cartels, raise your prices and open the prisons and jails of the planet so that they can come in totally unchecked, totally unvetted into Arizona,” Trump told voters at a rally in Bullhead City on Wednesday. “On Nov. 3, this state needs to stand up and declare that you are never going back to the disasters and devastation of the Democrat rule.”

The president said Democrats’ border policies caused “skyrocketing prices, especially in Arizona.”

“You people suffered more than anybody else,” he said. “With open borders, the cost of rent in Phoenix and other Arizona markets and other markets throughout the United States soared 25%, 35%.”

Trump was rallying for Republicans in the Grand Canyon State, with a focus on Rep. Andy Biggs in the gubernatorial race against incumbent Gov. Katie Hobbs. Every major poll tracked by the New York Times indicates that Hobbs is leading, with the most recent poll showing Hobbs with a 17-point lead – although other polls show tighter margins.

Trump focused on his own 2024 win in Arizona, asking the rallygoers to “give some of those votes to Andy.”

Trump repeated familiar talking points from his nationwide midterm blitz, saying the country was “dead” two years ago but that under his leadership it’s “the hottest country anywhere in the world.” He again told voters to “please pretend I’m on the ballot,” a phrase he has often repeated as he attempts to push his base to turn out.

“If we lose, we can lose all of the no tax on tips and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors and no tax on overtime. They want to end all that stuff,” Trump said of Democrats. “They want to open your border. They want to have the transgender mutilation of your children. They want to have men play in women’s sports. I mean, if they win, they can reinstitute the stuff.”

Trump told Arizonans to “defeat your failed radical left horrible governor, Katie Hobbs,” calling her a “dumb person.” Hobbs’s campaign did not return a request for comment from Heartlander News about Trump’s rally.

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/C-Span)