Arizona's State Farm Stadium officials apologize for a stadium staffer's mistake that led to a woman being asked to remove her "Make America Great Again" hat. Trump and gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake urge fans to protest.
Amidst growing concerns about alleged irregularities in Arizona's voter registration system, a recent incident at State Farm Stadium has sparked controversy and drawn attention to the heightened political tensions in the state.
On Sunday, Susan Rosener, an Arizona Cardinals season ticket holder, was reportedly asked to remove her "Make American Great Again" hat before entering the stadium for the team's game against the Los Angeles Rams. The incident was publicized by Turning Point Action Field Rep. VP Alyssa Goncales on X, who also shared alleged screenshots of text messages with other attendees who claimed to have had similar experiences.
Cardinals Apologize for MAGA Hat Incident, Trump Calls for Resistance
The Cardinals organization has since apologized for the mistake, stating that a stadium security member had misunderstood a policy on prohibited items. The team confirmed that "political hats or shirts" are not on the list of banned items and that they will work to provide clarity to all stadium personnel regarding such situations.
However, the incident has resonated beyond the stadium, with former President Donald Trump and Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake calling for fans to wear MAGA hats to the team's home games for the remainder of the season. Lake posted on X, "Every [Cardinals] fan who loves America should wear their MAGA hat to EVERY AZ Cardinals game this season."
Cardinals Apologize for MAGA Hat Incident, Trump Calls for Resistance
The incident also highlights the growing concerns about alleged irregularities in Arizona's voter registration system. A "coding oversight" in state software has called into question the citizenship status of 100,000 registered Arizona voters. Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has stated that ballots will be sent to those affected anyway, despite concerns raised by Republican officials.
The combination of these events has created a heightened sense of political polarization in the state, with both sides accusing the other of voter suppression and intimidation tactics. The upcoming election is expected to be closely contested, with VP Harris currently leading Trump by less than 1 point in the polls.
Cardinals Apologize for MAGA Hat Incident, Trump Calls for Resistance
In the Arizona Senate race, Democrat Ruben Gallego leads Republican Kari Lake by 56%-41%. Democrat Jacky Rosen bests Republican Sam Brown by 55%-41% in the Nevada Senate race. In the North Carolina gubernatorial race, Democrat Josh Stein tops Republican Mark Robinson by 54%-43%.
As the election approaches, it remains to be seen how these events will impact the outcome of the races in Arizona and other swing states. However, the incidents at State Farm Stadium and the ongoing voter registration concerns have brought the political divide in the state into sharp focus.
