/ Modified mar 4, 2022 2:21 p.m.

Townsend, not endorsed by Trump, quits House race in Southern Arizona

The Republican legislator was running for the new 6th Congressional District, which would include part of Tucson.

kelly townsend State Sen. Kelly Townsend
Arizona Senate

State Sen. Kelly Townsend announced Friday she is withdrawing from the race for the Republican nomination for Arizona’s new 6th Congressional District because she hasn’t received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

Townsend said in a statement she didn’t want to spilt the conservative vote after criticizing fellow state Sen. Wendy Rogers, who has already been endorsed by Trump in her re-election race.

Townsend didn’t refer to Rogers by name in her statement.

Townsend is an ardent Trump supporter and has been one of the Legislature’s most vocal critics of pandemic restrictions and the results of the 2020 presidential election.

She said she may run for the state Senate again or return to the private sector.

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