Arizona Republicans are reviving a tired tactic in an effort to salvage their prospects in this year's midterm elections: the "sharia law" panic. They're dusting off a long-discredited conspiracy theory that Qatar is secretly building a Sharia-governed community, or "Qatar City," in the state.
The scaremongering began on social media, where right-wing influencers and activists, including Laura Loomer, an anti-Muslim activist who has served as an unofficial advisor to Donald Trump, started spreading unsubstantiated claims about Qatar's alleged plans. The rumors quickly gained traction among some Republican circles, with some lawmakers and consultants claiming that Sharia law is being pushed in Arizona.
However, officials at the Phoenix City Council and mayor have denied any involvement or knowledge of such a plan. The land proposed for "Qatar City" was actually part of a legitimate real estate development proposal by PulteGroup, an Atlanta-based construction company, which is seeking to build a master-planned community in North Park.
Despite the lack of evidence supporting these claims, some Republicans are using the scare as a way to mobilize their base and energize support for their candidates. Vinny Minchillo, a Texas GOP consultant, said that "Muslims" are the boogeyman for this cycle, and that this message works with Republican primary voters.
The Arizona State Land Department has also weighed in on the issue, stating that there is no application related to "Qatar City." The development has been approved by the Phoenix City Council and mayor, and it's not clear what role Qatar would play in its construction or management.
While the "sharia law" panic may seem like a ridiculous scare tactic, it's also a symptom of deeper issues facing Arizona Republicans. In recent senate races, the party has struggled to win over voters, with some losing by significant margins. The current governor's race is looking increasingly bleak for Republicans, with Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs maintaining a double-digit lead in most polls.
As one expert pointed out, "The Republicans will have a very difficult time in Arizona this year." This sentiment echoes that of other analysts and observers who see the state as a lost cause for the party.
The scaremongering began on social media, where right-wing influencers and activists, including Laura Loomer, an anti-Muslim activist who has served as an unofficial advisor to Donald Trump, started spreading unsubstantiated claims about Qatar's alleged plans. The rumors quickly gained traction among some Republican circles, with some lawmakers and consultants claiming that Sharia law is being pushed in Arizona.
However, officials at the Phoenix City Council and mayor have denied any involvement or knowledge of such a plan. The land proposed for "Qatar City" was actually part of a legitimate real estate development proposal by PulteGroup, an Atlanta-based construction company, which is seeking to build a master-planned community in North Park.
Despite the lack of evidence supporting these claims, some Republicans are using the scare as a way to mobilize their base and energize support for their candidates. Vinny Minchillo, a Texas GOP consultant, said that "Muslims" are the boogeyman for this cycle, and that this message works with Republican primary voters.
The Arizona State Land Department has also weighed in on the issue, stating that there is no application related to "Qatar City." The development has been approved by the Phoenix City Council and mayor, and it's not clear what role Qatar would play in its construction or management.
While the "sharia law" panic may seem like a ridiculous scare tactic, it's also a symptom of deeper issues facing Arizona Republicans. In recent senate races, the party has struggled to win over voters, with some losing by significant margins. The current governor's race is looking increasingly bleak for Republicans, with Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs maintaining a double-digit lead in most polls.
As one expert pointed out, "The Republicans will have a very difficult time in Arizona this year." This sentiment echoes that of other analysts and observers who see the state as a lost cause for the party.
i remember when trump was still in office lol what's with arizona republicans reviving the sharia law panic again? they're just spreading unsubstantiated claims about qatar building a sharia-governed community and it's just ridiculous 
some ppl need to get over themselves. and can we talk about how this is just another symptom of arizona republicans struggling to win voters 
they're basically playing the "muslims are boogeymen" card again...not cool guys 
. But what's even more concerning is how this tactic might be used to distract from real issues and mobilize support for their candidates. Arizona Republicans are already in a tough spot, but using unfounded claims about Sharia law just makes things worse 
. It's like they're playing with fire without thinking about the consequences. The fact that some influencers and lawmakers are spreading these unsubstantiated claims is just embarrassing 
. Can't they come up with something more creative (and less damaging) to scare their base?
. Like, come on, Qatar building a Sharia-governed community in Arizona? Give me a break 
.
. Like, what about healthcare, education, and economic growth? Are those things not important? 
Qatar City is just another example of real estate developers trying to make a buck, and our local leaders are trying to keep things grounded in reality. It's crazy how some people can latch onto a non-existent threat and turn it into a political talking point 
.
I mean come on... it's just another tired conspiracy theory trying to scare people off. Like, Qatar building a Sharia-governed community in Arizona? 
. And now they're using it to mobilize their base and energize support for their candidates? Come on, that's just good old-fashioned spin 
. I'm not buying it, folks. Something fishy is going on here... 
. And what's with the Laura Loomer connection? That girl is just a troublemaker 
.
That's what this whole thing feels like – a case of "othering", where we try to make ourselves feel better by making others feel worse. 
A way to distract us from the real issues at hand. 
. And what's with the whole "sharia law" panic? It's just a tired old conspiracy theory that's been debunked so many times. The fact that some Republicans are actually using it to try and energize their base is just sad 
anyway it's always fun to watch the tea party types try to spin some wild story 
and what really gets me is that the arizona state land department said there's no connection between "qatar city" and any real plans. but still, republicans are using this as a way to get out their base voters... it's like they're running out of ideas. 
and with the gov race looking bleak for them too, i'm not surprised they're resorting to this kind of tactic. the democrats are just cruising along, and it's gonna be an interesting midterm election 
. Wake me up when they come up with a real issue to fight about... like, I don't know, climate change or something 
like who even thought this was a good idea? they're just trying to scare people about Sharia law, but it's soooo not true lol these ppl are worried about losing elections and they're resorting to crazy stuff 
The "experts" who say it's a lost cause for Republicans are spot on tho. Arizonans aren't buying the scare tactics anymore.