Times were tough, we made it through.” Mr. Ducey spoke at length about immigration, and on a proposed Arizona law that would prevent it in the state. His tone changed once he started talking about the “threat” Mr. Obama posed to the country. “I don’t believe he’s eligible to be president,” Mr. Ducey said, accusing Mr. Obama of “making a mockery of our Constitution.” “The time has come for the time has come to take this country back. Now, what’s so interesting is this president has never, ever shown any regard for the rule of law,” he said. “He has no regard for it.” He continued, “I’ve never seen the level of invective and the level of hatred that is demonstrated against an entire class of people that’s been demonstrated by the president, his administration, and the left.” He said that the Obama administration is “willing to tolerate” protesters going to a mosque and attempting to “burn it down.” “If you go to the mosque with an American flag, they try to burn down the mosque. That’s what this administration is doing,” he said. He went on to call the president’s words “appalling,” and called the president’s policies “appalling.” He said he believed he was there to protest the president, but did not make it clear to the crowd. Mr. Ducey also criticized Mr. Obama for “breaking the law” during the 2012 campaign, and “playing politics” with national security. “He’s not a natural born citizen,” Mr. Ducey said of the president. “But he’s the one that, in my view, is violating the rule of law.” Asked to clarify what he meant by that, Mr. Ducey did not elaborate. Mr. Ducey is running against Democrat David Garcia for the state’s 5th Congressional District, the seat Mr. Trentadue held. Mr. Garcia lost to Mr. Trentadue in 2010, running for Congress in his district. Mr. Ducey called Mr. Garcia a “professional Democrat” who would “do what it takes to make sure Obama gets re-elected.” “We can’t have Obama winning, we can’t have him taking over our government,” he said, drawing boos from the crowd. He urged attendees to vote for the best candidate in the primary, and said Republicans were just as qualified as Democrats to be in Congress. “What I need to know is, how do you get somebody in the White House that’s going to be able to fight for Arizona?” he said. “That’s who I’m fighting for. Not Obama.” Mr. Ducey said that Mr. Garcia, a former member of the state Board of Regents, is too liberal, and would vote against Arizona when it comes to cutting costs. “I think we’re going to get a real debate,” he said. “I think it’s going to be heated.” He slammed Mr. Garcia for his involvement with the University of Arizona’s “Mexican-American Studies” program, and said that its curriculum is too liberal. “I think it’s going to be a very heated debate over time,” Mr. Ducey said. Mr. Garcia responded to the speech by speaking to the audience, who booed him and chanted “Garcia, Garcia, Garcia” in response. “I think what they’re angry about is the fact that I haven’t had a chance to respond because there’s a lot of spin out there,” Mr. Garcia said. “I’m not a fake. I am what I am. My record speaks for itself.” The crowd was sparse at the University of Arizona, a point that Mr. Ducey made clear, but said the conservative grassroots would drive his campaign. “Arizona voters are fired up,” Mr. Ducey said. “We’re going to turn out. This is a great turnout election year.” Mr. Ducey will face off against Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, who held the seat for 10 years, in November. Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.