Republican Speaker Who Refused to Overturn Arizona Vote Walks Back Claim He’d Still Take Trump Over Biden

The Republican Arizona State House Speaker Rusty Bowers who fought back tears in his January 6 committee testimony is walking back his claim that he would still vote for Donald Trump in 2024 despite that pressure to overturn his state’s vote.

In a CNN appearance on Saturday, Bowers addressed the shocking AP interview where he said he’d support Trump even after his explosive testimony before the committee.

Bowers testified Trump and Rudy Giuliani tried pressuring him into backing their claims of election fraud. Despite the fresh spin, Bowers did not actually say he wouldn’t vote for Trump, though Michael Smerconish gave him multiple opportunities to do so.

“If you’re asking me if I want Donald Trump to be president again, the answer is no, I don’t. And I want options,” Bowers said, after describing AP as a “friend” he gave an interview too late on a Monday night.

Bowers described the choice between President Joe Biden and Trump as a “Sophie’s choice.”

I would say that would be a hard. It’s like a Sophie’s choice. Can I have somebody else, please? Can we have a robust primary? Because I would really like to have somebody else who believes in the virtues and practices the virtues. And I’ve been on the end of — but Michael, by nature I’m more conciliatory. I want a marriage rather than a divorce.

After multiple attempts by Smerconish to get Bowers to bluntly say he wouldn’t vote for Trump, he made one final attempt.

“What I haven’t heard you say is, under no circumstances will I vote for Donald Trump. Do you want to say that or do you not want to lock yourself in?” the host asked.

Do I want to say that? Do I want to? The answer is yes. That’s what I want to say. But when I’m on — with my neighbors and friends and their challenges of their lives, many times the president doesn’t represent all the people or even most of the people. Sometimes he walks contrary to them. And I think this man does not have the character to lead the country again. And I have a district that’s a tough district. These kind of positions aren’t helping me. But okay. So they don’t help me.

Watch above via CNN.