GOP Senate candidate Blake Masters blames gun violence on Black people in old interview

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — Days after securing former president Donald Trump’s endorsement, Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters is under fire for his comments about gun violence. On the “Jeff Oravits Show” back in April, he pointed a finger at who he thinks is to blame. “It’s gangs. It’s people in Chicago, St. Louis, shooting each other very often, you know, Black people frankly,” he said.

Masters’ campaign hadn’t received a lot of media attention of much critical scrutiny on stances or opinions. But with a higher profile, his prior comments and interviews are now getting a much closer look. The publisher of Arizona’s only Black-owned newspaper says Masters’ comments show he’s not the right person to represent Arizona. “I think those comments automatically disqualifies himself. When you start making those comments without having any background or proof or any information on that side of the facts, you just said that, it just shows that he’s not qualified to be a candidate not even for dog catcher,” said Clovis Campbell, publisher of the Arizona Format. Arizona’s Family reached out to the Master’s campaign, asking what evidence or data might support his claim but didn’t get a response.

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